07.02.09 During the late 1960s, LaFlammes typically beautiful day went like this: He led a band with his wife, Linda, and diligently booked the acts shows himself. In his spare time, he butted heads with a music impresario named Matthew Katz and travelled the length of California carrying a box of tapes for a vagabond friend. Fast forward four decades. LaFlamme arranges live appearances for his band, which still features his wife, Linda. He continues exchanging lawsuits with Katz. And, until about four years ago, he was still lugging around that friends box of tapes every time he moved though the Golden State. Never mind that the boxs rightful owner is serving time for mass murder or that the bandleader is now married to a completely different woman named Linda. The more things change, the more they get weird for David LaFlamme. The Pollyanna-like name would prove ironic in other ways. Among the players in LaFlammes earliest sessions was a Haight-Ashbury drifter known as Bummer Bobby Beausoleil, a talented musician who was well known for being unreliable, according to LaFlamme. The last time he saw Beausoleil was in the Haight around 1968 when Bummer was walking the neighborhood with another struggling singer-songwriter by the name of Charles Manson. It was the only time Id ever met the fellow, LaFlamme said of the infamous cult leader who later wrote a song recorded by the Beach Boys. They were on their way to Los Angeles the two of them and Bobby asked me if I would keep a small box of possessions for him while he was gone, because he knew I always had a place. Beausoleil never made it back to San Francisco to retrieve his possessions. By the time LaFlamme finally returned the box of tapes to him, about four years ago, Bummer was already 35 years into a life sentence for participating in the Tate-LaBianca murders. In 1969, while Beausoleil was being held for questioning, things began to go comparatively beautiful for LaFlamme and company. (I only posted the Bobby bits.) Here's the full article: http://coloradocommunitynewspapers.com/articles/2009/07/04/parker_chronicle/lifestyles/09_ent_beautiful_day_pk.txt
Great Stuff Flora, i love it. Please keep these articles coming, i'm so interested in all that Music scene from back then
I love this band - but I'll tell you what happened and why I think they never made it big and other inferior bands did. Dave LaFlamme was not in the 'in group' and at that time you had to be connected to someone they knew - i.e. John Phillips was from New York and so was John Sebastian - they both (separately) followed Barry McGuire out to the coast and he introduced them to Lou - The SF bands such as "Jefferson Airplane" was connected to people from the East Coast as well - Casady was from DC or NYC (not sure)... Closed little group that spawned from the folk crowd that played the NY bars - Cass in the Mugwumps - Big 3, Zal Yanovsky from some of the same. It's like anything else - when someone makes it they sometimes help their friends. Steve Stills knows everyone from everywhere - lots of people followed him out - it's like the buddy system. Sort of like going off to college together and joining the same fraternity. Too bad - I love "It's a Beautiful Day" they are an unusual band, hard to put your finger on exactly what they are - definitely not a rock and roll get down and dirty band and not really psychedelic - but so talented.
Something confused me here, can anyone clear it up. La Flamme says he remembers the last time he saw Beausoleil, he was walking in the Haight with Manson in 1968 yet Bobby says he met Manson down in Topanga at a club or the Spiral Staircase where he heard the music coming from Manson & the 'Milky Way' & he jammed with them. Did BB know Manson up in SF in the early days around 67 or 68 or not?
Billy - so long ago - strange the things one remembers and odd the things one forgets - Usually it is the first time that they make an lasting impression on us that we remember - However, on the other hand, Beausoliel is already been branded as a pathalogical liar - so take anything he says with the extra grain of salt.
On You Tube.......It's a Beautiful Day ....... White Bird. Free tracks of music of Bobby Beausoleil can be found on the 'White Dog Music' Website or on You Tube as well....... Enjoy......
Manson meet Bobby in San Fransisco , at the Old Russian Embassy April 30th 1967 durring the formation of the Church of Satan. Santon La VeY qutoed this in MANSONS NEW BOOK.
