I lived for a good part of the last decade of the 60's in a dinky little cottage at Walnut and 3rd, crammed with other hippie dopers, surfboards and dogs. It was one short block from the G.B. Those big double doors had enough of a crack between them that a lot of the music from within would spill out onto the sidewalk and PCH. Occasionally one had the money to pay the cover, I think some of us did for Mike Bloomfield and The Electric Flag, and Butterfield, after he'd added Buzzy Fieten on guitar. There were also many shows with Taj, Big Brother, all the sundry bands of the that indescribable decade. (Janice could be seen frequently walking on the pier, wrapped up, shades; looking dour. Maybe dopesick. Nobody bothered her. Oh, I paid to see Charley Musslewhite,! Soon after the release of "Stand Back," his first magnificent album. Saw him a couple of years ago in Olympia WA. Told him where I'd last seen him, probably in '68 at the Bear. I noted that he blew me away then, and also that he had used these many years well, judged by his current power, skill and inspired playing. He said "well, then I was still drinking." Yeah. Weren't we all. And some of us fortunate enough to survive with the memories. Raise a glass (or a number!) to the Bear!
I loved Hoyt Axton. I have all of his albums and saw him at the Golden Bear, The Palomino Club and I think The Roxy. I saw Albert King at the Golden Bear. He was just inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of fame. John Mayer did a great job showing and describing his and other great guitarist playing styles.
I loved the Golden Bear! Hoyt Axton was my step father and I would go with him when he played there..Everybody played there and everybody went there.. It is a piece of history..But let me say this growing up at the beach I got to hear all the great music and was blessed beyond words...I also want to thank George... Debbie Sanino-Godfrey He always let me in no matter how old I was....He would just say , he was going to tell on me...But for me it was always the music.....God Bless you George....
