The Cave Men cut one of the wildest singles of the 1960s, “It’s Trash”, released on the B-side of ‘Chelle PH 148 in August, 1966.
Claus Rosenblad interviewed bass guitarist Bob Jabour of the Cavemen, who also sang the lead vocal on “It’s Trash”
What was your musical background?
I played trumpet, tuba and my parents were dancers.
How did the group get together and where did the practice take place?
The band I was in before the Cavemen was named the Coachmen. Paulie Walterson was the drummer for the Coachmen. He quit the Coachmen to form the Cavemen. Tony Rey was brought in to replace Paulie in the Coachmen. When the Coachmen broke up because of the draft, I went to California. I got a phone call from Paulie to come join the Cavemen when they changed bass players and I came back to Key West.
The Coachmen personnel:
Singer: Chuckie Ward
Lead guitar: Ross Kilgore
Rhythm guitar: Bobby White
Bass guitar: Bob Jabour
Sax: Leonard Rojas
Sax: Austin Roberts
Drums: Paulie Walterson
Drums: Tony ReyThe Cavemen:
Drums: Paulie Walterson
Drums and vocals: Tony Rey
Lead guitar and vocals: Andy Johnson (deceased)
Rhythm guitar and vocals: Sergio Roche
Bass guitar: Robert Tiff (deceased)
Bass guitar and vocals: Bob JabourHow long time did the Cavemen exist before they split?
Maybe 3+ years.
Where did the Cavemen play live, and what was your best gig?
Lived and played mostly in Key West; played road gigs in the Keys and Miami; recorded in Miami.
Best gig… probably the Miami shows and recording for an appearance on the Rick Shaw show in Miami which did not happen because the band broke up.
What is the story behind “It’s Trash”?
I wrote the lyrics about a relationship that I was in which went bad. I am the lead singer on “Trash”.
The flip called “The Pillow Bit” is a ballad. Mostly Andy’s (guitar player, solo on “It’s Trash”). I contributed some of the lyrics.
What other big acts were your musical inspiration, (or genres)? Please name some of it.
I came up through R&B: Otis Redding, Solomon Burke, James Brown, Sun Records, Chess Records, Motown, funk…
The Cavemen were very much a show band… so were the Coachmen. The Coachmen did the entire James Brown at the Apollo album. The Coachmen were very much a rhythm and blues group. The Cavemen were more of what we would call “punk” today.
How did the record come to be made?
Rhythm guitar player’s father sponsored the 500 copy pressing of “It’s Trash” and “The Pillow Bit” on the label ‘Chelle which was our manager/engineer’s label, Steve Kimball.
Which studio did you record the songs in?
Our band manager Steve Kimball built and was the engineer for the studio. I forgot the name of the studio. Criteria was in business at the same time as the studio we recorded in. They were big competitors at the time and both studios had 4 track capabilities. If the Novas recorded at Criteria, it was because the other studio went out of business.
Any fun facts and stories from the making of the record?
We would pile in the VW van and drive to Miami and spend the weekend in the studio and playing gigs that Steve had set up for us. We recorded about a dozen cover tunes, and a few originals for appearances on the Rick Shaw dance show which never happened because the band broke up.
What other groups in that area did the Cavemen compete with?
Miami: The Kollektion, top Miami group featuring a guitarist that went on to play for Iron Butterfly.
Or make friends with?
The Hustlers, another group managed by Steve. We split recording time with them. [The Hustlers cut a great single on ‘Chelle 145, “My Mind’s Made Up” / “If You Try” – ed.]
Did you ever do any battle of the bands?
Yes. Every weekend in Miami. Once did a two band gig with Wayne Cochran & the CC Riders featuring Jaco Pastorius on bass in Key West.
Do any other recordings exist?
There were at least two acetates: a 12 tune one of cover material; and a five tune one. The 12 tune one was destroyed by overplaying before it was lost. The five tune one survived and was copied to the internet. There are tape copies of it around. “Mustang Sally”, “Talk Talk” (best cover), “That’s How Strong My Love Is”, two more I forgot right now.
What happened to you and the other band members after the band split up?
Went four different ways:
Serge, rhythm guitar, formed another group.
Tony, drummer, went back to playing guitar, his primary instrument. Resettled in Fort Lauderdale. Played the Miami / Ft. Lauderdale nightclub scene with various latin and rock bands. Tony was from Cuba.
AJ (Andy, lead guitar) was hired out of a Key West bar by Eric Andersen and went on to record and tour with Eric for about two years. Then he got hired by Sister Kate Taylor (James Taylor’s sister) and recorded and toured with her.
I went on to play Key West bars. First putting together house bands, then eventually doing pick up gigs on bass. In my house band days, I worked with Vinny [Vince Martell] for a few months before he returned to New York to become part of the Vanilla Fudge (guitar player).
Thank you to Claus Rosenblad and Bob Jabour.
‘Chelle discography (any help with this would be appreciated including scans of all but the Cavemen, or audio of A Pace of Change’s single).
PH-145 – The Hustlers – “My Mind’s Made Up” (McNicol) / “If You Try” (1966)
PH 148 – The Cavemen – “The Pillow Bit” / “It’s Trash” (both by A. Johnson, B. Jabour, T. Rey)
PH-162 – The Novas – “Please Ask Her” / “Whenever You’re Ready” (Bob Calaboro) January 1967
CK-301 – A Pace of Change – “Sync Higher” / “Death Comes Sweetly”
The Hustlers were: Bob Leavitt guitar, Johnny McNicol guitar, Joe Romeo bass and Nick Fresca drums.
The Novas were: Bill Campbell vocals, Kenny Wynn lead guitar, Rick Calaboro guitar, Jim LeFevre bass, and John Bernard drums.
Hello I do a radio show and record label called Its Trash! And I would like to reach out to Bob Jabour and tell him how much I appreciate everything he’s done.
Itstrashrecords.bandcamp.com
@itstrashrecords Instagram
Jesse
Jesse, sorry to say this but Bob Jabour has passed on to eternity on August 15, 2021 from Covid 19. I am still recovering ❤️🩹! He loved Music all kinds of music. His wife Terrie
Hi Teresa,
I am sorry to read of Bob’s passing, please accept my condolences. I will inform Claus, who interviewed Bob for this article on my site.
I hope you recover soon,
Chris
Hi, Chris thank You for your best wishes . Covid ruined my health.
I was on a ventilator for 40 days. Now I have heart/lung problems and diabetes. I miss Bob a lot. They told my family I wouldn’t make it through the nite,numerous times. I had so many people praying for me.
God’s not done with me yet! I have 2 teenage boys to take care of .
Bob built a small studio right before he died, his dream.
Many blessings, Teresa Jabour
I played a lot of gigs with him, and knew him starting in’74 at MIHS. I was in the 9th grade. Great man, great musician.
Hi Sergio & Robert!
Can you give me some background on your song “It’s Trash” by The Cave Men?
Robert: I walked in on him in the cave playing the chords through his Vox Royal Guardsman amp. We were rehearsing other original tunes for an upcoming recording session that weekend with Steve Kimball, our engineer, tech and manager. But the determination with which Serge was entertaining himself captured me and lyrical ideas came flowing out. On the way up to the studio in Miami in Andy’s VW van on our way to record another song, we continued writing “Trash”. I believe most of the lyrics were mine (they were about a real relationship of mine that was very stressed), Tony contributed the tag ending and background vocal ideas as well as Serge. I remember that Tony was fresh over from Cuba and couldn’t speak English, but we wanted to work him in vocally because his voice was so good. That is where the oows and awes came in at the end of the song. The drumming was all Tony without much input from the rest of us. Andy came up with the lead work: it was all his. It was his second attempt. His first rift none of us liked too much. It was too surfy or something. We wanted more push and cut. Second time around he outdid himself. Steve Kimball hooked him up with a fuzz tone that Steve had built. (In fact, Steve had built the whole studio. He was amazing.) In those days, fuzz tones were hard to come by. Steve made his own. (I’m not sure if this was before or after “Satisfaction” but that set the trend.) Anyway, the riff was preHendrix as all of Andy’ playing with the Cavemen. There were not many “power” guitar players out there in those days but Andy was truly one of the first. There is a little guitar figure in between Serge’s chord bashes at the end of each verse that really give “Trash” a “twilight zone” feel. I suspect it was Andy’s figure, but you can double check with Serge.
Sergio: The vast amounts of Reverb|Echo’s were Steve’s idea. Truth be told, the music we did in one or two takes with overdub for Andy’s solo, but the vocals were another matter. We did many takes, and our voices, especially mine, werey nearly destroyed. The reverb/echo was added to cover off pitches and the cracking of my voice in order to salvage the session.
Robert: Check with Serge on what guitar he was playing then. I think it was a teardrop, shaped Vox. Andy played a Japanese guitar, don’t know the make, and I even forgot if it had buckers or single coil pickups. I played a Gibson, hollow body, 335 style, EB something bass with one huge chrome neck pickup and a bridge pickup which was useless. I had a very early white Fender double showman with 2 15″ JBL 140’s. I played this amp for many years. I also had a two ten Tremolux that we carried with us and was in one picture that I saw of the gear on the studio. I don’t know if we used it on “Trash”.
Andy had a Super Beatle that he got during the time we were recording. I don’t remember if he used it on the recording of “Trash”. Check with Serge.
We used the equipment described above mostly for live gigs. In the studio, and for the recording of “Trash”, we mostly plugged the guitars directly into the studio board and in the case of my bass, we had a mike on the speaker cabinet and employed a double feed source direct and miked from the amp to increase the ambiance. The same was true for Serge and Andy as well: sometimes direct, sometimes miked and sometimes both. Tony played a Ludwig set like Ringo, small bass drum.
Robert: It is also important to realize the Cavemen recorded on a 4 track Ampex, 2″ tape I believe. Almost state of the art at that time, but certainly no where’s near the 64 tracks the Beatles enjoyed a year or two later. Steve had a technique of blending the miked drums and the rhythm and lead guitars and vocals on 3 tracks, and leaving the 4th track mostly for bass. That allowed him to boost the bass at the end of the mix, or, progressively blend the bass in or out. Steve was a bass player as well.
Run all this by Serge. Let’s see what he can recall, and let’s see if our memories agree or conflict.
Hi Jack, what is the original source of this interview? Were these your conversations? Thanks