March 8 & 9, 1997

Rockabilly lives! Carl Perkins, one of the originators of rockabilly, proved it in a surprise appearance at the Fillmore with Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers in February. Although in his 60's, Perkins hasn't lost a note in either his voice or his guitar playing. He had no problems holding his own with the Heartbreakers - an exceptional rock & roll band. This true-blue American genre of music was founded four decades ago when Sam Phillips at Sun Records helped Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash and Perkins fuse country music (then called "hillbilly music") with rhythm & blues and black gospel. Rockabilly experienced a resurgence in the early '80s, via bands like the Stray Cats - ironically in England. Peninsula artist Dave Crimmen continues to carry the rockabilly torch. Imagine the vocal technique of Elvis, the guitar licks of Carl Perkins backed by the strong rhythm section of the Beatles. If the old Sun Records have a deficiency, it is the weak rhythm section, unable to keep up with the emotion and power of the voice. Crimmen has resolved this by enlisting the aid of Sal D'Amato's steady drums and solid bass playing, alternated between Bill Shaffer and Robin Sylvester. The finished product is a thoroughly enjoyable collection of music found on "The Son of Sun."

While there are noticeable contemporary influences like ZZ Top on "She Turns Me On," 90 percent of this music is puren rockabilly. Songs like "It's Got That Beat," "The Devil's Music," and "Dancin' Shoes" are guitar-driven, melodic, upbeat rockabilly with all the energy, fun and dance-ability common to the music. "Baby Shake It Up" and "If You Said Yes" feature Dave playing lead guitar in the great Carl Perkins style. Both tunes open with signature lead riffs which define and drive the songs. Surprisingly, one of the few times he slows down, "Looking Back" sounds like a nod to Creedence Clearwater Revival, another Bay Area product.

Since his February record release party at Route 66 in Burlingame, Crimmen has generated a lot of buzz. "Recently an L.A. publisher called about placing my music in TV and movie soundtracks. A European agent expressed interest in putting us on a European tour," said Crimmen. The Belmost resident got hooked on Elvis early. Enthusiastically, Crimmen decided to share his new-found love of music with his kindergarten class. Crimmen brought the record, "Baby Let's Play House" to kindergarten for show and tell.  "I was so disappointed when my teacher wouldn't play it," Crimmen recalls, laughing.

The colorful Crimmen has a penchant for naming his guitars after his sisters.  his collection includes 'Arline', his black 1978 Gibson Les Paul,  'Phyllis' his 1982 Fender Strat, and 'Ginney', a Gibson J200. His latest acquisition sports the turquoise fins of a '57 Bel Air Chevy. Dave Crimmen is offering good-time music to be enjoyed and danced. His new collection of music, "Where He Left Off" is soon to be released. A new single, "Let It Rock" is already available by writing Dave at P.O. Box 2213, Daly City, CA 94017.

-T. A. F. Fisher

Dec. 20, 1995

Rockabilly rebel rules the Peninsula

With a voice like Elvis Presley's and musical accompaniment resembling Little Richard's keyboards and Buddy Holly's guitar, Dave Crimmen and his band are taking the Peninsula music scene by storm. Crimmen's forte and first love is rockabilly music, with influences from Fats Domino, Johnny Cash, Hank Williams and Elvis Presley.

In January, his latest single, "If You Said Yes," will be released. This upbeat, easy-to-dance-to song is one of many new tunes on Crimmen's forthcoming album, "The Son of Sun." "My biggest influences come from '50s rock 'n' roll." Crimmen said in a recent interview. "All I've ever wanted to do is be a singer in a rock 'n' roll band. It's just what I love to do."

According to a family yarn, Crimmen became hooked on rock 'n' roll at the age of 6 months when one of his three older sisters brought home an Elvis Presley album and played it for him. "So I guess it's always been in my roots," he said. The seriousness of Crimmen's love for '50s music grew as he got older. Crimmen, who was in kindergarten at the time, remembers bringing his first Elvis Presley album, "A Date With Elvis," to class and asking his teacher to play "Baby, Let's Play House." "She wouldn't play the song and she broke my heart," Crimmen said. "I went home in tears."

Finding inspiration

While Crimmen is far beyond his kindergarten days, he draws from his past and present life experiences to write his songs. A song titled "Devil's Music" is based on Crimmen's kindergarten teacher refusing to play the Presley song and how that experience relates to sentiments that rock 'n' roll music negatively influences youth. Crimmen added he currently is working on a song entitled, "Your Records Are Staying." "This song goes back to when my older sisters got married, and I told them they could go but their records were staying," Crimmen said. "I try to bring out in my music aspects of real life," he added. "But the main purpose of my music is to help people have a good time and to dance."

The making of an image

"The Son of Sun" is Crimmen's fourth album &endash; two under the band name of Xtender and one previous album, "Just Call It Rock 'n' Roll" under the name Dave Crimmen. "The record labels weren't responding to us as Xtender," Crimmen said, "but they liked me and my singing, so we changed the name to Dave Crimmen. Then I turned around and hired Xtender as my backup band." As Crimmen prepared to take center stage as the band's main attraction, he had to work on developing his image. "Music isn't just music," he said. "You have to have a look. It's one more way to help people get a handle on who you are." Crimmen's look is now well developed as he had grown long sideburns and wears black leather and plenty of silver and turquoise jewelry.

The idea for the turquoise and sliver rings emerged from a Fats Domino appearance on an old Steve Allen television show; and the T-shirt with a jacket's collar turned up has its roots in the 1950's period so often represented by the rough and tough James Dean role in "Rebel Without a Cause." "Some say having an image makes the music secondary," Crimmen said. "But to me, an image is part of the job. Musicians needed it even before MTV and the business of making videos."

Air time

As Crimmen's music gets more exposure, time spent in clubs and bars throughout the Peninsula is increasing. In the past, Crimmen has played at McGovern's in San Mateo and plans to have the "If You Said Yes" release party at Leon's Route 66 in Burlingame on Friday, Jan. 26. The band also hopes to get airtime on college radio stations and KFOG, a radio station based in San Francisco.

No matter where Crimmen plays, however, he and his band members are not strangers to the Peninsula. Crimmen and guitarist Leif Carlson are graduates of Westmoor High School in Daly City. Bassist Bill Shafer attended El Camino High School in South San Francisco. Sal D'Amato, who plays the drums, lives in Foster City and pianist Harry Mello lives in San Francisco. All attended Skyline College together.

As Crimmen prepares for his new album's release, the band's long term plans revolve around signing with a major record label. "We just can't stop playing," Crimmen said. "It would be like cutting off my right arm. Playing music is just something I have to do." For more on Dave Crimmen and his band, call the band's information line at 589-5852.

-Kimberlee Noll