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The Bongo guy is Dean Cuadra of Santa Monica, California.

Bongo Boy

Bongo guy as bongo Boy.  I still play this 1965 Ludwig drumset.

<-- (Click on photo for full image).

The rocket ship in the background is a playhouse that my father and his friend built for my brother Neil and me.  The rocket ship is long gone--  auctioned off--  we wish we could remember to whom!  Built in the late fifties, it was the world's coolest playhouse!  It had two stories linked by stairs, a bulletproof acrylic porthole in the door (from an old military plane), and an instrument panel populated with surplus aviation instruments from McDonnell Douglas which, back then, was located at the nearby Santa Monica "Clover Field" Airport.  The rocket ship received international press coverage.

Later, my father started an enterprise selling plans for building the rocket ship playhouse.  Rocket ship playhouses sprang up around the country, much to the delight of a lot of children.

But I digress...

Gig at Joslyn

Bongo guy, age 17
(same drumset)

The kids in the background wanted to be drummers, so I gave them each an impromptu drum lesson.

I hope that they kept up their studies.


Joslyn Park, Santa Monica, California
 
Packing up

Packing up, later that day...

I still have that hat, and I still use that same drum hardware.

A drummer's life consists of lugging stuff around.  My dad always told me that I should have played the piccolo.  You pop it in your shirt pocket, and you're outa there!  I just couldn't find a rock band that needed a piccolo player.


Joslyn Park, Santa Monica, California
Photos above by William J. Fulco
 

Tampico gig

Dean
Cuadra
(Bongos)

Charlie
Mishalany
(Bass)

Jennifer
Steele
(Vocals)

Dave
Foonberg
(Drums)

Gary
McLaughlan
(Guitar)


Bongo guy actually playing Bongos (it's about time!)
Tampico Tilly's, Santa Monica, California
Photo by Annmarie Socash

Dean's date with Phoebe Snow
The Bongo guy got very lucky in '98--
I got to play drums for famed singer Phoebe Snow!
To read about it, click here.

Singing

The Bongo guy also sings (and does voiceover announcing).  I don't look like this guy, but he's the only vocalist graphic I had in my GIF collection.

I have a blending voice, which is good for harmony and backup.

Coming Soon

Coming soon...  Bongo guy audio samples

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