Aloha. This story is about Neil with Steve McGee’s band Mana at someone’s house on Maui, Hawaii, in 1974. I have lived on Maui for almost 20 years, but not back in 1974. I was just about to be conceived. I wrote to Steve in 2015 to inquire about it, though. I did get a message back from Steve back in 2015 on this, but I missed his reply somehow. I reached out to him later to see if I could get more info, like songs played, etc. This was his reply: “Thanks Geoff. Those days on Maui were rich in musical exploration.There were far fewer musicians on the island in the 70’s. Neil had a place in Puamana. He’d ride his bike down Front Street. Cici Dawn and I were playing at Chucks Steak House in Kaanapali. That’s where I first met Neil. He was hanging out at the bar and on our break I asked him if he’d like to sit in with us and he did. We got together later that week and he joined us at our regular weekly jam on Hogback Road in Haiku. That’s where this pic was taken. That’s Ward Taylor far left on upright piano. Neil’s son is in the foreground. Neil is playing my Telecaster. Peter Quackenbush is on drums. Later Ward, Peter & I were in a band called Mana.”
Ward Taylor is in the far left on upright piano; Neil is playing Steve’s Telecaster, and Peter Quackenbush is on drums. Neil’s son Zeke is in the foreground. Photo by Steve McGee
Neil is playing Steve’s Telecaster, Steve is on bass, and Pat Greene is in the foreground on Fender Rhodes piano. Photo by Steve McGee.
Photo by Steve McGee.
Photo by Steve McGee.
4/25/1974. Chuck’s Steak House, Kaanapali, Maui, Hawaii, USA. Image from the Honolulu Star Bulletin.