| You know me. I tell only the truth in my stories. | | | | a song called In-A-Gada-Da-Vida?""Yeah!""Jim |
| (Mostly.) So maybe this once I told a big lie, just | | | | played the drum solo on that song," I confessed, |
| so I could tell an even better story that's actually | | | | with dramatic reluctance. "That's Jim Ottea, man. |
| true (mostly.) Was it worth the sacrifice of my | | | | That's HIM!""No shit? WOW! Hey, I play drums, |
| very soul? You decide.Jim Ottea and I had been | | | | too.""Ask him for his autograph when he gets |
| cruising through Colorado for several days, he on | | | | back, he'll be glad to give it to you."About this |
| his Yamaha FJR, me on my BMW K1200LT. After | | | | time, Jim came strolling back along the wooden |
| almost two weeks on the road, the trip was | | | | pier, and as he approached, I announced, "Jim, I |
| nearly over, but the fun was not. As far as we're | | | | told this guy you played the drum solo for Iron |
| concerned, it's not over 'til it's over. People have | | | | Butterfly on In-A-Gada-Da-Vida. Think he wants |
| been hurt trying to prove us wrong.We'd been | | | | your autograph."We locked eyes. Jim gave me a |
| laying our bikes down low enough to kiss the | | | | look of disbelief -- poor guy, he has a little trouble |
| pavement up near Telluride, traveling from | | | | overcoming his own, deeply ingrained senses of |
| Silverton to a little town called Ouray (pronounced | | | | honesty and justice and right."You gotta be |
| "OO-ray") where the cutbacks are sweet and the | | | | kidding me," his piercing eyes accused. "Nope, not |
| drop-offs are steep. The roads were so fine we | | | | kidding," my conspiratorial wink replied, "You're in |
| spent two days on them, staying more than one | | | | on this, like it or not.""Sign an autograph for this |
| night in a nearby town so we could play on | | | | guy," I coaxed aloud, "He's a drummer, too."Then |
| Highway 550 again and again.Winding down into | | | | I explained to the kid, "Jim's embarrassed about |
| Ouray on our last day in the neighborhood, I rolled | | | | that drum solo. Thinks it's immature and childish, |
| out of the final hairpin and pulled up next to Jim | | | | now. But believe me," I assured him, "you can still |
| on a road-side pull-off, with Iron Butterfly's | | | | learn a lot about rock 'n roll drumming from that |
| In-A-Gada-Da-Vida blasting out of the speakers | | | | classic In-A-Gada-Da-Vida drum solo."I don't know |
| on the Beemer."How many times have you | | | | if that is true or not, I'm not a drummer -- but to |
| listened to that record?" Jim asked, possibly | | | | my credit, I thought perhaps it could be true |
| annoyed for having heard it blaring at the last 3 or | | | | when I said it."I can't believe this," Jim muttered. I |
| 4 stops. (I'm also not sure he was completely | | | | don't remember if he actually said it aloud or |
| comfortable with my wanting to play my ABBA | | | | simply implied it with another piercing look of |
| CD whenever we'd pull up near Harley guys in | | | | profound disappointment in me, but I was having |
| their leathers and do-rags.)"About seven," I | | | | none of that. The game was on, and it didn't |
| answered, "I just found it this morning in my CD | | | | matter in any case -- celebrities are known to be |
| case. Pretty nice stuff, huh? Ever hear this | | | | bashful and sometimes reticent. Jim's acting |
| song?"Jim snorted, and I continued, "The drum | | | | squirrelly now could only enhance the charade.The |
| solo alone is good for 20 miles, even on these | | | | aspiring drummer produced paper and pen and |
| winding roads." I cranked it up a little more for his | | | | even a clipboard, not believing his fine fortune on |
| listening enjoyment, just in time for the song's big | | | | that happy day.To his everlasting shame, Jim fell |
| finish."Yeah, yeah, yeah," he winced, obviously | | | | fully into the wicked spirit of the thing. His |
| jealous of my six-cd-changer. I shrugged, and we | | | | reluctance resolved quickly into alacrity. His eyes |
| pulled back onto the highway and out of town, | | | | twinkling, Jim Ottea (Wow! the REAL Jim Ottea , |
| headed toward Gunnison and points east - the | | | | it's HIM, man!) graciously produced an autograph |
| general direction of home, although neither of us | | | | that could one day be worth hundreds, perhaps |
| wanted to face that ugly fact, not yet.The next | | | | even thousands of dollars -- if he ever actually |
| day we were on our way to raft the Royal | | | | does make something of himself.Meanwhile, I |
| Gorge, although we didn't realize we were on our | | | | grabbed the camera and captured the moment, |
| way to raft it, for conceptually, that adventure | | | | while Jim, with bold hand and proud flourish, |
| hadn't yet occurred to us. We pulled into a little | | | | shamelessly autographed -- HA! Get this:Stick with |
| park where the Arkansas River storms past a | | | | it, kid.Jimmy "Rotten" OtteaIron ButterflyThe two |
| wooden deck overlooking the water. On the | | | | of them spent the next few minutes discussing |
| platform stood a kid about 20 years old, snapping | | | | the subtle differences between traditional |
| pictures of the white water rafters as they | | | | drumming styles versus I don't know what. I |
| splashed along in the rapids below (to sell at | | | | must say Jim held his own in the conversation, |
| outrageous prices when they returned to the | | | | even though he hadn't a clue what the hell this |
| rafting company's headquarters.)While Jim went | | | | excited young fellow was jabbering on about. |
| back to his motorcycle, undoubtedly to see | | | | Mostly, "Jimmy Rotten" just nodded sagely and |
| where he might be able to mount a | | | | grunted in a manner befitting an accomplished |
| six-cd-changer and 8-speaker sound system on | | | | professional. I was very proud of him in that |
| an FJR, the young man and I chatted about his | | | | moment.And, of course, he offered the lad much |
| job and his cameras, about life in general and | | | | encouragement. That's important for young folks, |
| about nothing in particular,"Hey," the kid said to | | | | and Jim is a caring sort.Now, I should admit that |
| me, out of Jim's hearing, "Anyone ever tell your | | | | before we left the scene, we told the kid the |
| friend he looks like a rock star?"I leaned back | | | | whole truth, explaining it was all intended as a |
| against the railing, taking in the full warmth of the | | | | harmless jest.I should admit that, but I can't, I |
| sun, and replied with nonchalance, "Funny you | | | | won't, we didn't. We never confessed a thing. The |
| should mention that. Which one do you think he | | | | way we saw it, why spoil a young dreamer's big |
| looks like?"I already knew where I was going with | | | | day, just to save our own miserable souls?And |
| this. I am the Bad Ted, and this was just too | | | | now you know the truth about the lie. I |
| easy."Well, I'm not sure, but he looks familiar. He | | | | swear.Ted A. Thompson On our way home two |
| just looks like some rock star I might have seen | | | | days later, halfway across Kansas in 104 degree |
| somewhere.""Someone recently said he looks like | | | | temperatures on the ungodly, flat, baking-hot, |
| Keith Richards," I suggested. "You think?""Wow, | | | | wearisome Interstate that cuts through the |
| yeah," the kid agreed, animated now. "Hey," he | | | | Midwest prairie, I pulled up next to Jim on my |
| added, more hopeful than doubtful, "He's not, is | | | | motorcycle, matching his speed at about 85 MPH.I |
| he? Keith Richards?""Nah," I laughed. "But..." I drew | | | | got his attention with my horn, grinned, and as he |
| it out as if I was hesitant to reveal A Really Big | | | | watched and wondered what I was up to, I put |
| Secret, then relented."Ever heard of a band called | | | | the Beemer on cruise control and pantomimed |
| Iron Butterfly?""Yeah...?" ("C'mon," his eyes | | | | wild drumming motions with my arms, fists closed |
| pleaded, "you're going to tell me he's someone | | | | tightly around imaginary drumsticks.It was a close |
| really cool, aren't you?! I KNEW it!")"Ever heard of | | | | call. |