Ursula Creek | Interview | “A joyous ride through the mid-70s”

Ursula Creek recorded and self-released a truly fantastic hard rock album in 1976. The band had its moment in the local scene and sadly disbanded after the release of the album.

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The record is a mixture of semi-hard rock with some softer passages and it also features organ. A joyous ride through the mid-70s.

Band members:
Ed Culbertson (drums, lead vocals)
Kenny Kastner (guitar, backup vocals)
Gene Singley (bass, backup vocals)
Steve Vohs (keyboards, backup vocals)

“I think we were really trying to develop our own sound”

Where and when did you grow up? Was music a big part of your family life? Did the local music scene influence you or inspire you to play music?

Gene Singley: I grew up on a farm in Manito, Illinois. My whole family had musical talents. My dad and mom could both play piano, my older brother played the clarinet and my little brother, well, he could play about anything he picked up. So my “local music scene” technically started, and was inspired at home.

Stephen Vohs: I grew up in Decatur Illinois. Started piano lessons when I was in first grade and continued through two years of college. Music was my whole life until I stopped touring in my 30s. 

Kenneth Kastner: I grew up near the small town of San Jose, Illinois. I went to school there and graduated from high school in 1971. I was the only one in my family to learn and play musical instruments. Started with piano in first grade, trombone in fourth grade and guitar after eighth grade. I literally practiced every moment of down time I had while helping my dad farm.

When did you begin playing music? What was your first instrument? Who were your major influences?

When did you begin playing music? What was your first instrument? Who were your major influences?

Gene Singley: I began playing music when I was in fourth grade. That’s when they started introducing students to band instruments. So I began playing the cornet. It was a great way to get some formal training, as my dad had no formal training, but he could make that old piano sing just playin’ by ear. So I guess I would have to say he was my greatest influence. Since Kenny Kastner is a cousin of mine, who was taking guitar lessons, probably when we were in middle school, he thought I should learn how to play bass guitar. So I saved up my money and bought one. I think it was $75 at a variety store. Not knowing what I was doing with it, I put my nose to the grindstone and was blessed to inherit my dad’s ability to play by ear. So with my nose all skinned up from the grindstone and the callouses on my ears, I learned how to play the darn thing. So I would have to say Kenny had a fair amount of influence as well.

Stephen Vohs: Started playing keyboards in local bar bands at the age of 15. Biggest influence was the band Kansas along with their contemporaries, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Yes, Rush, REO Speedwagon, Boston, et cetera. 

What bands were you a member of prior to the formation of Ursula Creek?

Gene Singley: So after figuring out how to play bass, Kenny and I found a kid that could play drums. I think we may have all been in middle school at the time. I know none of us could drive. So we did some basement gigs, but never got out of the drummer’s basement, nor did we have a name for that band. When I got to high school, I was in a band with four or five other guys. Again, none of us could drive, but we played some school dances and had some great garage audiences. That band was called Lime Fire. Then when I got to high school, mister Himmel, my band director, talked me into playing in the jazz band. He was a major influence as well, as he played in a band that was playing covers by Chicago and Bill Chase. So cool to have your band director playing in a “rock band”.

Stephen Vohs: Local bar bands in the Decatur area of no particular note. Was enrolled at Bradley University School of Music when I joined Ursula Creek.

Kenneth Kastner: The first real band that I was in was a band called Zirkelbach from Louisville, Kentucky in 1972. Two of us were college students and met other people making it a four piece. I was fairly embarrassed to play in front of the other guitarist – he was so good. I learned a lot from watching him too.

Can you elaborate the formation of Ursula Creek?

Gene Singley: How Ursula Creek was formed, best I can remember is Kenny called me and said he knew of a really good drummer from San Jose and asked me if I would be interested in putting a band together. I think it was 1974. I was out of high school a couple of years and just missed the draft and going to Vietnam, and we could all drive! Play in a band, why not! Ed Culbertson was the drummer and probably the best I’d ever played with. Ed passed away August 1st, 1987, but if he was still alive he would lie and say I was the best bass player he ever played with. I guess I probably was since I was the only bass player he would ever play with.

Stephen Vohs: I was asked to join the band as a studio musician for the album. Did several rehearsals to create the keyboard parts and wrote at least one new song together for the album. I took the gig with the understanding that once the album was completed, my stint with the band would be over.

Kenneth Kastner: I came back to Illinois where Ursula Creek was formed. Starting in the spring of 1974 by Ed Culbertson on drums, Kenny Kastner on lead guitar, both of San Jose, Illinois and my cousin Gene Singley, of Manito, IL, who played bass guitar. We played as a power trio with 50% original material and covers from bands like Bloodrock, Kiss, Chuck Berry, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Ted Nugent, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Thundermug, John Entwistle and Cream. Steve Vohs from Decatur, Illinois played keyboards and joined the band in the Fall of ’75. As a result of a personal conflict between Kenny and Steve, Kenny left the band after the LP was recorded. The remaining members went on to form Cloudburst and Kenny has been in quite a few various bands through 2020. I also started to play with worship bands in church. Highlights were in 1977 when I met Leslie West and recorded at Columbia Studios with the band Sinbad (from Louisville, Kentucky). In the early ’80’s I played in the band Zapper from Peoria, Illinois and opened up for Adrian Belew (guitarist for Frank Zappa) at the Peoria Pizza Works.

When and where did Ursula Creek play their first gig? Do you remember the first song the band played? How was the band accepted by the audience?

Gene Singley: As I remember it, our first gig was in San Jose, Illinois at a place called The Slab. This was in Kenny and Ed’s home town. It was just a slab of concrete behind the local grocery store that bands would set up and play for the locals. I don’t know if we even got paid for that, but it was fun to put our music in front of other people. If I remember right our first song was probably an original of ours but I can’t say for sure. It could have been ‘Johnny B. Goode’ for all I know, but I think the audience was pretty accepting. There were still people there when we got done playing so I guess we sounded okay as a trio.

Stephen Vohs: I never played live with the band.

What sort of venues did Ursula Creek play early on? Where were they located?

Gene Singley: I know we hadn’t been playing together all that long and we got an opportunity to play for the annual “Fireman’s Chicken Barbecue” in my home town of Manito, and as the band progressed, we were playing at some of the local schools and bars.

How did you decide to use the name “Ursula Creek”?

Gene Singley: And where did the name Urusla Creek come from? I don’t think I ever knew, or if I did, it totally escapes me.

Kenneth Kastner: The Ursula Creek name came after Ed and a friend of his were looking at a Playboy magazine that featured Ursula Andress. So, the two of them came up with Ursula Creek and the rest is history.

What influenced the band’s sound?

Gene Singley: I think the sound of the band was influenced mainly by the top artists of that era. I think we were really trying to develop our own sound, as all bands try to accomplish, but at the end of the day, when someone writes a review on your work, they usually compare you to someone else. Only at the top do you truly have a unique sound or style.

Did the size of audiences increase following the release of your debut?

Gene Singley: Our audience size definitely didn’t increase once the album was released to the public, since the band broke up before we got the finished copies. I will say from a personal perspective, people who knew me, and probably each of us who had followed us as a band, followed us in our future bands. Actually, some would travel a pretty good distance to catch a performance.

The album was self-released. How many copies did you press and where?

Gene Singley: When the album was pressed we received 1047 copies. It’s crazy. I’ve still got the box that has that info on it and probably 25-30 copies. It was pressed at Artists Recording and Record Pressing, Inc. in Cincinnati, Ohio.

What’s the story behind your debut album? Where did you record it? What kind of equipment did you use and who was the producer? How many hours did you spend in the studio?

Gene Singley: We had been playing in a bar in Dixon, Illinois pretty consistently and became a favorite at a bar called The Royal Palms and that’s where we were approached by Jessie Alverado, a producer from Rockford, Illinois. I’m thinking that was in 1975 and we were still playing as a three piece band at the time. He had enough confidence in Ursula Creek that he paid for all of the studio time, hired studio musicians and even put us up in his home while in town to record. We recorded rough tracks on six songs. The producer changed our sound completely with the horns he hired. For some reason, it wasn’t progressing so that was the end of that relationship. I’m not sure how and where Kenny came across Jerry Brightman, but he became the new producer of the album that exists. We recorded the album at Golden Voice Studio in South Pekin, Illinois, but this time the bill was ours to pay for all the studio time. I think we were in the studio a week when we finished laying down the final tracks. I was playing a 1976 4001 Rickenbacker bass (yup, still got it) through a Sound City 150 reverse 18 amp.

Stephen Vohs: Was recorded at Golden Voice Studio in South Pekin, Illinois over a Period of one week. 

Kenneth Kastner: We recorded the Ursula Creek album in March of ’76 at Golden Voice Studio in South Pekin, IL. We were in the studio for 40 hours total. It was produced by Jerry Brightman (who played for Buck Owens and the Buckaroos) and engineered by Tom Byler. At that time, it was a state-of-the-art studio that would rival any other studio anywhere. Other bands who recorded there were Head East, Dan Fogelberg, Styx, and Gary Richrath, formerly of REO Speedwagon, to name a few. This year the Golden Voice Studio was honored with a permanent display of all the albums and records (including ours) at the Peoria Riverfront Museum in Peoria, IL. Most of the collection came from Jerry and Mary Ann Milam, from Pekin, IL who were the original builder and owner of the Golden Voice Studio. I believe Jerry Brightman did a great job as producer. We had 1,000 copies of the recording. We recorded the LP and wanted to see how well it would do. We were surprisingly made aware of our album being sold internationally at various markets and its popularity around the world. We have had many appreciative compliments along the way.

“I think all of our songs were created by the mood we were in that day”

Please share your recollections of the sessions. What were the influences and inspirations for the songs recorded?

Gene Singley: A funny story about the equipment used. I started out the week playing my Rickenbacker and I think it was Jerry that asked me if I could get the tinny sound out of it. He said ”it sounds like I was playing a boat oar”. I happened to have my Fender Precision with me, re-recorded all my previous tracks and found the sound he was looking for. I think most of our songs were written by one of us who would just start playing something and everyone just followed along with their part. Then Ed would throw some words to it and ta-da! I think all of our songs were created by the mood we were in that day.

Would you share your insight on the albums’ tracks?

Gene Singley: I’m not sure how we ever decided what songs to put on the album. At the time of recording the album, we were probably playing close to fifty percent original material. Did we pick the right songs? Who knows, but the rest of those originals would just die with us since we never played together again. When Ed and I moved on to form Cloud Burst, we never played an Ursula Creek song again. I’m not sure if Kenny did in any of his other bands.

Were you inspired by psychoactive substances like LSD at the time of writing the album?

Gene Singley: Interestingly enough, in an era when drugs were so dominant in many of the bands, and I’m guessing for many years before and are still today, Ursula Creek never had a band member who did drugs. So none of our songs were drug induced / influenced when writing them or playing them, but I will say, people respected us for that.

Stephen Vohs: Drug Free.

How pleased was the band with the sound of the album? What, if anything, would you like to have been different from the finished product?

Gene Singley: After the final mix, I never heard it until I received my share of the albums. I guess I was somewhat pleased with it, but it really made no difference, the band was no more. Now, having a considerable amount of music behind me, there’s things I think are missing in some of the tracks and would probably make some changes.

Stephen Vohs: For a recording that was completed in one week I felt it did the band and tunes justice, but a bit rough around the edges and few parts left out. With additional time we could have been a more polished product.

Did the band tour to support the LP?

Gene Singley: Since the band broke up three days after the final mix we didn’t do anything to promote the album. We each got our twenty-five percent of the albums and sold them however we could.

Kenneth Kastner: Ursula Creek played in bars, school dances, private parties, a party for a lieutenant governor’s daughter. We played a half an hour set when we were a trio at WTVP PBS in Peoria, Il. We had a decent following.

Was there a certain concept behind the album?

Gene Singley: I’m not sure there was any particular concept for the album, only to get our music in front of people and hopefully strike a contract with a record company.

What happened after the band stopped? Were you still in touch with other members? Is any member still involved with the music?

Gene Singley: After the band broke up, Ed, Steve and I formed a band called Cloud Burst. We played together into the late 70’s and then we all got married and started families. I was in another band for a short while called Sidekix, but as far as any band that I was ever in, we never played any of the Ursula Creek tracks. We all kind of went our own ways. I stayed in touch with Kenny since we’re cousins and did stay in touch with Ed until he passed away unexpectedly. It wasn’t until the album started showing up on eBay and all of the music platforms on the internet that I reconnected with Steve occasionally.

Stephen Vohs: Me and two members of Ursula Creek formed a cover band called Cloud Burst which I left shortly after to start a family. I continue to play for myself, writing songs and can be seen on stage in Nantucket playing with my son’s band during the holidays. Have since switched to guitar and working on a busking act.

Kenneth Kastner: In 2012, another company called Goldenlane Records re-issued our album. We contacted a lawyer and found out that if it would’ve been published in ’78 instead of ’76 we would have had a good chance for some royalties. It’s too bad someone can get away from doing that.

Looking back, what was the highlight of your time in the band? Which songs are you most proud of? Where and when was your most memorable gig?

Gene Singley: I guess the highlight for me being in Ursula Creek was just putting it all together, playing in a lot of different venues, meeting a lot of interesting people, and it’s fun now having people recognize me as a member of the band so many years later. It’s crazy to hear people say, “hey, I’ve got one of your albums”. I don’t think there’s any one song that I particularly favored or proud of, but if I had to pick, I guess ‘Gypsy On The Road’. The gig that always comes to mind is when we played for the lieutenant governor’s christmas party in Rockford, Illinois. Because of an ice storm, it turned a two and a half hour drive into a five plus hour drive. When we finally got there, we were told we’d have to take our equipment up an ice covered rot iron fire escape outside, three or four floors up. We flat out refused to do that and said we’d leave before we’d do that. So they agreed that we could bring it up the steps inside (not the elevator) so we started hauling equipment in. I’m not sure who was carrying it in, but they dropped Steve’s organ down a half flight of stairs. That darn thing still worked, we played the gig and all had a Merry Christmas!

Kenneth Kastner: As far as which song is a favorite of mine, I can only say that I like them all.

Is there any unreleased material by Ursula Creek?

Gene Singley: There is an unreleased song that was recorded in Rockford, Illinois when we originally started recording the album. I don’t know if we ever put a name on it, but I listen to it from time to time and wonder why we never used it on the album. I think I may like it better than some of the other tracks we put on the album. Interestingly, I wrote another song that never got on the album and there’s no recording anywhere of it. It was a real crowd pleaser, and if we hadn’t played it in one of our sets yet, people would chant the title until we did play it. Being a band that didn’t partake in the whole drug scene, it was quite odd that we wrote a song called ‘Wild Weed Patch’.

Let’s end this interview with some of your favourite albums. Have you found something new lately you would like to recommend to our readers?

Kenneth Kastner: Some of my favorite albums are by early Rush, Mahogany Rush, Captain Beyond and anything by Pat Travers.

Thank you for taking your time. Last word is yours.

Kenneth Kastner: Thanks for contacting the band for the interview.

Klemen Breznikar