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Updated 07-Mar-10 |
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Michael Sells |
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Author Unknown—Circa 1998
Michael Monroe Sells is from the same legion of psychedelic hippie space monsters that spawned such humans as Jimi Hendrix, Billy Gibbons and the other rubber fingered blues masters. Like all true gifted musicians, Mike will of course deny or downplay his talents when the comparison is made. Remember kids, true musicians are always very humble folks like Mike, and never ramble on about the equipment they use, how great they are, and why, and who they have jammed with, and so on. No, those are the egomaniacal cretans like myself, who know we can't play worth a darn!!!... But I have said it before, and I'll say it again... "Mike Sells is a certified guitar guru." Here is a composite of Mike's history that various people have been able to extract from him over the years. It was provided by Cousin Fuzzy through Grapevine Productions. Mike's first pro gig was at the age of 13 in the Mediterranean area with a country and western band formed by an Air Force couple. Next he returned to the USA and started a band in Wichita Falls, Texas with Mark Heudni on drums and Phil Travis on bass. They played the American and British rock/blues classics and made a few recordings. Two years later in 1968, Mike was off again to Greece forming a new band called Elastica Phase. With Michale Travlos on drums and guitar, Denny Lord on keyboards and bass, Kosta Panidis on bass and drums, and Tony Soward on guitar, they did James Brown, Hendrix, and Cream, and began doing USO tours backing Bo Diddley, Nancy Sinatra, and European acts. After a run at Greek nightclubs, resorts, and casinos, they appeared on National TV and the Armed Forces TV and Radio. Says Mike; "We got to rub elbows with the big wigs, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis, JR., and Onassis." 1970 saw the end of the "Phase" and Mike's return to the US. He reunited with Mark Hendrix and a new bassist/vocalist, Kenny Reynolds to form a new band "Ice". With Kenny's "Trapeze" style of vocals and bass playing, they began writing their own material and rocking Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas, opening for acts like ZZ Top (another unknown Texas band at that time), Cactus, and Frigid Pink, they were making a living. After a run to the East Coast, the band fell apart in 1973. Mike set out for Austin to get a foot in the "Music Capitol" of Texas where he joined "Blind Wizard", an established Austin band. He returned to north Texas in 1974 before heading off to Tulsa, Oklahoma, and on up to Wisconsin where he wrote some new material in an old dairy barn. "The acoustics were GREAT" is all he could say about the experience. In 1977, Sweetwater was an established band with Wendy Hoppe on vocals, Todd Hoppe on bass, Paul Dowlearn on drums, Charlie Gibson on keyboards and acoustic guitar, Marta Gibson on vocals, and Mike on lead guitar. The band opened for bands Bead Fast, Foghat, and Mary Wilson. The group split and reformed as Bittersweet without the Gibson's, and Dowlearn. They added drummer Donnie Lee Garcia on guitar and synthesizer, and Bobby Atwood on drums. A new album, "Up on a Shelf", was produced in Iowa, but didn't get promoted very well. A video for the song "Nite Flight" aired on MTV's Basement Tapes, and the band appeared on a few cable TV specials. In 1983, Mike formed Rock Bottom, a three piece with Randy Lipps on drums and vocals, and Jay Savadra on bass and vocals. "It was some mean stuff we were doing at that time...", says Mike. After six years with no results, they disbanded, and sometime later Mike came to Paris, Texas. That’s when we shook the dust off him again, and like rock-n-roll cupids, led him back to his lifelong love, and the rest is history... Two studio albums later, Ruff Stuff has invaded MP3.com, been included on several compilation CDs, and have returned from a Wisconsin Tour. Having just signed a new booking deal, Ruff Stuff will soon be out on the road, kicking up some dust. Plans for a live album are just around the corner... |
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I met Mike Sells while working in Paris, TX around 1995. I learned of Mike’s untimely death in May of 2008. Although I hadn’t spoken to him in a few years he was a good friend, an incredibly kind and hard working man, and one helluva guitar player. I had the pleasure of playing bass in the band Ruff Stuff with Mike on many occasions and I am very grateful for that opportunity. A quiet and unassuming guy, he was a joy to be around. There are many of us that will always miss him!
David |
