Jim “Slim” Marx
May 20, 2015 – James Marx: Hi Mike Reilly; I can’t help but wonder if we crossed paths in the past. Here’s our story as best as I can remember. Stewie and I lived across from each Elmwood Avenue and were best friends. One summer evening in 1964 I heard the sound of drums and guitars outside. I followed the sound down Old Mill Lane and up to Outer Circle drive. On the corner some guys were playing in a small enclosed porch. I’m sure they were playing stuff by The Ventures Walk Don’t Run and Ritchie Valens La Bamba, etc. That band consisted of John Keller, bass (they were at his parents house) Steve Schumann, drums, Ken Davis, guitar and Paul Cotey, guitar. They called themselves The Cavaliers. LIVE ROCK was so cool.
I was friends with Paul as we were schoolmates at St. James. Steve and Paul lived on Orchard Drive, Ken on Townline Rd across from Hamilton High School. When Paul left the band I joined. I got Stewie in because he could play keyboard. Needed that for Animals, Rascals and best of all – LOUIE LOUIE! I think our first gig was at the K&G ice cream stand down by the Mammoth Springs quarry on Silver Spring. We played at the St James CYO dances, Hamilton High, Arrowhead High, Sussex Community Hall, and private parties.
Somewhere along the line we changed our name to the Common Kind because we liked the name of the Paul Revere and The Raiders style band from Menomonee Falls called The Revolutionary Kind. There were different drummers and bass players over time. I remember Greg Randall on drums for a time and some guy named Bob Griele I think on bass. FYI; Paul was son of Doc Cotey the dentist, Steve was son of Tony (Bubbles) Schumman owner of IGA /Sentry store, Stewie was son of Carl Stolper manager at Mammoth Springs and I the son of Wilmer Marx/Marx Masonry. There may be an article or an ad in Sussex Sun. Not Sure. Stewie probably has a band card and maybe some other stuff. Will have to search for that.
By the way there was another Sussex band called Thee Radicals. Mike McQuestian (?) who lived on the farm just west of Sussex Bowl where I think Pick N Save is now was in it. We used to have a weekend of music and partying on the farm that was called The Harvest Ball. Also I think Stewie knows a little about Mark Brunner(?) Stewie has a great memory of Sussex history of those times but not much else (LOL) Those were good times. Good luck. I look forward to seeing what you put together.
I found a couple of items from the band. A band card that says The Classic Sound of the Common Kind,a couple small lists of some dates and places we played and how much we were paid, some handwritten contracts for some equipment and best of all a large poster for the 1st Annual Dance Band Contest at Hamilton High School sponsored by The Sussex Lions Club featuring The Generations (can’t remember that band)The Common Kind and The(e) Radicals. They spelled it wrong. Has anyone searched for Ken Davis? He was the oldest and most organized leader of the band and he would have a treasure trove of stuff I suspect .
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Mike TruttschelThe one recollection I have of The Cavaliers is a performance at Lannon ballpark @ 1964 or 65. I knew who Paul Cotey was because he went to St. James and was in my brother’s class. Before the ballgame, here were these older boys dressed in suits and ties carrying their guitars, amps and drums to the infield for a performance in front of the grandstand. To my young wide-eyed amazement it was like The Beatles performing at Shea Stadium.