The Flock originally started as a more garage rock oriented band and had three early singles on Destination Records and one on USA Records, local Chicago labels, recorded between and Henry Tom Webb saxophone and Frank Posa trumpet.
T hank you so much for taking your time and effort. How did you first get interested in bass and do you recall what was the first bass you got? Jerry Smith: I was actually a guitar player and folk singer as a teenager.
I put a group together for a high school talent show when I was 17 years-old. We had three guitar players and a drummer — no bassist. Someone who knew the band, The Exclusives, in Chicago, knew they were looking for a singer who played bass to compliment Fred Glickstein, their lead guitarist.
The two main members of that group, Rick Canoff and Fred Glickstein came to the talent show and asked me if I were interested in coming to a rehearsal. Fred and Rick Mann were great guitar players and I told them I would learn the bass. I listened to all the music of the day and learned bass parts straight off the records which helped me understand the instrument better.
The Exclusives became The Flock a short time after. Also, my drummer in the high school talent show also joined the group when I did. That was Ron Karpman. I had many basses back then, but I believe my first bass was a Gibson EB You grew up in the Chicago area? Would you like to discuss some of the very early days growing up in your city?
