Perhaps Joe Viglione of All Music Guide said it best in a retrospective of Taylor’s career when he noted that brother James’ second solo release, “Sweet Baby James,” won world acclaim but Livingston’s 1970 self-titled revue was a multi-faceted “world unto itself.” Subsequent albums, equally richly textured, and Taylor’s warm, effusive style has built him a loyal following that has consistently kept him on the road. https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/the-chronicles-of-liv-taylor?_amp=true
Little Shoppe of Horrors #37 – Google Books Resultbooks.google.com › booksViglione, Joe. E-mails to author, 5 May 2013 and 21 May 2013. “The Prozine People Interview #1 Mr. Calvin T. Beck.” Varulven (Raven). No. 4. Ed. Joe Viglione.Little Shoppe of Horrors · Performing Arts
Let’s Go!: Benjamin Orr and The Cars – Page 81 – Google Books Resultbooks.google.com › booksIt was a great night that was incredibly enjoyable as is their legendary music.” Boston-area music journalist Joe Viglione was also at that first Cars show at The …Joe Milliken · 2018 · Biography & Autobiography
This article was written on or about October 26, 2000 by Joe Viglione.
The first night The Cars performed at The Rat there were a handful of Boston musicians – Jon Macey of Fox Pass, Scott Baerenwald of Reddy Teddy (later The Modern Lovers and Robin Lane), a groupie immortalized in the Aerosmith song “Back In The Saddle” who was the then-girlfriend of David Robinson – ex Modern Lovers drummer and now drummer for “the new” Captain Swing
We had heard Captain Swing on a radio show on WTBS (now WMBR) and taped the songs. This was a fun night; I remember the band playing “Gimme A Little Sign”, the Brenton Wood song, and “Don’t Worry Baby”, the Beach Boys tune. We were Cars fans from the start, they had something special.
The last time I saw Ben was at The Paradise in March of 1999 when he performed with Brad Delp of the band Boston in a double bill. On the couch were Greg Hawkes, David Robinson and Ben Orr for the first time in years. Someone told me to videotape it, as I was allowed to video the concert, but the moment was special – and why throw a camera in their faces? It was great to see the guys two decades later.
When I found out that Ben had passed away, it was the second time a tragedy came via the internet. The first being the passing of legendary producer Nik Venet, which absolutely stunned me. These people have done more than contribute to music, they are warm human beings who I personally have fond memories of, so one can only imagine the loss when the kind thoughts that follow someone’s death are sincere… and the loss of Nik and Ben Orr are major losses. Then to get the E-mail that Gerard Spring, publicist for Johnny Barnes and Ben Orr died a week
after Ben, indeed sad and tragic.
So when we play Ben’s music does he hear us? I don’t know. But I DO know that he knew while he was alive that he was loved for his music. When he saw us show up at show after show it meant something to him. It meant something to us. These are not just good memories, they are GREAT memories of a GREAT performer – and talking about him is important. It is about keeping the flame alive. It would be easy to go over the videos – we taped four – and there is a show from Illinois which I have on tape too – and talk about the show… I remember the VH1 show in Cleveland Circle where Ken Shelton the WBOS/WBCN jock was there, the band had no keyboard player, so Rich from the Fools and John Kalishes really made it “Led Zeppelin Meets The Cars” which was John Kalishes’ flavor, for sure. A truly interesting performance with Rich playing the keyboard lines. Fun shows. The Beach Club in Salisbury Beach, Government Center, The Paradise, and the tons of Cars shows we saw, from their opening for Brian Ferry and J Geils at the Cape Cod Coliseum, to the headlining gig in Providence when Willie Alexander opened (I took a photo of Ric OCasek backstage that night that is around here somewhere…) – have that on audio tape somewhere around here too. The night in Lynn with Don the soundman playing us all the Cars demos, the night in the suburbs taping the Cars in a gig outside of the Boston scene – Jon Macey talking about how Captain Swing would open for Fox Pass and how he pushed them in a stylistic direction with clothing and ideas that helped mold THE CARS Ben Orr is still alive in the thoughts of his fans, and with the great body of music he created. The Cars Digital Fanzine keeps that music alive… these are just some scattered thoughts, twenty-three days after his passing.
– Joe Viglione
Originally published in Frozen Fire magazine – thanks to Christopher, the editor, for preserving the text.
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Published in the January 2005 Issue of Metronome Magazine
IN MEMORY OF JOHN by Lisa Ralphs (with thanks to Joe Viglione, Vin Kalishes and Sandy Higgins)
Guitarist John Kalishes passed away on January 9,2004. It was a shock to those of us who found life atThe Rathskellar in Kenmore Square such an importantpart of our reality. Many of the 70s scenesters gotto meet John when he was a member of SUSAN, the band which featured the Leland brothers’ rhythm sectionflanked by guitarists John Kalishes and Tom Dickie.
When the band signed to RCA they didn’t bring Johnwith them – and that was a mistake. His crushingleads were an essential part of their sound, asevidenced by his presence on the LIVE AT THE RATalbum. None of the power found on “Ride Away”, one oftheir two tracks on that live double lp, is found ontheir “Falling In Love Again” 1979 release. Withoutthe band “Susan” John Kalishes continued his efforts,jamming with the legendary U.F.O., making tapes withRiser and Foreign Legion, eventually joining the lateBen Orr of The Cars for a phenomenal stretch of gigs,a few preserved on videotape. Full House Recordingissued a Riser CD “Resurrection” in 2000 and localsinger/songwriter Paul Hultman interviewed John for acable television program while at the record releaseparty for “Resurrection”. Sandy Higgins, moderator ofCharlie Farren’s Yahoogroup, had these memories ofJohn: “I only had the pleasure of meeting JohnKalishes once or twice. I never really got to know himall that well. However, my neighbor across the streetfrom me, Tommy Fey, knew him very well & played inseveral bands with him over the years. Tommy cameacross the street several years ago to ask me if Iwouldn’t mind letting John use my 100W Marshall headto take on tour with the Ben Orr Band overseas. I toldhim I had no problem with that. John seemed verytrustworthy, and I wasn’t using it at the time…so,why not? When John came back to the states, so did myMarshall – in perfect condition. Only thing was, hehad to cut the power cord due to the different plugsover in Japan – but he did splice & tape it backtogether!” One of John’s great strengths along withsongwriting and furious guitar leads was recordproduction. He captured the essence of the garagemusician’s triumph in something called “I’m Still Standing”. Charlie Farren sings the lead vocal onthis track co-written with his friend Adrian Medeiros. Adrian and John also worked with Boston guitaristBarry Goudreau and Cars members Greg Hawkes and Ben Orr on a fantastic song called “Send Me”.
His brother Vin Kalishes sent an official message from the family: “John Kalishes, one of the moving forces of theBoston Rock & Roll scene since the late ’60s, diedunexpectedly on January 9, 2004 following a briefillness. Born in 1950 in Dorchester, a neighborhoodof the city of Boston, John began studying the guitarwhile in third grade, immediately showing his greatpotential. At age 15 Kalishes formed his first band,the Rhymney Blues, which played “the high school dancescene.”John Kalishes was a graduate of Catholic Memorial HighSchool and The University Of Massachusetts at Boston.
In the 1970s and 1980s Kalishes worked as the bookingagent for “The Rat” in Kenmore Square and “TheBellboy” in Scituate Harbor in addition to writingmusic, engineering and performing. His bands included”Susan” then “Foreign Legion” and in later years,”Riser”.
Over the years he recorded with some of the best knownartists in rock & roll music, on occasion using thealias of “Mississippi Blind Driveway.” (John may haveworked with Toy Caldwell as well as a member or two of”The Band” – Lisa). In recent years John wasaffiliated with the late Ben Orr of The Cars, Ben andJohn co-writing a number of songs. While touring asORR, playing coast to coast, John was Orr’s guitarplayer and band-leader. In 2002 and 2003 John workedon his solo album, Mirage, after building his ownstate of the art facility, “Black Hole Studios.” Mirage was released two months before his passing.
In an unplanned career move John began co-composingand producing television and movie soundtracks withhis dear friend Jon Butcher.
John is survived by his wife, Judith Wilson, a brotherVincent J. Kalishes III, and his nephew Vincent J.Kalishes IV.
John requested that he be remembered by making adonation in his name to his nephew’s school “ThePerkins School for The Blind” located at 175 NorthBeacon St., Watertown, MA 02172.
Rocks Off: 50 Tracks That Tell the Story of the Rolling Stonesbooks.google.com › booksJoe Viglione worked with Jimmy Miller in the 19805 and shared some recollections with me in e-mail and on the phone. (This material copyright © 2012 Viglione …Bill Janovitz · 2013 · Biography & Autobiography