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Posts published by “Jeff Costello”

Anything

So much talk about the rich. They have all the money and get all the press. “Any publicity is good publicity,” said the manager of a band I had in the sixties. Charlie Sheen knows…

Cancer

In December 2005 I was diagnosed with 4th stage squamous cell carcinoma, tongue base, after a young resident at U of Wisconsin medical center noticed two lumps on my neck when I was in for…

Killing Trees in San Clemente

Historical San Francisco/LA cultural antagonism (“Don’t call it Frisco”) is a quaint relic of a bygone era, or is it? Recently, when I came south for work on a movie project, an old friend up…

Nitrous Vaudeville

In the early 70s we all knew that cocaine was the “greediest” drug. Marin County was giving birth to the yuppie phenomenon, and young, hyper-ambitious squares with stock portfolios, who “wanted it all now,” were…

The Howard Belkamp File, Part 1

Edited by Peggy Shaw HOW AN ALIAS IS BORN: THE HOWARD BELKAMP STORY Back in the early 80s, I understood there was a story that needed to be told, and I would have to be…

How an Alias was Born: The Howard Belkamp Story

Back in the early 80s, I understood there was a story that needed to be told, and I would have to be the one to do it. This story was called Redleg Boogie Blues and…

The Redleg Boogie Blues (Part 1)

INTRODUCTION After eight years in rock and roll bands on the east coast, living in motels and doing everything from playing frat parties and low-life bars to backing popular singers and working as a session…

The Redleg Boogie Blues (Part 6)

SERGEANT BILL Sgt. Bill was a rare cop. He used to park his cruiser in a vacant lot near one of our illegally-placed landing docks, and watch the boats go by. I first met him…

The Redleg Boogie Blues (Part 5)

HEAVY DUTY CRUNCH BAND IN COMBAT CONDITIONS The band seemed to thrive on what we came to call “combat conditions.” When other groups fussed about inadequate or faulty sound systems, made sure their hair was…

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