CASTLES MADE OF SAND
Contributory
to the 80s Minneapolis Music Scene
~
recorded live ~
by Arlo Hennings
A fan remembers:
Hi Arlo -
I've been shopping for a Rickenbacker bass lately, and I was trying to
think of all the bass players I've seen or heard playing them. I dredged an
old memory of the bass player from Vitamin Q and that great solo he did in
the song I think was called "Looking Down". So I figured I'd do a Google
search to see if anything might pop up, and there you were.
Vitamin Q was my second favorite local band, right after the Burbs. I
didn't realize you were actually part of them in their embryonic stage. I
remember being very disappointed, right along with you I'm sure, when my
friends and I were the only ones in the audience at several shows. I have
strong memories of "Looking Down", "Shift" and "Me Magazine" particularly,
plus a great cover of "Young Americans". My fond memories of the band? A
little square-faced guy on lead guitar and vocals, a John Denver looking guy
in red pants and suspenders on bass, a somewhat awkward - moving keyboard
player in the back, a diminutive singing drummer with a well-plumbed drum
kit, and a sweet lady playing organ and sax,
teacher except she dressed like the B52 girls. I had a Vitamin Q t-shirt,
with the rocket-pill. I couldn't understand why you guys weren't more
popular. I thought your sound was very original, and you came across as
genuinely friendly. Maybe that was the problem - you were too original and you weren't aloof enough. It
seemed to me you were sprinkling some of the dust left behind by the Prog
Rock dinosaurs in with Cars-ish New Wave. Cool.
So what has become of the others? I remember the keyboard/sax lady started
a band called Neon Eon, and didn't you start a project called Puzzle?
Believe it or not, I still have the Me Magazine video from Twin Cities
Beat on video somewhere in the basement.
Greg Mathieson aka Stegor
ME MAGAZINE- (3.26 MB) Windows Media Player or Real Audio /recorded 1981Cookhouse
Guitar/Vocals - Arlo Hennngs
Drums/Vocals - Michael Gacek
Saxophone/Keyboards/Vocals - Anita Kozan
Keyboards/Vocals - Mike Pugsley
Bass/Vocals- John Sundquist
HIGH RISE BABIES - (2.62 MB) Windows Media Player or Real Audio/recorded 1980 Yanni's Studio
Guitarlo 1980
During Vitamin Q's five-year run (1979-1985), the Q rehearsed the same 8 songs for three years? Followed by two personnel changes, the band rose to be one of the top cover song acts at local venues. Vitamin Q's claim to fame came from my song about the 80's Me Generation, Me Magazine. It appeared on the KQRS' radio "Best of the Twin Cities Beat" album and TV show. Vitamin Q was better known for their rehearsal space. Pulling on experience from my Prison Dance Hall days, I helped to transform the group's warehouse rehearsal space into a concert hall that provided free access to original groups. The space became known as "On Broadway" and was the recipient of feature stories that acclaimed the venue as a critical spawning ground for developing talent.
1984 Anita and John were replaced by Roxxy Hall bass/vocals. Later that year Nikki Cox and Mike Harwood joined the group.
Vitamin Q - 1979 and in its final incarnation in photo above- 1985
From 1979-1985 Vitamin Q performed in 43 nightclubs,11 colleges,16 high schools and 5 ballrooms
Left to right: Michael Gacek, Nikki Cox, Mike Pugsley, Mike Harwood, Guitarlo
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