James Gang | Richard Shack | Interview | The Case of E.T. Hooley, Uncle Tom …
Richard Shack is a successful guitarist playing for over five decades now. He was the founding member of a Cleveland-based band The Case of E.T. Hooley, United Artists signed Uncle Tom and James Gang where he replaced Tommy Bolin and recorded an album, ‘Newborn’.
He has been active on several other projects as well, from recording with blues legend Slim Haropo to Jimmy Witherspoon. He is still active playing Americana with harmonica player Mike Gilliand.
It’s fantastic to have you. Before we delve deep to the past, what currently occupies your life?
Richard Shack: My wife and I live in an old jazz age English Tudor home with an Airbnb in it. We get guests from all over the United States and sometimes Europe. We travel, see friends, both musical and not. Keeping up the property and staying social fills the bill.
Are you still playing? Anything you recorded lately?
I work on composing songs every day. I travel down to Athens, Ohio (home of Ohio University) where a group of fine musicians work on arrangements for the tunes I wrote. We have not played out yet although I’ve done a few gigs with one of the guitarists from Athens, John Borchard, who plays both six string and pedal steel quite expertly. We hope to play more in the future.
Where did you grow up and what would be some of the influences? Tell us about the first records you got and what inspired you to play guitar?
I grew up in Cleveland, Ohio and listened to the local radio shows since I was a young kid. I always loved various forms of music: rock, country, jazz, classical, show tunes, you name it. The first record I remember buying was ‘Little Star’ by The Elegants. The folk music thing was happening, so I started with acoustic guitar listening to Bob Dylan, Josh White, Sonny Terry and Brownie McGee, Bob Gibson et cetera. Then the British Invasion happened and acoustic went out the window and it was The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, The Yardbirds, Procol Harum, and so on. Listening to Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, B.B. King got me to play electric guitar and blues. And then it was off to the races. Guitar, guitar, guitar.
What was the local scene like back then? Any clubs you visited and bands that you saw?
I remember seeing the Jeff Beck Group with Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood at a small club in Cleveland. They blew me away. Les Paul guitars and Marshall amps had me excited. After watching Procol Harum, I approached (most arrogantly) Robin Trower and said “Hey man, want to jam?” He told me to fuck off. Who could blame him? It was rock from them on.
What would be your first band?
My first band was The Scarlet. No bass player. Then the Guv-nors (a college band).
Can you elaborate on the formation of Uncle Tom?
My band from Cleveland, The Case of E.T. Hooley moved to L.A. to try and “make it.” While there, I met Bubba Keith, the lead singer in a band from Texas. He had a terrific voice and we decided to form a band.
First, I came to Dallas and we rehearsed with some guys but it didn’t work so we went back to Los Angeles and formed Uncle Tom. With John Leland (from Ike & Tina Turner’s band) on bass, Andrew Chapin (later with Steppenwolf and Ricky Nelson) on Hammond B3, Danny Gorman on drums, Milton James on vocals, and Moses Wheelock on conga drums and vocals.
We signed on with Far Out Productions who were handling the band War at the time.
The band released a sole 45rpm, ‘Flat Black’ / ‘Welcome Back’ in 1974. How did you get signed to United Artists Records?
While playing in Los Angeles, the renowned record producer from Fame Recording in Muscle Shoals Alabama, Rick Hall, came and saw us and helped procure a deal with United Artists.
What do you recall from writing and recording these tracks? What instruments / gear did you have in the studio?
We, Uncle Tom, flew to Muscle Shoals, and spent around three or four weeks there recording tunes. We saw ourselves as a rock band with rhythm and blues leanings. Rick Hall, who was more of a soul producer, pushed the R&B side of things. I played an original Corina maple Gibson Flying V through some kind of amp (don’t recall) and of course we had Andy Chapin on the Hammond B3.
Did you play any gigs as Uncle Tom? Where and what are some bands you shared stages with?
We played Los Angeles regularly and traveled and played through the south west United States. We shared the stage with War on a number of dates. We played the Watts Jazz Festival where our name blew some minds.
Were you familiar at the time with James Gang?
Yes. I grew up and played with Jimmy Fox (drummer) and Dale Peters (bass guitar). When I had The Case of E.T. Hooley playing in Cleveland, the James Gang was also a local band at the time.
What were the circumstances of joining James Gang with your colleague Bubba Keith?
When Tommy Bolin left the James Gang to play with Deep Purple, Jim Fox had Bubba Keith and I come to Cleveland to audition. We then recorded with Tom Dowd producing and then hit the road opening for Alice Cooper and other headliners like ZZ Top and the Small Faces with Rod Stewart.
That must have felt amazing as the group was very well known…
It was fun going from playing mainly clubs to theatres and arenas. A didn’t deal indeed.
It must have been a difficult task to fill Tommy Bolin’s shoes on guitar?
It’s funny, I didn’t hear that much about Tommy Bolin, but I did about Joe Walsh. They would say “where’s Joe?” Even though there were two other guitarists between him and I.
Would you like to comment on your guitar technique? Give us some insights on developing your guitar technique.
On the electric guitar, I came up playing the blues. The Kings; B.B., Albert, Freddie and of course Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, all influencers. There was a great blues guitarist from Cleveland (Glenn Schwartz) who played both with the James Gang at one time and Pacific Gas & Electric. He tutored me in the blues which gave me the foundation to move on.
Did you do a lot of shows together before hitting the studio to record ‘Newborn’?
We played with Marshall Tucker Band, ZZ Top, Alice Cooper, The Kinks, Kiss, Ronnie Montrose, Johnny Winter and many more.
How involved were you two as new band members when it came to songwriting?
We wrote everything we did.
What ended your collaboration with James Gang?
I think we just ran out of steam. The audience just wanted to hear the old stuff.
And off you went to form LAPD with Bubba Keith. How did that come about and who were other members of the band.
When Bubba Keith and I moved to Cleveland to rehearse and play with the James Gang, I think that’s when LAPD happened. They may have used some of our songs, but we were not involved.
It was quite a departure sound-wise compared to James Gang.
Again, we were not part of that and I don’t think they ever played out. Not really sure. I remember seeing an album in a New Orleans record store called LAPD with something of ours on it and being completely mystified.
Are there any recordings of Uncle Tom left?
Yes, ‘Lost My Place in Space’.
I guess nothing from your era in James Gang is in the vaults?
Nope.
What followed in the late 70s for you? Were you still active in music?
Yes. I had bands in Cleveland playing out. Freewheelin, The Jump, Carrier, Zig Zag.
Looking back, what were some of the highlights playing guitar with the bands we discussed?
Getting to talk with touring guitarists was always cool. Jesse Edwin Davis (Faces), John McLoughlin (Mahavishnu Orchestra), Johnny Winter, Billy Gibbons. The two dudes of Aerosmith…
Thank you for your time. Last words are yours.
Thank you for taking an interest in my musical endeavors.
Klemen Breznikar
Headline photo: James Gang opening in Central Park 1975 opening for Peter Frampton
All photo materials are copyrighted by their respective copyright owners, and are subject to use for INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY!
