2 O.C. Blues Veterans Move Up to Canned Heat, T-Birds

By MIKE BOEHM

April 8, 1995 12 AM PT

TIMES STAFF WRITER

David (Kid) Ramos and Robert Lucas, veterans of the Orange County traditional blues scene, are stepping up to higher-profile gigs.

Lucas, who now lives in Bellflower, will join the long-running band Canned Heat as singer and slide guitarist, reports his manager, Berkeley Green. The gig begins in June and “it’s definitely a step (up),” Green said.

Lucas joins a lineup that includes two players from Canned Heat’s original 1960s lineup, drummer Fito de la Parra and guitarist Henry Vestine, and two fellow veterans of the Southern California blues scene, O.C. guitarist Junior Watson and former James Harman Band bassist Jeff Turmes. Lucas, who has released five albums of his own since 1990, will continue to lead his own band when he is not on the road with Canned Heat.

Ramos, who got his training in the hot Harman Band lineup of the 1980s, has joined the Fabulous Thunderbirds.

“I just want to play, and it’s a privilege to play with Kim Wilson,” he said, referring to the T-Birds leader and front man. “The Thunderbirds is a well-known band. When I was just coming up, I looked up to those guys.”

Ramos said Wilson called him about a month ago and invited him to take over the Thunderbirds’ vacant guitar chair, which originally belonged to Jimmie Vaughan and later was held by New Englanders Duke Robillard and Kid Bangham.

Ramos joined in time to fly to New York and overdub guitar parts on about half the songs on an upcoming T-Birds album, scheduled for a July release on the Private Music label. Producer Danny Kortchmar and Joe Ely/John Mellencamp sideman David Grissom also play on the album, Ramos said. The T-Birds gig reunites him with keyboards player Gene Taylor, another James Harman Band alumnus.

The first solo album of Ramos’ career is due next month on a Dutch label, Black Magic. Entitled “I Can’t Stop It,” it features his frequent local playing partner, singer-harmonica man Lynwood Slim, as well as members of the Hollywood Fats Band. The focus is on traditional jump blues. Ramos said he is seeking an American label to release what for the time being will be a Europe-only release.

MOVING ON: Bassist Randy Bradbury, one of the most impressive instrumentalists on the local alternative-rock scene, has left One Hit Wonder to remain on the road with ‘60s-rock veteran Wayne Kramer.

Bradbury, who played on Kramer’s recent comeback album “The Hard Stuff,” originally had planned to tour Europe and the United States for two months with Kramer, a former member of the MC5, and then return to One Hit Wonder, the excellent pop-punk band from O.C./Long Beach that recently issued its first CD.

But OHW singer Dan Root said that when Bradbury wanted to extend the leave of absence to remain with Kramer for additional tours of Europe and Japan, Root insisted that he choose one job or the other.

“I will not put my career on hold for anyone anymore,” said Root, who had to adjust when another original OHW member, singer-guitarist Robbie Allen, jumped ship in late 1993 for a higher-profile spot with the band Rob Rule on Mercury Records.

But “the opportunity (with Kramer) is so great, I can’t turn it down,” Bradbury said last week after playing a thunderous set at the Roxy in West Hollywood as part of Kramer’s jam-oriented power trio.

“One Hit Wonder can’t wait around for me, and understandably, they shouldn’t. I’ll miss it. It’s a great band, and I know that they’ll be signed” to a higher-profile deal, Bradbury said.

OHW recently released the compact disc EP “Where’s the World?” on Rockworld, an independent label based in New York. The band simultaneously put out a vinyl EP, “Tug of War,” on the local Lethal Records label. Root said the band plans to record another vinyl release for Lethal soon, then compile all its vinyl-only releases and some new material for another Rockworld CD.

Besides playing sizzling bass lines that helped stoke One Hit Wonder’s furious attack, Bradbury contributed strong backing vocals that contributed to the band’s pop appeal.

“I wish him well. He’s one of my best friends, but it’s disappointing,” Root said. “He’ll be a hard person to replace, but it’s not impossible.”

Root and drummer Chris Webb are the remaining original members of One Hit Wonder, which started in 1992. Along with guitarist Trey Pangborn, they have begun auditioning for a new bass player. Tony Kanal has been substituting for Bradbury on live dates but is committed to his primary band, No Doubt. Interested musicians can contact One Hit Wonder at P.O. Box 3688, Long Beach 90803.

* One Hit Wonder plays Thursday at the Thunderbird in Newport Beach, (714) 675-6599, and Friday at J.J.’s Lounge in Orange, (714) 532-4920.