Cub Koda 1948-2000 The following is background information taken from the November 1995 TuneUp Guitar Magazine issue... Cub Koda - Welcome To My Job By Darin Scott Cub Koda's career has covered the entire span of American roots music. Throughout Cub's recording career you can hear hints of blues, rock & roll, rock-a-billy, jazz, folk, and another category that I'll just call Cub music. This all done with the clockwork precision of the seasoned pro that he is, tossed in with Cub's sense of fun and adventure. For those unaware of Mr. Koda's past accomplishments, please allow me to fill you in on some of the highlights. Cub was the lead guitarist, singer, & main songwriter of the legendary rock band Brownsville Station. They were were and are one of the most important bands to ever come out of Michigan. They were together from 1969 to 1979, and during that time they scored several international and national hits which include "Smokin' In The Boys Room", "Martian Boogie", "Lady Put The Light On Me"," Kings Of The Party", and "Let Your Yeah Be Yeah". "Smokin In The Boys Room" (which was penned by Cub and Michael Lutz the bassist for Brownsville Station) went on to sell 2 1/2 million copies and was also a big hit for Motley Crue in the mid-eighties. Brownsville Station also had quite a reputation as being one of the most dynamic and energetic live bands, always working in the Koda tradition of giving nothing less than a 150 percent. Having Brownsville Station as an opening band on your tour was like the kiss of death for the headliner. It was like Roseanne Barr following Rachel Hunter in a beauty contest. It was all due to The Brownsville Station take no prisiners approach to playing loud guitar driven Michigan Rock And Roll. After Brownsville's demise in 1979, Cub never looked back, and has forged a very successful solo career, releasing several critically and commercially acclaimed recordings.The last couple of years have been extremely eventful for Cub with the release of the recordings "The Best Of Brownsville Station"(which features 18 cuts), " Welcome To My Job, The Cub Koda Collection 1963-1993," and last but not least his latest effort "Abba Dabba, Dabba - A Bonanza Of Hits". All three recordings are a celebration of Cub Koda and American music, and would do anyone's record collection proud. As if Cub's life isn't busy enough, he is also a serious music journalist, who has written for such publications as "Goldmine", and "CD Review", and he has written the liner notes for many recordings on Rhino Records, and for many other labels. Cub Koda has recieved many awards in his career, such as his gold records for "Smokin' In The Boys Room", and Blackfoot's "Strikes"( Cub played harmonica on their big hit "Train, Train" which is on "Strikes") Cub has also recieved a double plantinum record for The Motley Crue recording "Theatre Of Pain" (which features The Crue's version of "Smokin' In The Boys Room") and several songwriting awards from ASCAP. But I think that Cub's greatest award in life is being paid quite well for what he does best - To Live And Breathe Music ! Famed author Stephen King in the dedication's in his Bachman Book Collection descibed Cub Koda as "America's Greatest Houserocker". This is a statement that I agree with 100 percent. The following is an interview taken from the November 1995 TuneUp Guitar Magazine issue... So may I present to you the legendary Cub Koda... T.U: Cub, you have had a very diverse and interesting musical career. Could you describe your first recording band The Del-Tino's and your early music education ? Cub: The Del-Tino's was my first band in high school. In 1963 we recorded three tracks at United Sound in Detroit and we pressed 300 copies, and sold them at school dances. The band was just straight ahead rock and roll - two guitars and drums, no bass player. As far as my music education, I started out on drums at age five. I was sort of a musical prodigy. I'd set up my snare drum and sing Little Richard songs. I started to play guitar at age fourteen. I grew up in a small town - Manchester, Michigan, and there was no one there to learn from, I didn't even know how to tune it ! So a neighbor of my family's showed me how to tune to open E. So the first three years that I played guitar, I was just using the open E tuning. I never learned standard tuning until I got to college, and I've stayed in standard tuning most of the time since then. The open E tuning worked great for Bo Diddley songs. T.U: The height of Brownsville Station's success was the huge single "Smokin' In The Boys Room". At that time you guys were the biggest band in the nation. How did this come about? And what were your feelings about that time period? Cub: "Smokin' In The Boys Room" came out in 1974 and that was the one that put us on the map. It started out as an album cut, getting major FM radio airplay up in Portland, Maine. Doug Morris, the president of Big Tree Records, our label at the time pressed a couple of thousand singles to capitalize on it, and within a week they were all sold out. It eventually sold two and a half million 45's. It got us on every rock TV show that was happening back then, and generally turned our world upside down. After storming the gate for five years somebody finally let us in. T.U: I thought that the best line-up of Brownsville Station was when it featured you and Bruce"Beezer"Nazarian on guitar and vocals, Michael Lutz on bass and vocals, and Henry "H-Bomb"Weck on drums and vocals. After being a three piece band for so long what made you guys add "Beezer" Nazarian as your second guitarist ? Cub: Lack of rhythmic foundation. When we were a three piece band we lacked bottom end, because Mike's style of bass playing was more suited to a four piece band. Plus the overall great musianship that Bruce brought to the band. T.U: Why did Brownsville Station call it quits? Cub: When we released "Martian Boogie" we were sure that it was going to be our next hit, even bigger than "Smokin' In The Boys Room". It almost was, it should have been, and when it didn't happen it took all the fight out of the band. Just like air escaping from a punctured tire. We stumbled through one last album after that, but our hearts weren't in it anymore. But all in all we didn't have any regrets for a bunch of middle class kids from the Midwest. We did all right. We knew we left something behind that is good, that would stand on it's own, and also influence some folks down the road. Just ask Motley Crue. T.U: After Brownsville your solo career took on more of a bluesy and rock-a-billy feel. Cub: Yes emphatically, but you could also hear threads of the blues, and rock-a-billy in early Brownsville Station, that was the music we were originally grounded in. T.U: You have always been known for your high energy live shows, with some loud in your face guitar, but always done with a sense of fun and dedication to the music, always giving everything you have! What is your philosophy to making music and performing? Cub: Show business can let you down, but the music never will. It is the bottom line to all of it. Nobody gets into the music business to live in rented vehicles, and to eat at gas stations. You have to give it your all, you have to stand flat footed on the edge of the stage and go for it. T.U: If I had to get one Cub Koda record that features your best guitar playing. What would it be ? Cub: I'd say the "Welcome To My Job" compilation. Two tracks from it "Love Is A Damn Good Feeling" and "Highway 49" have lots of good guitar on it. There is also lots of good guitar on "The Best Of Brownsville Station" and "Abba - Dabba,Dabba. T.U: What got you into music journalism, and writing for publications such as "Goldmine" and "CD Review"? Cub: I always did The Brownsville Station interviews. I was the band spokesman, the other guys didn't really wanna do it. My dad owned a newspaper in Manchester, and I worked there for awhile. I guess I have writing in my blood. I started writing for "Goldmine" right after Brownsville Station broke up, and before that I did some liner notes for Chess Records, back in 1975. I guess I have a flair for writing. I get something writing about music, that I don't get out of playing. I love both to the tenth degree. T.U: Who are your main guitar influences ? Cub: Obviously the ones I've done tribute records for Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley. Also on the rock and roll side, Link Wray for his power chords, and Scotty Moore, Sonny Burgess, James Burton, Buddy Holly, Duane Eddy, Roland James, Kenny Paulsin, and Dick Dale. For country Merle Travis he was really astounding, and for blues Hound Dog Taylor, Elmore James, Muddy Waters, Earl Hooker, Robert Johnson, B.B King, Magic Sam, Brewer Phillips, and of course Hubert Sumlin. T.U: What do you use in the way of guitar equipment ? Cub: I'm not really a collector per say. Anything in my office and studio I use. My main stage guitar is a 50's reissue Strat, that has the guts of an Eric Clapton Strat in it, Lace Sensor pick-ups and the TBX control, which is great for smokin' some of the Peavey guitar amps, that some of the promoters provide for me at some of my shows. I have a couple of Tele's, one is a '57 which I call "Old Gus". I have two les Pauls, one's a '54 Gold Top. I have a Teisco, a Martin Herringbone, a Mosrite guitar and bass, Danelectro Silvertone, a Fender Jazzmaster, and a 1963 Harmony Rocket that my wife bought for me. My favorite stage amp is a Fender Blues Deluxe. I also have a 1955 Tweed Fender Tremolaux. There is never enough small amps. My favorite pedals are a Ibanez Tube Screamer, a Vox Tone Bender, an Electro Harmonix Big Muff, and a fuzz face. T.U: What are your plans for the future? Cub: To keep recording and writing. I'm setting on a bushel of original songs,that I would love to record and perform with a guitar noisy rock and roll band. I have a cut on a Hound Dog Taylor Tribute record that Alligator Records are putting out. I've been getting a lot of good reviews lately, and they have rejuvenated my spirit, and it makes me want to play out more. I think I'm at the peak of my creative skills. T.U: Any advice for aspiring players? Cub: If you really want to play music whatever gets in your way just kick it aside. 'Cause the music will always be true to you. A special thanks to Cub Koda and Cub's manager Thomas"Doc"Cavalier for their contributions in this interview. Cub Quotes... " I don't trust people who don't like music - they live joyless lives." "It ain't bragging if you can do it, and it ain't nostalgia, til' you can't." "We had long hair and wore all types of outrageous sparkling outfits, complete with platform shoes. We played through banks of Marshall stacks at deafening volume. We engaged in all manners of acrobatics, gymnastics, and power rapping crowd haranguing in order to drive the audience nuts and steal the show. It was the 70's, we were called Brownsville Station."