The Steel Guitar Forum

See my reply to Kevin Lamb's post on his lap steels. Anyone else got any info on Glenn?
Haere mai,
Steve H.
S8A6

Heusedto play in a Riverside surf outfit called the Goldtones or something like that, they weren't the only group to feature steel and surf music, but by all accounts where a great outfit.
He also played in a proto-psyche outfit called the Misunderstood.
This group is a real cult band, there's about three CDs of their 1965-1967 recordings, and they did move to London in the late 1960s, which led to Campbell forming the original version of Juicy Lucy, which I believe he led from 1969-1971.

Thanks Jason, I really should have responded to Kevin's post here rather than refer people to the other post, as it is a different topic. Anyway Glenn who as I mentioned, is probably still living in Auckland New Zealand. His recordings with Al Hunter, Glen Moffet, Brendon Ham and others are excellent. Al Hunter in particular is a very talented singer/ songwriter who deserves wider exposure. The guitar I described is a custom built sunburst hollow body f-hole jazz style electric with a square neck and 9 strings. This is the only instrument of its type I have ever seen and is a concept other builders should explore. He played this standing up like a dobro and really burned. He used this guitar alot with Billy Hood and the Slidewinders in gigs at the Kings Arms and other venues around town. It was the best live steel playing I have ever heard for jump blues and rockabilly/ swing. I had the pleasure of sitting in with this band on harp a few times. Glenn had some amusing stories from his days playing in and around Riverside in the 60's and later on in England. He was a little secretive about his tunings and set up. I think his jazz axe was in D9? His Sierra single 12 pedal guitar was in some type of universal tuning, either D9 or B... not sure.
Haere mai,
Steve H.
S8A6

Thanks for the extra history guys....the two steels guitar I asked about in the No Pedal Forum page came to me as a result of Glenn. We took a drive out to Norco, CA to see an old farmer who had an original Fender lap case....that was what Glenn wanted....so I took the the steel and the guy threw the Rickenbacher in for free.
The last time I saw glell was when I took my first pedal steel to his house. It was a beautiflul Sho-Bud double neck. I could not tune it. so Glenn said if I left it with him for a few days he would do it for me. When i went back he had re-arranged all the mechanics (pieces still on the floor). It sounded like something from another dimension....never could figure out how to get it back to E9 and C6...nobody could...but I told Gelnn I wanted to play like him....so, that is what I got!
Not long after, the guitar was stolen. My only satisfaction comes knowing that whoever owns it will have no idea how to play it - or fix it. (I still have the parts).
Oh, and i think it was the same evening that I took Glenn to a wild party of heavy rockers....two or three hair bands with all their gear plugged in. Glenn took his little Fender lap steel over. (Kinda like "they laughed at me when I sat down at the piano," kind of thing. Glenn plugged in, blew them away...drank all their beer, and went home.
I do remember that his former bandmate ended up playing bass in Night Ranger. And his buddy Steve Tavaliogne (sax player) ended up a cult jazz legend.

The Misunderstood have had a lot of compilations through a devoted UK label called Cherry Red.

1981 Children of the Sun
1982 Before the Dream Faded
1984 Golden Glass
1999 Broken Road
1997 The Legendary Goldstar Album/Golden Glass.

While the exploits of Glenn Ross Campbell include:
Joe Cocker Live in L.A. (1976) Guitar (Steel)
Dirty Blues Band Dirty Blues Band (1967) Guitar
Juicy Lucy Juicy Lucy (1969) Guitar, Vocals.
Juicy Lucy Lie Back & Enjoy It (1970) Guitar, Vocals
Juicy Lucy Get a Whiff of This One (1971) Guitar, Vocals
Roger Morris First Album (1972) Guitar (Steel)
Paul Williams Delta Blues Singer (1973) Guitar

And he appears on various surf and psyche compilations with his 1960s bands.