Precision, Midland

1983 was the year that heavy metal started to go big. Ozzy had Bark At the Moon. Metallica released Kill 'Em All. Motley Crue released Shout At the Devil and Def Leppard had Pyromania. Quiet Riot hit, too.

In that same year 5 kids from the Midland, Texas band Precision- some still in high school- walked out of NoMountain studios with their own slab o' metal, their own 'white' album. Legend has it that lead singer John Hibbits' dad- an oil man- fronted the money for the 9 track project. Side 2's "A New Day" might have been worth whatever the project cost dad. That sucker is riff city. "Milkman's Revenge" IS the reason that parents should have been scared of heavy metal. And "Texas"... girls, fights, and beer... that's only part of what goes on down here.

Gene Tabor, Midland

Gene Tabor was part of that odd assortment of hillbillies and miscreants that spent time cuttin' songs at Jack Rhodes' motel over in Mineola. Along with the Hayes Brothers and Freddie Franks Gene made his way out here to West Texas in the Mid-50s. While Freddie continued to work steady, Gene kinda stalled out it would seem.

"Real Gone Jesse" is a fairly well known side nowadays among hillbilly bop fans, but found less appeal among country fans of the time. Gene ain't breakin' down the walls... This is about drinkin', draggin', and good times. A bit hep, and a lot hick thanks to fiddle by co-author Red Rayes. I actually prefer the slightly faster flip. Some shades of Tommy Duncan's "Beneath A Neon Star In A Honky Tonk", but Gene seems a bit more comfortable.

Randy Palmer, Amarillo

RANDY PALMER- Fighter By Nature (Roro 1011)

Texas has a reputation for turning out country infused singer songwriters... Townes Van Zandt, Butch Hancock, and the like. There was a period of time when those ssw's were heavily influenced by one John Denver as well. Randy Palmer, a definite lesser known in the annals of Texas singer/song writer-dom, was a bit more Denver, than country.

According to Randy he was in high school in Amarillo at the time he recorded Fighter By Nature. But very little of Fighter By Nature bears the influence of West Texas. The thoughts, ideas, and creativity on this release have the feel of peaks and pine, which don't exist naturally in the Panhandle area. Down our direction we like to play in the Sierra Blanca. Texans from up north of Lubbock tend to favor the Rockies. Though lo-fi in fidelity, Fighter By Nature makes up for it with a Rocky like grandeur. The album really does feel big, almost bigger than it could be. Not every idea on the album really comes across. But for a high school senior's debut album this is a fairly strong showing.

Roger Hale's Roro Records existed but just a short time, racking up additional releases by Don Guess and Don Walser. Releases on the Hereford-based label show the publishing company to be Whiteface, the name a small settlement just west of Lubbock.

Randy focused on his songwriting after high school, which took him to Nashville where he released one more album (a translated Japanese blogger's review of this album which was titled Calling Me Home can be found here HERE). He's still around working on his songs, and teaching folks how to do the same for themselves.

Tortilla Factory, San Angelo

TORTILLA FACTORY - La Bicicleta (GC Production 1027)

Tony "Ham" Guerrero's roots are San Angelo. And it is from those roots that he took the name for his longstanding combo Tortilla Factory. Born in 1973 the group came in as the traditional sounds were becoming more firmly entrenched and the old crossover sounds were more and more out.

(Tortilla Factory in front of THE Tortilla(s)
Factory in San Angelo, Texas ca. 1973)

"La Bicicleta" (as well as the flip "La Borradita") was pulled from the group's self-titled 1973 debut for Manny Guerra's GC Productions label (home to the Latin Breed & Chelo Vasquez as well as Mickey & the Soul Generation). Vocals are handled by El Charro Negro aka Bobby Butler (cut "Next Time You See Me" for Chester Lee Foy's Tear Drop label) who Tony had worked with in Little Joe & the Latinaires in the decade previous. "La Bicicleta" is a spirited tejano romp with a west coast jazz streak.

Go check out Tony's Tortilla Factory site here. Buy cds and check out old pictures of Tony from back in the day.