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Pacifica Tribune/August 25, 2010
Book Signing at Florey's
Pacifca musican Dave Crimmen puts pen to hand and writes up some local history
Born in San Francisco, Dave Crimmen grew up in Broadmoor Village, a subdivision built by the Stoneson Developement Corporation just after World War II in an unincorporated part of Colma.
Crimmen lived in Broadmoor for 30 years. Now a very well - known singer, guitarist and composer in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond, Dave's book "Broadmoor Village" $21.95, Arcadia Publishing (Images of America Series), celebrating the history of his hometown, has just hit bookshlves. This Saturday Aug. 28, 2 to 4 p.m., Florey's Books welcomes the public to Dave's book release and signing party.
Crimmen's book defines Broadmoor's location for the many San Mateo County and San Francisco natives who have no idea where it starts and stops.
"Imagine a square. On the north or top end of a square is Westlake Shopping Center." the good natured Crimmen begins. "On the south side of that square, directly opposite, is Westmoor High School. On the east side of that square is Daly City's City Hall and on the west side is an elementary school known as the Majorie H. Tobias Elementary School (formerly Vista Mar). Right in the middle of all that is Broadmoor."
Back in the 1950s when Bay Area developers and cities looked to annex unincorporated areas, Broadmoor came under the annex "microscope" but chose to stand alone and unincorporated.
"Eventually Daly City grew up around it." the author said, "and many people mistakenly think of it as a neighborhood of Daly City. But in actuality, the approixmately 4,100 people living in its 2 1/2 to 3 square mile vicinity live in their own community."
Crimmen notes that when studying areas of Northern San Mateo County, there is a lot of confusion about certain areas of Daly City, verses unincorporated or incorporated areas of Colma, verses Broadmoor.
"The Broadmoor Shopping Center on 87th and Junipero Serra, where the IHOP is, was never in Broadmoor." Crimmen clarified "That was built by the Stoneson Brothers on land that was annexed by Daly City in 1931. The Broadmoor Towing Service is listed in Daly City but is actually in Colma. The Westlake Car-wash is not in Westlake or Daly City. It's in Broadmoor and the Broadmoor Police Department is in Daly City."
If one really wants to know if they are in Broadmoor or not, Crimmen said about a block or two west of Daly City's City Hall, where the street signs turn from blue to green with white letters, and the curbs go from square to round - you're in Broadmoor.
The youngest of five, Dave is the son of Chief Petty Officer Otis A. Crapse and his wife Susan. His mom, whom he refers to as the "fighting Irish" was a singer in a Speakeasy back in the '30s. She loved to do torch songs. He credits her with being a big influence on his career as a songwriter. (Dave has composed music for movies and television and he is a frequent tune on college radio.) She used to say to her son "When Bing Crosby sings 'White Christmas' Irving Berlin gets paid".
His Navy dad played guitar and sang for fun. However it was because of Dave's dad, that Dave wrote his first song at age 9.
"I'm Cherokee on my father's side and as soon as I learned about the 'Trail of tears' - I wrote a song."
Dave remembers his first guitar. It was a 4-string Mickey Mouse guitar he got when he was 3 and he gave it a whole lot of use. He was in second grade when he started taking formal lessons. His dad, a big time fan of country music, then called "hillbilly music" used to tune into local television channel KTVU to watch "Black Jack Wayne" Saturday morning before the Giants came on. There were all these famous country singers on that show and Dave's dad told his son, "Never mind those guys, watch the guy who can really pick out the notes."
Dave's first rock 'n' roll inspiration was Elvis Presley period."Apparently when I was in my crib, my sisters would play records and whe an Elvis record came on I would stand up and shake the crib."
"My genre is rock 'n' roll." Crimmen said (www.davecrimmen.com) "And the concept behind my music is unplug your brain, jump up and dance. I like the sound of guitars, the voices and there is something about the purity and freedom of the music from the 1950's - though they came pretty close when the Beatles arrived - of absolute joy."
For the past seven years Dave and his wife Sharon Caren, a massage and reposturing therapist (sharoncaren.com) have lived in Pacifica and Dave has made it his business to bring Pacificans as much music as he can. Recently he played at the Pacifica Historical Society's 100th birthday party soiree for the Little Brown Church. He also shook out the bop at a recent Spindrift benefit with the cast of "Bye Bye Birdie."
He played the Pacifica Chamber of Commerce "Hearts on Fire" event held at Pacifca's Park Mall in June. You can hear him amoung 11 artists (soloist and bands) on the recently released "The Best of Pacifca Volume 1" (local artists offer works to benefit PCT 26 and Pacifca Performances). He's played at Nick's, the Coastside Farmer's Market, Old Princeton Landing and the list goes on. His first vocal coach (Skyline College 1974) was the late Mildred Owen.
Dave's latest record "Full Circle" is due in September.
In writing his book on Broadmoor, Dave said there are so many people to thank but he would be remiss if he did not publicly thank, Edie Epps of the Visitation Valley Historical Project, Chief Greg Love Broadmoor Police Department and Ray Mogel at the San Mateo County Department of Public Works.
"It's really another story how I came to write this story," Crimmen laughed "But I have to say that I really wrote it for the people who live in Broadmoor and don't even know they live in Broadmoor."
Saturday, Aug.28, 2 to 4 p.m., Dave Crimmen will be at Florey's Book Co., 2120 Palmetto Ave. (www.floreysbooks.blogspot.com) to sign copies of "Images of America: Broadmoor Village." Also available through www.arcadiapublishing.com.
-Jean Bartlett
Santa Clara Weekly/August 18-24, 2010
Concerts In The Park
Another gorgeous day for Concerts in the Park, not too hot, not too cold and what a band!
The Dave Crimmen Band rocked the fans with their Rockabilly covers and original songs; written by Dave Crimmen, founder of the band, lead guitar and vocals. Johnny Alexander bass and vocals, and Greg Windust on drums and vocals rounded out the band. These long time friends and excellent musicians brought the audience back to the 1950's of Carl Perkins and early Elvis Presley. Of course, most of the audience knew all the lyrics to the songs and the younger dancing kids learned new songs that they will now remember forever. From their first song "Jingle Bell Rock" (Bobby Helms - 1957) that instantly engaged the audience, to the band's encore "Wipe Out" (The Surfaris - 1963), the band held all spellbound. In between songs like "Peggy Sue", "Don't Be Cruel" and "La Bamba" Santa Clarans danced the afternoon away. After the band's performance new fans were lined up to buy their two CDs.
Margaret, a new attendee, said she had not previously known about these concerts but heard about them from a neighboor. She had so much fun that she plans on coming back again. Most of the audience had been there before and have held BBQs, birthday parties, brought their kids and others brought their dogs. Mare and Ali Becker spent their 38th wedding anniversary happily dancing.
The last of the Concerts in the Park will be on Sunday August 22, from 2:30 to 4:00 p.m., with the ever popular Sparkletones closing out the Concerts in the Park Series.
For more information on Concerts in the Park contact The Santa Clara Cultural Advisory Commision at 615-2210
Additional Santa Clara events can be found on the City's television station Channel 15 or visit www.SantaClara.gov
The Dave Crimmen Band can be reached at www.davecrimmen.com or (650) 589-5852
-Christy Kinney
Pacifca Tribune/August 18, 2010
The Best of Pacifca, Volume 1 now available
There is a very cool CD called "The Best of Pacifica Volume 1 - Pacifca Artists playing for the Arts of Pacifica". The CD benefits Pacifca Community Television Channel 26 and Pacifca Performances.
The compact "vinyl" features songs performed by and in my cases written by the following hometown musicians - Mike Tyler, Shelter Cove Blues Society, Marcos Jaramillo, Gary Horsman, Uke Lorenz and Blue Moon Medicine, Ian Butler, Dave Crimmen, The Linda Martians, Belligerance, Inverness and Billy the Shape, a one stop shop for hot.
Song styles and moods travel many diverse roads of extemely stisfying listens. There is a dreamy fusion of classic and psychedelic rock (Tyler). Mellow jazz, funk, world-beat harmonica driven blues (Shelter Cove Blues Society). Segovia-driven eloquent classical guitar (Marcos Jaramillo). Thoughtful, modern folk, sea-like chanty (Gary Horsman). American-storytelling folk with a bit of celtic and yee-haw (Uke Lorenz and Blue Moon Medicine). Smart beachy jukebox pop and black light rock carrying important messages for a better world (Ian Butler).
Also there is stuff to make your 1957 hot rod shake out its tires and dance (Crimmen). Very hip martini/James Bond music (The Linda Martians)
Alternative rock, rap, heavy metal kickers (Beligerance)
Heat-filled, hook-driven post-grunge (Incerneas). Life-lived,new wave, post punk, synth pop, groovy figer-snap (Billy the Shape).
The project is the brain-storm of musicians Uke Lorenz Blue Moon Medicine) and Steven Roark (Billy the Shape). Lorenz, the owner of Blue Moon Music has seen an amazing amount of local talent come into his store, which includes Steven Roark.
"Steve, this Pacifica bon vivant and Safeway bagger, has been coming to my store for a few years and we struck up a friendship." Uke said.
"He is a very talented songwriter and lyricist, in fact the songs are just pouring out of him. He had given ma a few songs to record and I wrote music to some of his lyrics. Last fall I mentioned to him, wouldn't it be nice to make a compilation CD of all the diverse talent Pacifica has to offer?"
Between the two men talking it over with various musicians contacts, the idea gelled into a double project.
"We were swamped with musicians who wanted to participate and from the start we wanted to create something that would introduce the variety of Pacifca musical talent to Pacificans and at the same time support the organizations that are supporting the musicians."
Musicians quickly dropped CDs off with Steve and Uke and suggested which songs should be used for the record. The mastering process took a bit longer than expected, and Uke, while still maintaining his two local businesses, moved to Surrey, British Columbia.
"My commute takes a little longer!"
A little shy of a year later, the CD is now packages and ready to be played.
Locals know many of these musicians from gigs at such places as Cheers, Nick's, Portofino's, Pacifica Performances, The Bruce Latimer Show (PCT 26), Shelidance, Orchard Gardens and the Earth Day Party at Linda Mar Beach. And despite living in British Columbia, Uke makes his way to the Chit Chat Cafe once or twice a month to do a show called "Uke and Friends."
The CD sells for $15.00 ($10.00 if that's all your budget can do.) All money made goes directly to Pacificas Performances and PCT 26. "The Best of Pacifica Volume 1" can be purchased at Pacifica Performances, PCT 26, Blue Moon Music, or email Uke Lorenz with your phone number at uke@sbcglobal.net and he can process your order.
"I learned a couple of things on this project." Uke said. "One, the 21 songs we crammed onto this first CD were the maximum we could get on a single CD. Two, there are so many other musicians around Pacifica and the Coastside that did not make it onto Volume 1 that we have to have a Volume 2- Nomi Harper, Nancy Hall, Lee Parvin, Frank Risinger, Leighanna Murphy, The Biscuit Wheels, David Cannaday and his band View from Space- I could go on and on!"
"I have been blessed to have the support of my family and friends in my various endeavors." Uke continued.
"And music has given me so much. So I just want to say to all you parents out there - please, send your children to music lessons. In my estimate it is the greatest gift you can give a child."
-Jean Bartlett
Half Moon Bay Review/August 11, 2010
Musician captures local hamlet in a book
Dave Crimmen, Known For Rockabilly, Pens History Of Broadmoor
Flip through the pages and a small unincorporated hamlet comes into focus.
Norman Rockwell-ish in style - with baseball teams, toddlers, old cars, buildings and cheerleaders - this is Broadmoor, as represented in "Images of America: Broadmoor Village" (Arcadia Publishing, 127 pages, $21.99). With a population of 4,200, it is a subdivision of unincorporated Colma and historically, is a place where you knew your neighbors.
That's the recollection of author and Pacifica resident Dave Crimmen, known around the coastside for heading the Dave Crimmen Band, which has played its brand of rockabilly and 1950s and 60s rock at local happenings including Rock the Block and the Pumpkin Festival, and at clubs like the Miramar Beach Inn, Old Princeton Landing and San Benito House.
"Everyone knew everyone," back when he was growing up there, said Crimmen, "If you got stopped by the police, the worst thing that could happen was not that you'd go to jail, but someone would call your parents."
Guitarist Crimmen was inspired to try his hand at writing and immortalizing his hometown by fan Edie Epps with the Visitation Valley History project.
When she came to the band's gigs, she brought along the "Images of America" book on El Grenada; then the one on Daly City; then the one on Colma. Each time, she told Crimmen he ought to do one on Broadmoor.
So he took her at her word. "I thought it was important because Broadmoor is unincorporated and sort of in the shadow of Daly City," he said. "So I thought I should roll my sleeves up and write a book."
Drawing from the San Francisco main library, the history societies of Pacifica, Colma and San Mateo County, the Daly City history guild and his own former Cub Scouts den mother, he pieced together the historical photographs with informative captions that characterize the Arcadia "Images of America" books.
Crimmen will present his book at a signing from 2 to 4 p.m. on Saturday Aug.28, at Florey's Books at 2120 Palmeto in Pacifica.
The book is available at Barnes & Nobel, Boarders, Costgo, on Amazon and at Crimmen's band's gigs.
For the musician, with the book, "life has really come full circle." He began his musical career as an adult, he said, writting songs for Carl Perkins, driven by his love of rockabilly.
His next album, "Full Circle", a compilation of three earlier albums is due out in September. After that, he will begin work on an album of new material, due for release next year.
-Stacy Trevenon
Pacifca Tribune/August 4 - 10, 2010
"Spindrift at the Hop - A benefit for PSP with the cast of 'Bye Bye Birdie' Saturday"
On Saturday, Aug. 14, from 8 to 11 p.m. musician Dave Crimmen with his vocal ease and guitar treats and his roots in Sun Records Era of rock 'n' roll, will bring out his band to shake out a whole lotta sock hoppin' for a benefit at the Spindrift, featuring the cast of "Bye Bye Birdie."
"Bye Bye Birdie" written by Michael Stewart and with music by Charles Strouse is climbing on board the Pacifica Spindrift Stage weekends running Sept. 3 through Oct. 3. (The Spindrift presnetation is directed by George Mauro, with music direction by Bob Sunshine and choreography by Natalia Luna.)
The 1960 Tony-Award winning musical, inspired by Elvis Presley tells the story of a rock 'n' roll singer, Conrad Birdie, who is about to be inducted into the army.
Before that induction takes place, Birdie's agent secretary Rosie concots a final national publicity plan where Conrad will bid farewell to a "typical" American teenage girl with an all-American kiss. Even though everyone swoons when Conrad shows up in there town, the singer just wants to be a regular guy.
Crimmen, whose original tunes swing like a stock car race at the famed Charlotte Speedway, is perfect to rev up the engine for the upcoming "Birdie" production. A West Coast legend of rockabilly, Dave has composed music for movies and television and he is a frequent tune on college radio. Bill Griffith of B.A.M. Magazine wrote, "Dave's music conjures up visions of pony-tailed girls doing the bop, in fact, this stuff would work in a 'Back to the Beach' movie soundtrack. Makes me feel like I want to hop in my Chevy convertable to meet Artur Fonzarelli at Arnold's!"
So ladies, if you're thinking it is time to blow off the dust on those tapered pants, peppermint tops and/or wide skirts with petticoats- and gents, if it's been a while since you plastered your hair in a ducktail, then you better get yourself to the Spindrift where the dance floor is out, Dave Crimmen and his band are on stage and the cast of "Bye Bye Birdie" is celebrating their wop-bop-a-lou in three hours of singing and dancing on stage at the Spindrift, 1050 Crespi Drive, Pacifica.
Tickets for this Spindrift fund-raiser are just $10.00 bucks a pop. Reservations at 359-8002. Visit www.pacificaspindrift.org
-Jean Bartlett
New Times Magazine/July 8-15, 2010
"MISSING HIM WOULD BE CRIMMEN - ALL"
Dave Crimmen is a towering, six foot-four inch guitar-slinger who's sassy, smoky crooning conjures the ghost of Elvis during his Sun Records era in '50's Memphis. On "The Son Of Sun", Crimmen sounds like what Chris Isaak wishes he sounded like-harder, more authentic, grittier.
Even the old timers recognize Crimmen's talent. On his 2007 CD, "Big Daddy D", he was backed by the Jordanaires for a couple of tracks. That's the group that backed Patsy Cline, Ricky Nelson and Elvis Presley. Bill Haley's Original Comets recorded one of Crimmen's songs.
The man is a swaggering, rockin' good time. See for yourself this Friday and Saturday July 9 and 10, at the Old Cayucos Tavern.
-Glen Starkey
Brentwood Press/February 26th, 2010
"DAVE CRIMMEM BLOWS 'EM AWAY"
Casting shades of Carl Perkins and Elvis Presley, Dave Crimmen's recent gig at Summerset Orchards brought back memories of olden times, when rock and roll was born out of the blues, country and jazz bumped up by hard-rock southern rhythm.
Brought to the Orchard's Lodge by Pat and Jack Clemen's Summerset Concerts, guitarist/vocalist Crimmen cohorts John Alexander on bass with drummer Greg Windust turned in a sparkling performance that pleased the sold out crowd.
Long a performer of rockabilly music, Crimmen calls himself "The luckiest guy in the world" for the opportunity to play the music he obviously loves. Songs like "Don't Be Cruel", "All Shook Up", "Claudette" and his own compositions, "1957 Chevrolet Bel Air", or "Revved Up"get his audiences tapping their feet or out on the dance floor boogying for all they're worth.
"I had a fine time" said Summersetter Chuck Cannon. "Probably the best fun I've had since (wife) Penny and I moved here."
George Kapplan wholeheartedly agreed. "It was a great concert." he said, "and people really enjoy his music."
According to event organizer Pat Clemins, "We just knew Dave (Crimmen) would be a great addition to our $10.00 per person concert series, and he certainly proved it."
Singer, songwriter, guitarist, recording star Crimmen returned the entusiasm. "We love playing for you guys," he said "Thanks for having us." Crimmen's group is well known to many Summerseters from his gigs at Nines restaurant, where he played several Friday ad Saturday evenings last summer.
Crimmen's original music has been featured in movies and he has produced three CDs plus a number of singles that have done well on radio. In his mid-50's Crimmen has been playing Bay Area haunts for decades. Married and living in Pacifica, his favorite expression is "I'll plant you now and dig you later." For more on Crimmen, visit www.davecrimmen.com
-Ray Carter