Dive into the depths of ‘Brown Acid’ and you’ll unearth yet another gem from the hallowed halls of Cavern Sound in Independence, Missouri.

Gary Winston Apple reflects on his musical journey with a blend of nostalgia and contentment. His surprise and pleasure at being included in Permanent Records’ ‘Brown Acid’ compilation highlight his enduring passion for music. From his beginnings as a young enthusiast singing along to records in his room to joining his first band, The Classics, music has been a constant thread in his life.

The release of his single, ‘The Ballad Of Pencil’ / ‘You’re Not The Only Girl (I’m Out To Get)’, marked a pivotal moment in his career, solidifying his love for songwriting and recording. His subsequent solo endeavors, including albums released through Monument Records and beyond, showcase his enduring dedication to music despite setbacks.

Beyond music, Gary’s life took political turns, but he never lost his musical spark.

“We opened for Canned Heat at the first concert ever at Freedom Palace”

Were you surprised when you were contacted by Lance of Permanent Records for the inclusion of your song on their fantastic ‘Brown Acid’ compilation?

Gary Winston Apple: Absolutely, and very pleasantly so.

What led you to become a musician? Was there any particular moment when you knew you wanted to become a musician?

I got my first record player and began collecting records when I was eight years old. From early on, I enjoyed singing along (in the privacy of my own room, where I could sing like no one was listening). When I was sixteen, two of my friends started learning to play the guitar and wanted to form a band. They couldn’t find a drummer, and knowing that I loved music, they asked me if I would like to learn to play drums and join them. I said “yes.”

Would you like to share about your upbringing? Where did you grow up? Tell us about daily life back in your teenage years.

I grew up in Kansas City. I was an avid reader, very active in sports, and I loved music.

One of the early bands you formed was called The Classics. What did your repertoire consist of? Is there any recorded material available?

We did whatever Top 40 songs we really liked and a lot of popular R&B. We did not do any recording.

The Classics at Van Horn High School, circa April 1965.

The Classics at Teen Shack, circa April 1965.

How does that bring us to the formation of Appletree? Who were the members of the band? Did the lineup change?

Appletree evolved as I began writing songs. Along with myself on drums and lead vocals, the other consistent member was Lowell Premer on guitar and backing vocals. Gary Humbard was our original bassist. Rocco Priolo was on bass and backing vocals most of the time we were together. Phil Black and Gerald Robinson filled in on bass whenever Rocco left the band (which he did periodically).

How would you describe the local Kansas City scene?

Mostly cover bands playing Top 40 hits. There were a lot of places to play. Not a lot going on during the week, but very active on weekends. Since we were booked both nights almost every weekend, I didn’t know much about the local music scene. I was vaguely aware that we were one of the first local bands to play a lot of alternative music (especially Cream and Jimi Hendrix).

What venues did you play with Appletree? What bands did you share stages with?

Most of Appletree’s gigs were at what were known as “18 and over bars” on the Kansas side of the state line. The drinking age was 21 in Missouri and 18 (for beer) in Kansas. So there were a lot of bars that served only beer in Kansas, and many of those bars featured live music. We also played high school dances (prom season was the source of our highest paying gigs), frat parties, and the occasional opening act slot for touring bands. We opened for Canned Heat at the first concert ever at Freedom Palace and opened for the Climax Blues Band at Cowtown Ballroom in a show that was broadcast live on KC’s main rock radio station (KUDL-FM).

What’s the story behind your single 45, ‘The Ballad Of Pencil’ / ‘You’re Not The Only Girl (I’m Out To Get)’? Where was it recorded?

A few years into my music career, I got interested in writing songs. Then, as now, I wanted to record the songs I wrote. I was inclined to simply make a record without bothering to get a recording contract. So, I booked time at Cavern Sound in Independence, Missouri. We went in and recorded the single.

What kind of gear, instruments, and amps did you have in the band?

The main thing I remember about our gear was how primitive our P.A. system was.

Did you have more original material? Is anything unreleased by Appletree?

I have an acetate of a single we recorded but never pressed and released. I have quite a few recordings of songs I wrote that were never included on recordings that were released. I have a whole album that was nearly finished seven or eight years ago that I plan to go back and finish and release at some point.

Looking back, what was the highlight of your time in the band? Which songs are you most proud of? Where and when was your most memorable gig?

The highlight of my time with Appletree was recording and releasing the single. That really cemented my budding love of songwriting and recording. I have always enjoyed performing live, but nothing matches the excitement of writing a song and recording it. I am a solidly mediocre musician largely because of my love of songwriting and recording. Anytime I tried to practice scales or do any of the other things it takes to be a really good musician, I seemed to get diverted into writing songs. I also became fascinated by the production aspects of recording, which led directly to the recording of my first self-produced and self-released album.

Another notable aspect of my time with Appletree is the friendships that developed between myself, Lowell Premer, and Rocco Priolo. We became lifelong friends. My friendships with both of them, but particularly with Rocco, extended well beyond music.

The highlight of my music career was signing with Monument Records in November 1977, and recording a solo album in Nashville in January and February of 1978 with some amazing musicians who were just starting their careers as session musicians. Most of them went on to be very successful. The album was released in May 1978 and numerous tracks got a lot of airplay. I toured that summer with the best band I had ever been in (up to that point). Monument lost its distribution deal with Phonogram in August, and the tour came to a quick end. But it was definitely the high point of my music career and a summer to remember. Our most memorable gigs were our first gig—opening for Patti Smith—and a three-night stand at “The Other End” (formerly The Bitter End) in New York City. We sold out the first two nights.

You released several solo albums, and I would appreciate it if you could take some time to talk about those albums.

Fred Foster, who owned Monument Records and Combine Music (his publishing company), kept me under contract after Monument Records lost their distribution deal with Phonogram. I wrote over seventy songs over the next two years. In 1980-81, I recorded an album for Mad Dog Records, a label that went bankrupt before the album was released. For the next few years, I kept writing songs but had no opportunity to record and release them.

In October of 1985, I decided to dust off my college degree and began a career teaching high school, mostly civics and economics. I took a long and nearly total hiatus from music. I barely even listened to music during that period. I started writing songs again in 1999 and bought a digital recorder. Once I realized that I could set up a recording studio at home and make recordings that sounded almost as good as what I had been able to record in professional (and expensive) studios during my earlier career, I was off to the races. I wrote songs constantly, recorded them as soon as I was done writing them, and released albums regularly. I recorded and released fifteen albums of mostly original material between 1999 and 2019. I did next to nothing to promote those albums. I made no effort to find a label deal. I just wrote and recorded non-stop and very happily.

What currently occupies your life?

I wrote a book that I self-published in 2003. I have been politically active since 2014.

I ran for office three times (2014, 2016, and 2018). I served one term on the Democratic National Committee (2016-2020). I have been involved with several political organizations, most notably the Sierra Club, Move to Amend, and Our Revolution.

I have been working on my second book, off and on, since 2015. I hope to finish it within the next few months.

I am planning to write soundtrack music for the audiobook.

I plan to be very active politically going forward, but I am also planning to get back to writing and recording music. I want to finish the unfinished album that has sat nearly done and unattended for about seven years now. I have written a few new songs over the past two years.

Klemen Breznikar

Headline photo: Gary Apple Band

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