FarmForever

FarmForever.com

The On-line home of the Midwest's GREATEST boogie band!

Here are some thoughts from others who have known members of Farm over the years.

Farm had an impact that transcended generations and is still at work today.

The first time that I heard Del Herbert play a guitar

I was a young teenager when I first heard the name "Del Herbert" from friend Rob Whisenhunt. Del was a friend of Rob's father and Rob often spoke highly of Del's exceptional skills with a guitar. It would be a few years later that I actually got to hear Del play in person.

Del was over at Rob's house one day and, if memory serves me correctly, Del and Rob's father were going to do some jamming.

At the same time, Rob, his sister and myself were forming a pretty-tight "alt-rock"- driven combo ourselves and were practicing in the basement of a church.

Del and Rob's father came to watch us for a bit, listening to us tear through whatever "Pearl Jam/Smashing Pumpkins/R.E.M. song we were kicking around. Later that night, we were hanging at Rob's house where the adults were making music and conversation.

It only took a few seconds before Rob's description of Del's playing came to life.As a guitarist-to-be, who was at the time trying to shape myself, at the time, into a drummer a caliber of those I adored, I marveled at Del's skills.

Effortlessly (or seemingly so), Del finger-picked a tune or two on his acoustic. Simple and beautiful. It was a thing to behold and one of those little moments which, at the time seemed just sort of nice and cool to hear a good player, but one of those moments that you remember when you are trying to develop a craft.

If you want to be a musician of any decency, your past must be spattered with run-ins with good musicians, those who inspire you to be better at your craft.

I'm glad to have heard Del then and glad that he is still at his craft.

- Ryan Ijames 2008

More Thoughts from Back in the Day

I remember buying the FARM album back in '72 at a local record store/head shop. I can't remember the name of the store, but it was located across the street from the current MVTHS football field. If memory serves me correctly, I think that building later became a hippie clothing store called, THE BULL SHED? Anyway, here is my memory of FARM/MIKE & JEFF YOUNG.

In 1960 we lived on South 25th street, Mike & Jeff lived 4 or 5 houses' down. Mike, Steve Crane, and I use to play together, we were big cowboys in those days. From time to time I would see Mike & Jeff in the following years.

In the late 60's & early 70's some friends and I hung out at the dance hall at the city park, remember the DANCE HALL? It had a jukebox and we hung out there quite a bit listening to the hit tunes of the day. Later, we'd go to Walker's Market on Perkins for soda's, candy, & chips. The Young's lived caddy-corner across the street from Walker's then and we would hear SHADES and later FARM rehearsing in the basement.

In the mid-70's I briefly hung out with Jeff Young through a mutual friend of ours, Tom Robbins. Tom brought me into the fold and I hung out and partied with them along with Gene Hood, Brad Thackrey, Doug "Crickett" Carter, & Bruce Harris. I remember one party at Gene Hood's house where Brad & Crickett got into an argument about what album to play. Brad wanted to hear some EMERSON, LAKE, & PALMER, and Crickett wanted to hear some KISS. They bickered back and forth a little bit then Gene plugged in his electric guitar and Brad sat down on his drum stool and they started jamming. That ended that argument. They were very good!!!

I saw NEBULA perform twice. Once at the Eagles Club with FAITHLESS as opening act and at the Bayer Oldsmobile car dealership (current home of Mt.Vernon Police Department). I spoke with David Davenport (no relation) after the Bayer Oldsmobile gig, and told him I really liked their song "Radiowaves (Master Of The Skies)". He thanked me and said, the acoustics here really suck, but it's nice to know you enjoyed it.

Mike Young and I ran into each other several times later on in the late 80's & early 90's when DED RINGER was playing the Ramada Inn's Off Broadway lounge on a regular basis. They did a killer version of DEEP PURPLE'S "Highway Star."

Jim Davenport

The BUGMAN's Story

This is not a "Farm" story but a Shade story.

Shade was Joe Cooper, Mike and Herbert. Steve Evanchik was just starting to play congas. But he, like Brian Thackrey and I, was more into hauling and setting up the equipment.

Anyway, Shade played in Carbondale at Leo's . Evanchik hauled them down there in his 1967 VW micro bus (By the way the original minivan not Chrysler). Brian and I drive down there in Big Blue (Georges truck) hauling the equipment. The gig was a complete success. People in Carbondale did not know what hit them. This little three piece band from Mt. Vernon "Rocking" them out. Herbert and Mike were so in tuned to each other at that time. You could almost not even tell where one started and the other began.

Concert over, load equipment in Big Blue, then Brian and I head to Perkins Ave. Mike, Del ,Joe , with Evanchik driving the 1967 VW Micro Bus behind us. Brain and I, driving Big Blue, fly from Carbondale to Perkins, through Sesser. We get to Perkins, go into the basement, waiting on those guys……………………….

Then Dorothy's phone rings. It is Mike telling me that Evanchik's 1967 VW micro bus has broken down just this side of Sesser.

I tell him "not to worry". Brian and I go over to George's and get a 15 foot chain and proceed to Sesser, after a stop at the Home Beverage for some Michelob's.

We, Brian and I, then find them just north of Sesser on the side of the road.

They were so happy to see us. Little did they know.

We attach the 15 foot chain to the front of the 1967 VW Micro Bus and to the hitch of Big Blue and "slowly" proceed north towards Mt. Vernon and Perkins. The farther Brain and I went the better that we thought it was going. We thought that we could go just "a little" faster. Now you have to realize that we are talking about a 1967 VW Micro Bus being pulled by a new 1969 F250 Camper Special. Brian is looking out the back, waving at those guys, kind of asking them "Is everything OK?'

They were waving back. What we (now remember the stop at the Home Beverage and the Michelob's) thought they were waving was that everything was OK. So we increased the speed from 25 to 35. Then once again Brian looked around and only Steve waved back. We increased the speed to 45. Man we were making time. Once Brian looks back and Steve was still waving, now speed increasing to 50. Big Blue was not even sweating all we had was a 1967 VW Micro Bus of a bunch of people behind us.

Little did we know that the only reason Evanchik was waving was to slow the hell down. We didn't even notice that Mike, Del and Joe were no where to be seen. They were huddled in the back of the1967 VW Micro Bus waiting to see their maker. I will not even say what they were doing.

Brian and I got to Dorothy's house, on Perkin's and slowly stopped. I parked Big Blue so we could unload it and disconnect the 15 foot chain from the 1967 VW Micro Bus.To my amazement Evanchik was ready to kill us. Now for anyone who has ever heard Steve's expletives, you can only imagine what he was saying to Brian and I after we stopped, let alone what was being said about us during the trip at 50 miles an hour. Then Mike, Joe and Herbert got out of the 1967 VW Micro Bus and were ready to help him string us up, let alone what they had to say too.

It seems that you can't tow a worn out 1967 VW Micro Bus at 50 mph with a 15 foot chain after you have been to the Home Beverage and picked up a 12 pack of Michelob.. Who would have ever thought?

Don Ulrich

The Freezeman weighs-in.

I moved to Mount Vernon in March 1975 fresh out of the army. Having few friends at first and living alone, I looked for an outlet; a way to vent. My first friend and roommate in this little city (Pop.14,000) had a banjo and guitar and was very serious about learning these instruments. Countless hours we practiced and jammed and I had found my way to vent.

Just when I thought that maybe I could start looking for a band as a singer and get some experience, I saw a band called “Nebula”-- an off-spring of the band Farm. They were performing at the legendary Merlin’s in Carbondale , IL . (SIU-C).

Now I had heard a lot about Farm since my move but I had never met any members and I had moved here too late to hear them play. Thus, when I saw Nebula: I was blown away and humbled. Humbled because I knew that I was light years away from the talent that I had just witnessed and I knew it was time to go back to the practice room.

Without saying, years have passed, and I have had the great privilege of playing music with these good people; the likes of Del Herbert, Mike Young, Roger Greenwalt -- all of Farm, and noted musician David Davenport to name a few.

And in closing, I must say, these guys are certainly the real deal.

Scotty Qualk


	FarmForever.com The On-line home of the Midwest's GREATEST boogie band!

	Here are some thoughts from others who have known members of Farm over the years. Farm had an impact that transcended generations and is still at work today.

		The first time that I heard Del Herbert play a guitar I was a young teenager when I first heard the name "Del Herbert" from friend Rob Whisenhunt. Del was a friend of Rob's father and Rob often spoke highly of Del's exceptional skills with a guitar. It would be a few years later that I actually got to hear Del play in person. Del was over at Rob's house one day and, if memory serves me correctly, Del and Rob's father were going to do some jamming. At the same time, Rob, his sister and myself were forming a pretty-tight "alt-rock"- driven combo ourselves and were practicing in the basement of a church. Del and Rob's father came to watch us for a bit, listening to us tear through whatever "Pearl Jam/Smashing Pumpkins/R.E.M. song we were kicking around. Later that night, we were hanging at Rob's house where the adults were making music and conversation. It only took a few seconds before Rob's description of Del's playing came to life.As a guitarist-to-be, who was at the time trying to shape myself, at the time, into a drummer a caliber of those I adored, I marveled at Del's skills. Effortlessly (or seemingly so), Del finger-picked a tune or two on his acoustic. Simple and beautiful. It was a thing to behold and one of those little moments which, at the time seemed just sort of nice and cool to hear a good player, but one of those moments that you remember when you are trying to develop a craft. If you want to be a musician of any decency, your past must be spattered with run-ins with good musicians, those who inspire you to be better at your craft. I'm glad to have heard Del then and glad that he is still at his craft. - Ryan Ijames 2008

		More Thoughts from Back in the Day

		I remember buying the FARM album back in '72 at a local record store/head shop. I can't remember the name of the store, but it was located across the street from the current MVTHS football field. If memory serves me correctly, I think that building later became a hippie clothing store called, THE BULL SHED? Anyway, here is my memory of FARM/MIKE & JEFF YOUNG. In 1960 we lived on South 25th street, Mike & Jeff lived 4 or 5 houses' down. Mike, Steve Crane, and I use to play together, we were big cowboys in those days. From time to time I would see Mike & Jeff in the following years. In the late 60's & early 70's some friends and I hung out at the dance hall at the city park, remember the DANCE HALL? It had a jukebox and we hung out there quite a bit listening to the hit tunes of the day. Later, we'd go to Walker's Market on Perkins for soda's, candy, & chips. The Young's lived caddy-corner across the street from Walker's then and we would hear SHADES and later FARM rehearsing in the basement. In the mid-70's I briefly hung out with Jeff Young through a mutual friend of ours, Tom Robbins. Tom brought me into the fold and I hung out and partied with them along with Gene Hood, Brad Thackrey, Doug "Crickett" Carter, & Bruce Harris. I remember one party at Gene Hood's house where Brad & Crickett got into an argument about what album to play. Brad wanted to hear some EMERSON, LAKE, & PALMER, and Crickett wanted to hear some KISS. They bickered back and forth a little bit then Gene plugged in his electric guitar and Brad sat down on his drum stool and they started jamming. That ended that argument. They were very good!!! I saw NEBULA perform twice. Once at the Eagles Club with FAITHLESS as opening act and at the Bayer Oldsmobile car dealership (current home of Mt.Vernon Police Department). I spoke with David Davenport (no relation) after the Bayer Oldsmobile gig, and told him I really liked their song "Radiowaves (Master Of The Skies)". He thanked me and said, the acoustics here really suck, but it's nice to know you enjoyed it. Mike Young and I ran into each other several times later on in the late 80's & early 90's when DED RINGER was playing the Ramada Inn's Off Broadway lounge on a regular basis. They did a killer version of DEEP PURPLE'S "Highway Star." Jim Davenport

		The BUGMAN's Story

		This is not a "Farm" story but a Shade story. Shade was Joe Cooper, Mike and Herbert. Steve Evanchik was just starting to play congas. But he, like Brian Thackrey and I, was more into hauling and setting up the equipment. Anyway, Shade played in Carbondale at Leo's . Evanchik hauled them down there in his 1967 VW micro bus (By the way the original minivan not Chrysler). Brian and I drive down there in Big Blue (Georges truck) hauling the equipment. The gig was a complete success. People in Carbondale did not know what hit them. This little three piece band from Mt. Vernon "Rocking" them out. Herbert and Mike were so in tuned to each other at that time. You could almost not even tell where one started and the other began. Concert over, load equipment in Big Blue, then Brian and I head to Perkins Ave. Mike, Del ,Joe , with Evanchik driving the 1967 VW Micro Bus behind us. Brain and I, driving Big Blue, fly from Carbondale to Perkins, through Sesser. We get to Perkins, go into the basement, waiting on those guys………………………. Then Dorothy's phone rings. It is Mike telling me that Evanchik's 1967 VW micro bus has broken down just this side of Sesser. I tell him "not to worry". Brian and I go over to George's and get a 15 foot chain and proceed to Sesser, after a stop at the Home Beverage for some Michelob's. We, Brian and I, then find them just north of Sesser on the side of the road. They were so happy to see us. Little did they know. We attach the 15 foot chain to the front of the 1967 VW Micro Bus and to the hitch of Big Blue and "slowly" proceed north towards Mt. Vernon and Perkins. The farther Brain and I went the better that we thought it was going. We thought that we could go just "a little" faster. Now you have to realize that we are talking about a 1967 VW Micro Bus being pulled by a new 1969 F250 Camper Special. Brian is looking out the back, waving at those guys, kind of asking them "Is everything OK?' They were waving back. What we (now remember the stop at the Home Beverage and the Michelob's) thought they were waving was that everything was OK. So we increased the speed from 25 to 35. Then once again Brian looked around and only Steve waved back. We increased the speed to 45. Man we were making time. Once Brian looks back and Steve was still waving, now speed increasing to 50. Big Blue was not even sweating all we had was a 1967 VW Micro Bus of a bunch of people behind us. Little did we know that the only reason Evanchik was waving was to slow the hell down. We didn't even notice that Mike, Del and Joe were no where to be seen. They were huddled in the back of the1967 VW Micro Bus waiting to see their maker. I will not even say what they were doing. Brian and I got to Dorothy's house, on Perkin's and slowly stopped. I parked Big Blue so we could unload it and disconnect the 15 foot chain from the 1967 VW Micro Bus.To my amazement Evanchik was ready to kill us. Now for anyone who has ever heard Steve's expletives, you can only imagine what he was saying to Brian and I after we stopped, let alone what was being said about us during the trip at 50 miles an hour. Then Mike, Joe and Herbert got out of the 1967 VW Micro Bus and were ready to help him string us up, let alone what they had to say too. It seems that you can't tow a worn out 1967 VW Micro Bus at 50 mph with a 15 foot chain after you have been to the Home Beverage and picked up a 12 pack of Michelob.. Who would have ever thought? Don Ulrich

		The Freezeman weighs-in.

		I moved to Mount Vernon in March 1975 fresh out of the army. Having few friends at first and living alone, I looked for an outlet; a way to vent. My first friend and roommate in this little city (Pop.14,000) had a banjo and guitar and was very serious about learning these instruments. Countless hours we practiced and jammed and I had found my way to vent. Just when I thought that maybe I could start looking for a band as a singer and get some experience, I saw a band called “Nebula”-- an off-spring of the band Farm. They were performing at the legendary Merlin’s in Carbondale , IL . (SIU-C). Now I had heard a lot about Farm since my move but I had never met any members and I had moved here too late to hear them play. Thus, when I saw Nebula: I was blown away and humbled. Humbled because I knew that I was light years away from the talent that I had just witnessed and I knew it was time to go back to the practice room. Without saying, years have passed, and I have had the great privilege of playing music with these good people; the likes of Del Herbert, Mike Young, Roger Greenwalt -- all of Farm, and noted musician David Davenport to name a few. And in closing, I must say, these guys are certainly the real deal. Scotty Qualk