The Ducks

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This article is about a rock band. For the National Hockey League team, see Anaheim Ducks.
For the Disney characters, see Donald Duck universe characters.
The Ducks
Origin Santa Cruz, California, U.S.
Genre(s) Rock and roll
Country rock
Hard rock
Folk rock
Rock
Years active 1977 - 1977
Label(s) None
Associated acts Crazy Horse
Moby Grape
Members
Neil Young
Bob Mosley
Jeff Blackburn
Johnny Craviotta

The Ducks were a short-lived hard rock band formed in the summer of 1977 by singer/songwriter Jeff Blackburn, and consisted of musicians Bob Mosley (an original member of Moby Grape), Neil Young, and Johnny Craviotta. The band played around the Santa Cruz area due to contractual limitations. Fans would often quack and blow duck callers before the band began playing.

Contents

[edit] History

In the spring of 1977, erstwhile Moby Grape leader Jerry Miller was working various combinations of people and Neil Young found his way on stage one night with Jerry (whom he knew from Fillmore days) and a singer/songwriter named Jeff Blackburn (who co-wrote My My Hey Hey (Out of the Blue). Young began hanging out and jamming with Blackburn in the days that followed with Blackburn on rhythm guitar, Bob Mosley on bass, and Johnny Craviotta on drums. Craviotta had previously played on tracks for Arlo Guthrie. They decided to call themselves the Ducks and within weeks every duck call within miles had been purchased.[1]


The local entertainment tabloid ("The Good Times") got wind something was up and had a conversation with the group. They announced they were forming a band called the Ducks, that would play local clubs for cover charges of less than $3. Further Young was moving to Santa Cruz and would stay "as long as it remains cool." This exchange was later written up as a front-page story in a local newspaper. He also said they could play "Mr. Soul" better than Buffalo Springfield. By mid-June the Ducks began to play, usually two sets a night, three or four times a week. Sometimes there was enough warning that they'd be listed in the Good Times. The Ducks became a secret, local institution.

The set list for their shows was very democratic. All four could sing and had material, so they took turns throughout the sets in a strict manner. Highlights included "Mr. Soul", a Blackburn tune called "Silver Wings", a Moby Grape tune of Mosley's entitled "Gypsy Wedding", and hard Chuck Berry-esque rock and roll workouts sung by Johnny Craviotta. "Comes a Time" was played as a country rocker before turning up in its acoustic studio guise. They also did "Homegrown", a cover of Ian Tyson's "Four Strong Winds" with Young singing lead, and an instrumental guitar showcase entitled "Windward Passage". Early in the summer "Passage" was done in a kind of psychedelic/surf style, it grew into a more traditional Young guitar piece as the weeks went on. Young played "Old Black" which sported a Santa Cruz sticker that summer. He usually wore a plaid shirt with local drawstring pants that were high fashion at the time. In the smaller clubs they would shake hands with the crowd at the end. Even in "bigger" venues like the Catalyst which had a maximum capacity of 1,000 people, people would often bump into Neil and the others waiting in line at the bar between sets. Young seemed to be living a fantasy of a small town simpler life. Nevertheless, he clearly was spending some of his big star money that summer on the band, by mid summer they were doing exceptional projections of animations overhead and large mobile recording vans were usually spotted in the alley during most gigs.

They played just about every place in town, from the showcase Catalyst, to the very cozy Crossroads, to earthy spots like the Veteran's Hall. They were not without some rock and roll cliché drama — Craviotta seemed kind of thirsty some evenings — and he passed out behind the drum kit during intermission at a show. Near the end of the summer they played two larger gigs, one at the Civic Auditorium that had the current edition of Moby Grape, which the benefit turned out to be their final performance with Young. And an outdoor gig at Cabrillo Community College opening for Elvin Bishop.

[edit] Turmoil and downfall

Young had a contract with Crazy Horse that specified he could only "tour" with them and so the Ducks were required to confine themselves within the city limits so as not to tour.[2] One very interesting moment came when Crosby & Nash came into town for a concert. Everyone wondered if a reunion of the big four might take place. Young did indeed take the stage and blew the other two away.

The Ducks managed to end a mere seven weeks after they began. Young's rented house was burglarized and he lost a number of instruments and other items of great sentimental vaule.[3] As word had spread in the national media about Young joining a bar band crowds got bigger with out of town "Duck Hunters" less content to let the band have its own identity and more inclined to mindlessly yell requests for old Neil Young chestnuts. The Ducks continued on for a while without Young and held out hope that he might return, but it was not to be.

The Ducks played a total of 22 shows and 178 performances. Their longest show featured 28 songs, which took place at the Crossroads Club in Santa Cruz, CA. They performed the Blackburn song "Silver Wings" at every show. [4]

[edit] The Ducks at The Catalyst, Santa Cruz, California August 22, 1977

Part One

  • "A Deeper Mystery"
  • "Gypsy Wedding"
  • "Sail Away"
  • "Slow Down"
  • "Helplessly Hoping"
  • "Take Me Down Behind the Sun"
  • "Only Loving You"
  • "Crying Eyes"
  • "Bye Bye Johnny"
  • "Your Time Will Come Around"
  • "Do Me Right"
  • "Are You Ready for the Country?"
  • "Silver Wings"

Part Two

  • "Two Riders"
  • "Your Love"
  • "Gone Dead Train"
  • "Mr. Soul"
  • "Hold on Boys"
  • "My, My, My"
  • "I'm Ready"
  • "Comes a Time"
  • "Windward Passage"
  • "Younger Days"

[edit] The Ducks gigs of 1977

July 1977 August 1977 September 1977
7-09-1977, The Back Room at The New Riverside, Santa Cruz, California 8-01-1977, The Steamship, Santa Cruz, California 9-01-1977, Civic Auditorium, Santa Cruz, California
7-15-1977, Crossroads Club, Santa Cruz, California 8-02-1977, Crossroads Club, Santa Cruz, California 9-02-1977, Civic Auditorium, Santa Cruz, California
7-16-1977, Crossroads Club, Santa Cruz, California 8-03-1977, The Catalyst, Santa Cruz, California
7-22-1977, The Back Room at The New Riverside, Santa Cruz, California 8-05-1977, The Crossroads Club, Santa Cruz, California
7-23-1977, The Back Room at The New Riverside, Santa Cruz, California 8-06-1977, Veterans Auditorium, Santa Cruz, California
7-26-1977, The Back Room at The New Riverside, Santa Cruz, California 8-11-1977, The Catalyst, Santa Cruz, California
7-31-1977, The Catalyst, Santa Cruz, California 8-12-1977, Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium, Santa Cruz, California
8-22-1977, The Catalyst, Santa Cruz, California
8-23-1977, The Catalyst, Santa Cruz, California
8-24-1977, Crossroads Club, Santa Cruz, California
8-25-1977, The Catalyst, Santa Cruz, California
8-27-1977, The Catalyst, Santa Cruz, California
8-30-1977, The Catalyst, Santa Cruz, California

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ http://www.rollingstone.com/news/profile/story/9102787/neil_young_the_last_american_hero
  2. ^ The Ducks!
  3. ^ SantaCruzSentinel.com - Sentinel
  4. ^ Numbers On The Site ~ The Neil Young Tour Statistics

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