By: Rick Landers
Photos: Courtesy of George Haberstroh
George Haberstroh of Kelakos
Back in the ’70s Kelakos rocked and moved in circles where they played road houses and other spots, creating their own scene and trying to work their way to stardom. The group’s name resonates, but is undefined, unless one knows the background. The group chose the name to honor the heritage of its lead singer/guitarist, George Michael Kelakos Haberstroh, who helped supercharge the group by also contributing to them as a prolific songwriter. But, more poignantly, the name was meant to honor George’s father who died in the Korean War around the time George came into the world.
Always, there are talented musicians working hard to make a living in music while wondering when that lucky break will trigger and stardom will show up at the door.
They’re the warm up groups and they play second billing to top acts. And some, make the break and become the top acts, roaming the country on tour, playing to adoring fans.
And although it’s a fun ride, it can also be brutal, wreaking havoc on family life, health and one’s ego.
But, if your a true musician at heart, it all comes down to a love of music and a need to create lyrics and melodies – to express oneself to others and to reach into the hearts of others.
Go back in time and you’ll always find those magicians of melody, creators of oral traditions, and the ones who had to make sounds and tell stories for their tribe. In this interview with Haberstroh, we reach back to the ’70s and move forward to today.
George Haberstroh today
Guitarist, George Haberstroh, found himself in Kelakos, a group that played its own brand of rock.
Still true to his calling, George continues to play, to entertain and to create. And he’s released, Uncorked, an album of tracks that he’s proud to offer up to friends and fans from the ’70s and to a younger generation who love the classic sound of rock.
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Rick Landers: How do you compare the ambitions and the work needed to make or break a music career from the days of Kelakos to today?
George Haberstroh: The ambitions and work ethic remain the same, but technology and exposure have exponentially increased…..the avenues for searching, spotting and developing new talent are light years ahead of the old pre-Internet , pre-instant-video days of Kelakos….
However, if you get a shortcut to recognition and you haven’t put in the time and work to polish your craft, and don’t genuinely love it… the audience knows…..!
Rick: Tell us about Kelakos, how the group came together and what was it that made the group click musically?
Kelakos (1975) Top – George Haberstroh, seated Left to Right: Mark Sisson Nate Murray and Linc Bloomfield. The lads formed The Criminals and posed for this photo during 1971.
George Haberstroh: Mark [Sisson], Linc [Bloomfield and I had been together for over seven years in the Boston area and went through about a dozen drummers, but never found one who could do it all before we met Carl [Canedy].
It didn’t matter the genre, he was right there creating a percussion foundation for us to play our extensive array of styles and songs.
We started jammin’ and the musical chemistry was undeniable … plus we all shared the love of warped humor …. Carl made Kelakos a force to be reckoned with!!
Rick: What were some of the best times you had with the group and have you been with other groups or gone solo?
George Haberstroh: We all loved playin’ outdoor festival-type gigs like the ones we did at the Fountainbleu along Cayuta Lake in upstate New York, or a baseball park outside Pittsburgh, playing on top of a dugout, for a massive party organized by the Muff Divers motorcycle gang.
Night after night performing in very smoky clubs made us appreciate outdoor gigs more. We played hundreds of gigs and had so many good memories. When the band disbanded, I went solo.
Rick: Some songs from the ‘70s don’t translate well to this new generation, so what tracks do you think they would find especially appealing from your album release?
George Haberstroh: Music is very personal to listeners, each with their own preferences and tastes. But, I can guarantee if you love guitar playin’, and I love guitar playin’, you’ll find a lick or two on Kelakos Uncorked you’ll love. Try a little frostbite [“Frostbite Fantasy”] or maybe give Persephone a poison kiss [“Persephone’s Poison”] or check out the end of “All You Need is a Ticket” or the “Break of Day Coda”, or try some of the sweet stuff. Good songs and good guitar playin’ are timeless!!
Rick: Is Kelakos still intact as a group or are you working solo at this point?
George Haberstroh: No, Kelakos the band isn’t intact, but ‘Kelakos the solo act” lives.
Rick: What gear are you using and have you raised the ante at all with newer gear, like pedal boards, production techniques or other electronic changes?
George Haberstroh: Back in the day, the red guitar you mostly see me with is my 1960 stereo Gibson 355. It had a gold Bigsby originally, but I had the late great luthier, Ed Murray, from E.U. Wurlitzer music in Boston take it off and put on a stop tailpiece for more sustain. And Philip Petillo refretted it, after all my playing with Kelakos wore out the frets. I also used a ‘73 white maple necked Strat that I had Ed Murray modify with wide Gibson frets, and he also removed the lacquer from the fret board.
George Haberstroh
Back in the seventies we didn’t realize that all the devices we had hooked up to the guitar were sucking our tone away when not in use. I remember I had a Blue Velvet Foxx fuzz wah with the octave switch that was pretty cool goin’ into a Roland jet phaser, then into either a ‘63 yellow or a ‘64 black pair of Fender Bandmasters beefed up to 100 watts by The Dawk, the legendary equipment engineer in Dryden, NY.
Dawk did all Deep Purple and Rainbow’s gear and one night he brought down a couple of freshly scalloped Ritchie Blackmore Strats for me to test at The Cortland House.
I rented a Mesa Boogie to record most of Uncorked. But now the musical landscape has definitely changed sonically and all the pedals have true bypass, so more tone sucking !!
Plus there’s so many effects, so many guitar choices, so many amps. The good thing about a pedal collection is you can just add one at a time.
I still use old Mesa Boogies, have a wide selection of guitars and effects, and am always finding new sounds and searching for them as all guitarists should. And there’s so many great pedals out there, Rainbow Machine, WolfSkull pedals, Big Bad Wah,Captain Coconut, MT-2 Twilight Zone, AdrenaLinn. So many pedals, so little time!!
Oh yes, and a coupla Dumble Overdrive amps would be nice too!!! Right Carlos? Right Joe? Right Stevie Ray?
Rick: You were on the road quite a bit as a working musician, what was that like and how have you changed or the times changed?
George Haberstroh: Lookin’ back it was fun. We were young, the girls were pretty, and the music was hot !! How has it changed ? The girls are still pretty, and hot damn the music is still so hot. But, oh no, I’m old! But, I can still bend a string or two.
Rick: Songwriters tend to have different approaches to writing their songs, some grab the nearest guitar and start noodling, where others are more writers and they develop lyrics then later figure out chord sequences and melodies. What have you found to be the most natural way to pull together a song?
George Haberstroh: There’s no set formula except that aspiration and dedication lead to inspiration. A certain proficiency on one’s chosen instrument, be it guitar, piano, voice is nice to record and critique and tweak. Or it could be a nagging lyric pounding in your head ‘til you write it out of your brain.
Allow yourself to believe, start playing, and soon you’ll be playing something of your own that sounds good to you. If it’s worth saving, write it down, record it, build on it. Don’t stop ‘til it flows musically and lyrically. Ready? Set…Go!
Rick: You’ve released some of your vintage ‘70s tracks on Uncorked and the mix of tracks is very eclectic, from hard rock, to ballads, jazz and a track that’s got that Santana sound to it. It’s refreshingly retro-rock and I wonder if a full album without a theme has better marketing possibilities today where people can download favorite tracks?
George on guitar with drummer Carl Canedy circa 1975
George Haberstroh: I believe in the power of songs. I can put on my favorite singer or band or guitar player’s latest stuff and not really connect with every song. But some songs grab me and speak to me. The love of music is very personal and selective.
“Gone Are The Days” was the theme back then, and they sure are!! I have a theory: people will only listen to your sweet stuff if you really rock your ass off too!! Come on people, uncork and listen! Havin’ a diverse repertoire is a good thing, but only if you can back it up!!
Rick: There are always some amazing artists that have the talent, have the licks, but miss opportunities or aren’t able to trigger stardom. I think of the film “Searching for Sugar Man” and feel that maybe you found yourself on a similar path and if the stars align, your music will get the attention it’s always deserved. Any thoughts on this?
George Haberstroh with his stereo Gibson ES-355 (1974)
George Haberstroh: Absolutely. It boils down to believing in yourself and your special loving deep connection with music, no matter if the stars align or not, against all odds, simply for the love of music.
If beauty is your goal and you achieve it, that is a success. It’s nice for people to listen, and gaining appreciation is a plus, but the music is what matters and why you do it!
Rick: What projects do you have going at the moment and where do you want to see yourself five years form now?
George Haberstroh: Every day I try and put in quality musical time, and recording some. I just finished writing and home recording a trilogy of CDs of all new stuff. My ritualistic ongoing project is my next song, next sound, next lick, next lyric, next inspiration.
Rick: Any advice for young artists struggling to get their music heard and working hard to get a break?
George Haberstroh: If you believe in your heart of hearts that your music is you, then don’t worry about getting your music heard or catching a break. Just do the behind the scenes hard work necessary so when your time comes, you can shine.
The rest is out of your hands. Just know in your heart you’re on the right path. If somethin’ good happens, great and even if it doesn’t, it’s great, ‘cause you’re following your heart and immersing yourself in a loving pursuit. The harder the path, the better the blues!
