The Q People: a tribute to NRBQ SpiritHouse Staff on NRBQ Danny Bernini on NRBQ I was introduced to NRBQ at a very young age by my older brother and sister, who were both die-hard fans. Around our house we had either the Beatles, Neil Young or NRBQ on the turn table at all times. I loved to bring friends over to listen to records on ten, determined to turn them into Q fans. NRBQ has definitely been a huge influence on the way that I produce music and even how I listen to it. I still love to turn friends and musicians that I produce onto NRBQ records. We crank up NRBQ records in the control room all the time to give us a kick in the ass when we're feeling tired or when we're not rockin' hard enough. So this tribute record is something that I feel passionate about doing, paying tribute to one of my favorite bands and one of rock & roll's greatest hidden gems. Curt Foehl on NRBQ It was circa 1983 and I was travelin' on a Berkshire back road headed to see NRBQ. The destination was Woody's Roadhouse in Washington, MA, a legendary club in the middle of nowhere. I felt the pre-show buzz of anticipation that's only brought on by a few bands, like NRBQ and the Dead. I wasn't just thinking about the great music and the dancing, but also about hooking up with like-minded souls groovin' to the tunes. First we saw the lightning in the distance. Bold strokes cursing the sky. The inevitable rumbles of thunder soon followed, and then a symphony of crashes, lights and liquid engulfed the car and we were forced to the side of the road. Immediately our thoughts turned to whether we would make the show or not. But we waited the storm out, and were soon on our way. When we arrived at the club, however, the building was dark. We entered, after the promise of our money returned if the power was not restored. Candles illuminated a path to the bar and we huddled up around the table with a beverage praying that Mass Electric crews would get the problem fixed without too much delay. As our hope was waning for a speedy power return, I spied big Al Anderson also enjoying a candlelight beverage. I grabbed an open seat in an effort to convince him that an acoustic show in the dark might be the way to go. I had him actually pondering the merits of the idea before heading back to join my comrades, still hoping for the rush of the lights. About an hour later there was a little flicker, then a blast of lights, and a roar from the near full house of occupants. Not only was there the instant joy of knowing that the show would go on, but the rush of realizing that for the last few hours we had been unwittingly sitting across from another group of friends. We embraced and proceeded to dance our butts off for the rest of the evening. The stored up energy was released upon the band and they soaked it up and ran with it. It was an amazing evening that I'll never forget. There have been relatively few bands in my lifetime that have created those kinds of memories for me and I cherish them all. As time has passed, I have come to an even deeper realization of how precious those evenings enjoying my favorite music live really are. Back to Top