The very first rock and roll album I ever owned was Brownsville Station's Motor City Connection. I was just a kid when I took the cellophane off of that LP and put it on the old RCA fold-down hi-fi in the living room. It was that moment I fell in love with the sound of the electric guitar. I think I was in the third grade.

Years went past and I found myself drawn to that album. I still have it to this day. It is locked away safe and secure. I searched long and hard to find another copy and that one is the one that makes its way onto the turntable now. I just cannot risk any harm to that first record.

As a teenager, I got my very first electric guitar. All I thought of was getting it to make that same magical sound that I heard on the record. I even formed a band. I wanted to play like Cub Koda. I wanted to make my guitar sing like his. He was the reason I fell in love with Rock and Roll. Since the first gig I ever played at a Halloween party when I was 16, I knew what I wanted to do. 

When I was 17, I was playing local bars every Friday and Saturday night.

In college, I got immersed in recording, had my own studio and created some great, if unheard music.

Then for the next 20 or so years, spent time playing in a cover band, playing just about every Thursday, Firday and Saturday night. I took to wearing a referee's shirt at every gig in homage to the reason why I started playing guitar. I wore that shirt until it was too faded and worn out. I bought another one. And another one. I did not want to ever lose sight of the reason behind my playing. To this day when people ask me who influenced me the most musically, I answer without hesitation: Cub Koda.

As the years went by, my Brownsville Station collection grew, as did my Cub Koda collection. 45's here, LP's there. I was always thankful for the inspiration that he gave me. One evening, at the Hard Rock Cafe in New York City, I was having a burger and a beer and I noticed something very familiar on the wall upstairs a few tables away from where I was. I couldn't believe my eyes. It was Cub's Referee shirt, glasses and Les Paul Goldtop on the wall!! I got goosebumps! It was the closest I would ever come to actually seeing him in person in some musical capacity.

One day I was sitting at my desk at work and decided that I would try to look up Cub and let him know how much I appreciate all the great music and to thank him for inspiring me to play guitar. I started searching for him. I found an address to write to. I also found out that he had passed away the day before. I never got the chance to thank him.

I will always call him "Rock and Roll".

Thank you, Cub, for giving me Rock and Roll.

"Nobody knows what the music means to me, it's got the magic and I've got the key..."   

-Joe

 

(If you have a story about Cub, something funny, how you met, etc., please email them to: webmaster@cubkoda.com so that they can be added for others to enjoy!)