'Could This Be Magic: Van Halen Before 1978' by Elizabeth Wiley (New Book)

[VHscraps]

One thing I've noticed in some of these early pics in the book is that there is a guy playing keyboards - a Wurlitzer and Farsifa. On the cover pic, at the top of this thread, you can see his gear and the top of his head, just between Alex and Mark Stone.

Anyone know anything about the identity of this guy?

In the last page-spread image I posted, his gear is also onstage to the right of Dave as you look at the pic - although you can't see him in those shots.

[Monkeeman]

It might have been cool if the lady who wrote the book had got in touch with Mike Stone and got him to add his rememberances to flesh out the text. I am sure Mike must have some photos and memorabilia that he could have added to the book too.

[DLR Bridge]

Alex would mention from time to time in earlier interviews that when he first met Dave, he had the "Bowie Haircut". I would say that pic on the right smacks of Bowie.

[TJMKID]

Alex would mention from time to time in earlier interviews that when he first met Dave, he had the "Bowie Haircut". I would say that pic on the right smacks of Bowie.

Dave was heading down the path towards being a Ziggy Stardust clone ---- thankfully he caught a Black Oak Arkansas gig on the Sunset Strip and things turned out for the better

[FORD]

Alex would mention from time to time in earlier interviews that when he first met Dave, he had the "Bowie Haircut". I would say that pic on the right smacks of Bowie.

Actually, I was about to say it looked identical to Mick Ronson's haircut at the time. Same band anyway......

[DLR Bridge]

Good pernt!

[jst4horses]

I wrote this book because my son found the negatives, and I was working on a project to build three tiered housing and therapy villages for veterans. I gave the entire book and every single penny it earns to the National Homes for Heroes/Spirit Horse II program. They do not use one penny of the money for administrative costs. It all goes to the horses and to support the equine therapy program, and to build the tier one and two housing. If anyone knows Cathi's last name, or where she is, she probably has all the rest of the photographs from those years. The keyboard player is Pewsey, from Altadena. He declined to put on the glitter and glam wear and moved on to a different type of life.

[jst4horses]

I ran into Mark one day when I was living in Sierra Madre, and just came out and asked him if he felt bitter or bad over not being in Van Halen. He said no. I believe him. His cartoons are really fun and I think his life seems happier now than when I knew him. Maybe he was just meant to be a happy cartoonist, than a late to rehearsal one too many times guitar player

[SunisinuS]

I ran into Mark one day when I was living in Sierra Madre, and just came out and asked him if he felt bitter or bad over not being in Van Halen. He said no. I believe him. His cartoons are really fun and I think his life seems happier now than when I knew him. Maybe he was just meant to be a happy cartoonist, than a late to rehearsal one too many times guitar player

Hard life to be in Van Halen...like Dave later and many of us....just nice to watch those Horses and Dogs run.....

[VHscraps]

I wrote this book because my son found the negatives, and I was working on a project to build three tiered housing and therapy villages for veterans. I gave the entire book and every single penny it earns to the National Homes for Heroes/Spirit Horse II program. They do not use one penny of the money for administrative costs. It all goes to the horses and to support the equine therapy program, and to build the tier one and two housing. If anyone knows Cathi's last name, or where she is, she probably has all the rest of the photographs from those years. The keyboard player is Pewsey, from Altadena. He declined to put on the glitter and glam wear and moved on to a different type of life.

Thanks for putting out the book, Elizabeth. I love your pictures. It is not only very rare to see photos from before 1978, but also to hear stories from those days, and what it was like around the people who became the band. They have never really revealed much about their early years, so as someone who has been interested in those early years, I found your stories fascinating.

As to the identity of Cathi - was her second name 'Coutant', I wonder?

The reason that occurs to me is that for years some of your pics, which are not in your book (so maybe some of the ones you lost or gave away), have been floating around the internet - except no-one knew who took them. The source for these pics was a website that seemed to be about types of microphones used in recording!

http://www.coutant.org/

There's three Van Halen pics, and I'm wondering if the are negatives that ended up with Cathi? The text on the page refers to a 'Kathy', whose hands can be seen on the keyboards in one of the pics:

http://www.coutant.org/vanhalen/index.html

So, perhaps this Kathy is your Cathi, and connected to this 'Coutant' person - Prof. S. O. Coutant, who taught at Pasadena City College, according to the signature at the bottom of this page:

http://www.coutant.org/1.html

[katina]

I wrote this book because my son found the negatives, and I was working on a project to build three tiered housing and therapy villages for veterans. I gave the entire book and every single penny it earns to the National Homes for Heroes/Spirit Horse II program. They do not use one penny of the money for administrative costs. It all goes to the horses and to support the equine therapy program, and to build the tier one and two housing. If anyone knows Cathi's last name, or where she is, she probably has all the rest of the photographs from those years. The keyboard player is Pewsey, from Altadena. He declined to put on the glitter and glam wear and moved on to a different type of life.

I apologize for posting so late here. Just last week I recieved your excellent book with your fascinating stories from the early VH years.
I am also glad for contributing with this purchase with National Homes for Heroes/Spirit Horse II program.

[WhoCares?]

I believe I remember reading an interview with Eddie where he states they used to play with a keyboard player & how he hated it because the keyboardist was a very busy player & it didn't allow Ed to play his fills

By the way, since I now know why this book was written, I too will be ordering & will tell friends about it too

[ZahZoo]

Alex would mention from time to time in earlier interviews that when he first met Dave, he had the "Bowie Haircut". I would say that pic on the right smacks of Bowie.

Back around 75 we had two kids who'd moved to California from London, UK and went to my high school... they had the same hair cuts. We called them "Fag-Shags" back then...