Tripp Switch & the Breaker Boyz

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The demise of Full House was a bit welcomed but the timing caught me off-guard. Marvin, the first drummer I jammed with in B’ham, had met some younger guys and wanted us to jam – in a wet basement in an old house in Homewood. What could go wrong?  

Tripp S.  – whenever

Juan Carlos Mareno – guitar, vocals

Leeth Grissom – bass, vocals

Marvin Swantek – drums, vocals

Tim Elliott – vocals, guitar, harp

So these guys Marvin found were former frat brothers (I think) from B’ham Southern, and they had a fresh set of songs. They turned me onto cool music from Treat Her Right (we covered “I Think She Likes Me” and “Don’t Need Money”) and raucous party music (“Battleship Chains,” "I'm Not Yer Steppin' Stone"). Juan and Leeth sang “Secret Agent Man” in Spanish (as per the Repo Man soundtrack). Nice touch when we upgraded to a book warehouse for rehearsals (Crane Hill Publishing, as a matter of fact. Entertained a few neighbors and an occasional cop). 

And we were loud and sloppy: Glorious fun that went well with your basic yard party, but badly in small joints (we were kicked out of Marty’s and out of Otey’s for being too damn loud. Too true). Had a running gag that Tripp was in rehab and couldn't make the gig (thanx to the old Roadhawg for that one). We played my 40th birthday party at a bar in Gables Square that had a huge stage. We joyfully participated in a local blues band contest.  One guy that would drop in to play with us -- Buddy, as I recall -- helped blow up the old Fulton County Stadium. He said so. Gave me a NOS Braves cap he found during the prep. 

We kinda fizzled out as we had difficulty finding times to rehearse and as uh, all of us were in committed and dual-career relationships. Gotta rehearse even if you are loud and sloppy, cuz you need to be pointing in the same direction, if you take my meaning.  I've kept up with Leethal and Marvin all these years. Both play when they can; great people!