Episode 43 of Hooked on Creek features my interview with Eamon Cronin. Eamon is a musician and performing artist with deep connections to Max Creek.
In this episode, Eamon talks about his introduction to Max Creek, his friendship with Rob Fried, his experiencessinging and playing drums with Max Creek and his appreciation of the fans that have supported this band over the years. Eamon also talks about his band Riders on the Storm and his thoughts on Jim Morrison, the iconic front man of The Doors.
Related links:
- Max Creek performing Tangled Up in Blue with Eamon Cronin live on December 27, 1996
- Max Creek performing The End with Eamon Cronin live on December 9, 1994
- Max Creek performing One Way Out with Eamon Cronin live on May 12, 2000
- Riders on the Storm website
Transcript of episode 43
You’re listening to Hooked on Creek, a podcast celebrating the music, history and fans of the legendary jam band Max Creek. I am your host, Korre Johnson, and this is episode 43.
Thank you for joining me on Hooked on Creek! I am so glad you are here with me because I have something very special to share with you — my interview with with Eamon Cronin. Eamon is a musician and performing artist with deep connections to Max Creek that date back to the early 1980s. In this episode, Eamon talks about his introduction to Max Creek, his friendship with Rob Fried, his experiences singing and playing drums with Max Creek and his appreciation of the Creek family that has supported this band over the years. Eamon also talks about his band Riders on the Storm and his thoughts on Jim Morrison, the iconic front man of The Doors.
But then stick around, because I wrap up this episode by playing some incredible live performances featuring Eamon Cronin on vocals with Max Creek.
As a reminder, if you have feedback about this episode head over to hookedoncreek.com and click the contact link and let me know what you think. And one quick note before we get started, after Eamon and I recorded our conversation he sent me an email emphasizing that he thinks Max Creek is not a jam band. Instead, Max Creek is a band that jams. So with that in mind, let’s get started.
Korre: Eamon Cronin, welcome to Hooked on Creek.
Eamon: Thanks for having me.
Korre: Eamon, to begin with, why don’t you tell me about the first time you heard about this band called Max Creek?
Eamon: Well, it was quite by accident. My sister was dating a guy whose brother was in a punk band, and this was ’81. I had started playing drums like a year before, so they let me tag along. And we went to Cell Block 11 to pick up some equipment and I saw Creek for the first time and I saw all these people having a blast and boogieing and having fun. Later on, that was when I discovered that Cell Block 11 was where Drink the Stars was recorded. And then in ’94, I started seeing them on a regular basis at the Agora Ballroom in West Hartford at Lupo’s and the Living Room in Providence. And it just took off from there. I have been seeing them ever since.
Korre: So were you a fan of the Grateful Dead or jam band music at that time?
Eamon: Not really so much. I was more into the Dead after this. After I graduated high school, I’d go on tour and see the country and be into the Grateful Dead. I personally prefer Max Creek.
Korre: Tell me about those first experiences seeing Max Creek in some of those early clubs. What was that experience like?
Eamon: It was wonderful. The Agora Ballroom in West Hartford was not far. And it was kind of a lawless place, which was nice, because the crowd kind of controlled themselves. I met Rob Fried at a drum store in ’81. I was taking lessons. He brought [Greg] DeGuglielmo with him to show him this cool drum store. And, Rob and I hit it off — became very good friends. He was my first friend in Creek and wound up later on being really tight. I would stay at his house and so I went to a lot of shows.
Korre: For those of us who came on board with Max Creek after Rob Fried passed away, tell us about Rob. What type of person was he?
Eamon: He was a great guy. He was very generous and sensitive. He was a great player. He had a beautiful house and we used to stay there. I met Rob where I was taking lessons. He was with DeGugs. We used to trade notes on different patterns and things — percussion. And we just became good friends. He was just a real genuine guy. He was a real close friend of mine and he was the one who would bring me backstage at first. And, that’s when I met other guys in the band. It was just a great experience.
Korre: Did you think you’d have an interest in pursuing music at that time or was it more just a hobby on the side?
Eamon: Oh no. Absolutely, it was. I made my life decisions when I was like 14.
Korre: Well, tell me about that. What type of musical influences are surrounding you at that time?
Eamon: Well, I studied with this guy named Larry Dinatale who was an excellent player and he taught me a lot of polyrhythms and jazz stuff. And after high school I went to the Hartford Conservatory of Music and that’s when I really started getting into [John] Coltrane and bebop stuff and really just started exploring all kinds of music. I was raised by a professional musician and he played like six instruments, so music was always around our house. He was from Ireland so there was a lot of Irish music around our house. But my mother loved country Western. My dad also stretched out into, you know, Charlie Mingus and heavy jazz guys. So I just decided early on this is it. And 41 years later I’m still doing it.
Korre: You’d mentioned that you got an opportunity to meet more of the band members. What were your first impressions of some of the other band members in Max Creek at that time?
Eamon: It was interesting because at that time they were playing a lot — like four or five nights a week — so they were a little smoked. But they were nice guys. John [Rider] seemed a little distant. He was the leader of the band. I’m sure everyone wanted a piece of him. So he had to take care of business. Mark [Mercier] was always a sweet, sensitive guy and Scott [Murawski] and I used to bust each other hard and tell each other bad jokes and stuff. Yeah, I got along with all of them.
Korre: How did you first get those opportunities to start to play with the band? Because I understand you’ve played drums with Max Creek and you’ve sang with Max Creek. How did those first invitations start?
Eamon: Well, the first time I played a full night on drums was 1990 when MCMXC came out. I played with them at the Wetlands in New York City in ’92-ish. I started singing with them because we were all playing at this club in New Britain, Connecticut, called The Sting. And it was a big place and I had been playing there with Riders and they invited me up. And I kept coming back. They kept having me back.
Korre: What was it like for you? As both a fan of Max Creek but then also a musician yourself, getting the opportunity to go on stage with them, was that special for you?
Eamon: Yeah, it was great. It was pretty cool. It made a different dynamic to our relationships with each other and we were getting tighter and tighter as friends, too. It was a wonderful experience. The crowd went bananas because I was really popular at this place anyway, and Creek of course was killing it. So it was a great crowd response, it was sweet playing with these guys I admired so much for quite some time. And yeah, onwards and upwards. I did some other drumming stuff with them and I’ve sang with them a bunch of times, including one time at the Living Room when [Greg] Vasso was playing drums and we just impromptu did The End by The Doors. Like we hadn’t rehearsed it or anything, so I’m kind of like coaching Vasso through it. It sounds great. You can get the tape or hear it on archive.org probably.
Korre: Yeah. Well I think I’ve heard that. It is incredible. You’re bringing up The End, which is a song by The Doors. At what point in time did the music that you were making come in contact with Riders on the Storm and being close to the music of The Doors? Had that already started or did that happen later?
Eamon: Well, it started when I was like 14 or 15. I used to sing along to records and I would sound a lot like these people. And then, I got the first Doors album and I listened it until there was no grooves on it. I just started singing along and then I played with a little band called Crystal Ship, which was the first Door’s tribute that started in Jersey in ’77. And then when the singer moved away, I had a gig booked for that band. So I’m like, “Well, we got to go for it.” I got three guys that I went to the Hartford Conservatory with. We picked about 20 something songs and we went through it with the band. And that was March of 1990. We’re still going. We just played in Atlantic City. We’ve been to about 24 countries — almost killed me in Spain one time.
Korre: And so this is your band Riders on the Storm. What is it like stepping into the role of Jim Morrison — one of the most influential and iconic front men in rock history? What does that feel like?
Eamon: I don’t have a problem with it because I love it. And I’ve been playing music for a long, long time. So it’s been rewarding for the most part. And, you kind of get into the role when you’re strapping on those leather pants every night. You better go with it and make it as good as possible.
Korre: Do you ever wonder, what if Jim Morrison didn’t pass away? Where would he be now and how would his life have continued to influence music?
Eamon: I was thinking about this actually yesterday, and I don’t think he would be really playing music that much. I think he’d be more into writing screenplays and putting out books of poetry and that kind of thing. He was stepping away from music when they made L.A. Woman. And that was the seventh album they were obligated to make on Elektra Records. So that’s unfortunately where it ended. And then he ended in ’71. I don’t know what he’d be doing right now, but I do think about it sometimes. But, I’ve interviewed Robby Krieger a few times. Our keyboard player from Riders has toured with Robby. You get to chat with him about certain things, but no one knows what he’d be doing. He’d be almost 70. I never met Ray [Manzarek] or John [Densmore]. But Robby was a real nice guy. I interviewed him a couple times for my radio show. It feels good to go do it because, well at this point, I mean, we’re really nailing it. But I consider it Riders on the Storm. I don’t even consider it a Doors tribute. We all work really hard at it. We have the vintage equipment. I’ve had my outfits made custom and my concho belt and my beatle boots and all that. So it comes along naturally at this point.
Korre: I’ve listened to a handful of recordings. I’ve watched some YouTube videos. Eamon, it is amazing to see this band you have. It does take me to another place. I can close my eyes and I imagine I’m right there.
Eamon: That’s, that’s great. That’s wonderful. I’m very fortunate.
Korre: You mentioned earlier that you weren’t really into the Grateful Dead right away,
Eamon: Not so much.
Korre: I’m wondering though, with your experience and your proximity to Max Creek and then your familiarity with the Grateful Dead, what do you see as the difference between how Max Creek approaches jam band music versus the Grateful Dead? What distinguishes Max Creek?
Eamon: Well, it’s apples and oranges in my eyes. I mean, the Grateful Dead had their roots in like jug band music and stuff and Max Creek was always just kind of a loose band. But they go through a lot of genres. They play reggae tunes. They play hard rock stuff. They play sleepy stuff. So I always preferred them even to this day. And I saw a bunch of Grateful Dead shows. I don’t even know how many Max Creek shows I’ve seen. It’s impossible to really tally up.
Korre: Yeah. My understanding is that you — and correct me if I’m wrong on this — but did you audition to be the drummer in Max Creek after Vasso left in ’96?
Eamon: Yeah. Well, what happened was I was actually on the gig with Rob Fried at the Living Room in Providence. So I’d been playing with them on and off. And yeah, I wanted the gig. And then, [Scott] Allshouse sat in that same night and he started playing all his chops and everything else. Rob was pissed and he just threw his drumsticks on the timbales and walked off stage. He goes, “I know he is going to get the gig. I know Scott’s going to pick him.” But then they worked things out I guess, eventually. There was a little rift towards the end when he left Max Creek. But yeah, it was an experience.
Korre: Well I wonder, in your opinion, what type of impact has Max Creek made on the music scene in New England? Because this band to me, from my perspective in Milwaukee, seems to have influenced a lot of other bands and has put a mark I think on the jam band scene certainly.
Eamon: Absolutely
Korre: But from your perspective, what type of impact has Max Creek had?
Eamon: They’ve been so good for so long. You know, it’s undeniable. They never failed to deliver. I mean, Rider would drop the bomb at least once a show. Well there’s actually right now — and I’ve been waiting for this for years — there’s a band called Something is Forming that is a Max Creek tribute band. And the guitar player, John Spignesi, he’s really good and he’s played with Scott before and stuff. I’ve heard them on tape. They sound pretty good. So I mean they’ve definitely had an I impact on us locals and it’s far reaching.
Korre: Well I’m wondering, what are some of your favorite Max Creek songs?
Eamon: Emerald Eyes. Devil’s Heart. If You Ask Me. I like Katie Mae. I really like Emerald Eyes and I think that might be my favorite.
Korre: When you look back at all the shows you’ve seen since the mid ’80s, is there a show or two that stand out to you as memorable, and if so, why?
Eamon: Yeah, there sure is. The Camp Creeks were always good. They were at the Arrowhead Ranch when I first started going. That was an experience. I was doing Pirate Radio in South Dakota at the Sturgis rally with Wolfman Jack and Eric Burdon and Robby Krieger and Albert Collins. And I took three planes back to New York to play with the Midnight Sun, my original band, at the Arrowhead Ranch in Parksville — the hippie horse ranch. And then I took three planes back to South Dakota. That was a good one. And then later on I brought them to the Indian Lookout Country Club in upstate New York, which is the home of the Harley Rendezvous Classic, which is a biker event — big one that I’ve been doing since the ’80s. And that really clicked and everyone had a blast. And again, it was kind of a loose setting — open fires, glass bottles, tanks of nitrous, nitrous gas. So it was cool. And then Sally [Rider] moved it to Odetah a couple years ago. I said to her when we first got there, “I feel like we’ve graduated.”
Korre: Well, it’s the only Camp Creek I’ve been to — the last two years — and it’s a beautiful campground and just a great time.
Eamon: It is.
Korre: And Eamon, I think you had the opportunity to play with Mike Gordon with Max Creek, too. Is that right?
Eamon: He was playing with Creek up in Vermont, where he is from. And I was at the show. I think it was Nectar’s. I’m not sure. And I wound up getting called up while he was still on stage. I don’t even really remember what we played. But I did that twice, I think, with Mike Gordon. I saw Phish one time by accident and that’s it.
Korre: You’ve known the band for quite a number of years and I’m wondering if there’s something you know about Max Creek that you think most people don’t know?
Eamon: Well, Scott used to not be able to play because he was too young. So they wouldn’t let him in the clubs, even when the drinking age was 18. Mark graduated from Hartt school with a liturgical music thing. He can play honky-tonk and stuff, but he can play classical style stuff. Scott’s very versatile and Rider is just a rock. So I think that’s what makes them who they are.
Korre: So now when you go to a Max Creek show, what do you look forward to when you’re in the crowd and you’re looking up at stage and you’re around all these Creek Freaks?
Eamon: I love seeing the Creek Freaks. If I just think about them, I get choked up because they’ve been such a beautiful part of my life — so many memories and so many people that have come and gone. So I really don’t go with expectations. I just try to enjoy what happens. And yeah, I do want to hear certain tunes, but not every single time. I don’t really try to anticipate what’s gonna happen because you really don’t know.
Korre: Do you think that Max Creek has evolved and changed their approach to their music over the years? Like if you were to listen to Emerald Eyes from the ’80s versus more recently or some other songs, how would you characterize how that band has evolved?
Eamon: Well, I’m just saying that they have evolved. I’m not saying they took a different direction or anything. I just think they got better at what they loved and did. And other songs came out, other band members — drummers particularly — came and went, so that was kind of interesting. But I think they’re on a good path right now. They got Jamemurrell Stanley on percussion again. Percussion was really kind of missed since Rob left the band. So I think they’re having fun with it and they’re going forward for 51 years. So I think whatever they’ve evolved into is working — works for me, works for a lot of people.
Korre: Why do you think it is that Max Creek has been able to keep it together for now over 50 years? What is it? What are they doing right?
Eamon: I have no idea. I think they love each other in a certain way. They love what they do. And they’ve been playing for so long and in front of so many people that they, too, have developed relationships with fans and things. I call them my Creek family. I love those people. So I think that’s what’s kept them going. And they deliver and they never stopped.
Korre: Eamon Cronin, I really enjoyed talking with you. Thank you so much for joining me on Hooked on Creek.
Eamon: I enjoyed it very much. Thank you for having me.
All right, that concludes my interview with Eamon Cronin. But now stay tuned because coming up next I am going to play a couple tunes featuring Eamon Cronin on vocals performed live with Max Creek. But first, if you are curious, during the introduction to this episode I played a portion of Max Creek’s performance of Tangled Up In Blue featuring Eamon Cronin on vocals performed live on December 27, 1996, at Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel in Providence, Rhode Island.
Now if you are listening to this while driving or operating heavy machinery, I suggest pausing this episode until you can find a time and place to prepare your head for the two songs that are coming up next. First, you are going to hear Max Creek with special guest Eamon Cronin on vocals performing a cover of The End by The Doors. Then, you will hear Max Creek with special guest Eamon Cronin on vocals performing One Way Out, a song first recorded and released in the early 1960s by Sonny Boy Williamson and Elmore James, but then popularized in the early 1970s by The Allman Brothers.
Alright, this is Max Creek with Eamon Cronin performing The End live at The Living Room in Providence, Rhode Island, on December 9, 1994.
And now this is Max Creek with Eamon Cronin performing One Way Out live at Toad’s Place in New Haven, Connecticut, on May 12, 2000.
And that concludes episode 43 of Hooked on Creek. Huge thanks to Eamon Cronin for joining me on the podcast. It was a honor for me to get the opportunity to talk with him. And thank you for listening. If you have feedback about this episode, head over to the Hooked on Creek website at hookedoncreek.com and click the contact link to send me a message. I look forward to hearing from you. Thanks for tuning in!