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The Story of Aces & Eights |
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A veteran of the Western NY music scene, Brett Lowden has played his battered Fender Stratocaster in countless clubs and recording sessions - upside down. |
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Inspired by "You Really Got Me" by The Kinks, Brett began playing on a borrowed guitar in early 1965. Left handed, he simply flipped the right handed instrument upside down (so that the lower strings are closest to the ground). By the time he realized that guitars are re-strung for lefties, Brett was already playing in his first garage band around his home town of Hilton, NY. |
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"I learned most of the basics by playing with Mark Stothard," he says. "He really helped me a lot with figuring out chords and keys and stuff." Brett also learned by watching other Hilton guitarists such as Danny Twentyman, Tom Duel and the great Glen Johnson. |
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Brett formed the Dead Fish Band in 1975 with friends, playing talent shows and club dates. Brett's brother Steve, a drummer, started playing live with him around the same time. The brothers played on and off until the late 1990's, when Steve left the business. By that time, Steve had also played with several other popular local bands including The Avengers and The Insiders. |
The Dead Fish Band |
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With their friend Steve "Razz" Rissew and the late Bob Marron Jr., the brothers recorded numerous tracks in local studios and played bars, clubs and parties. Brett also began recording the band himself in a makeshift studio in his Hilton living room. The line up at this time also included Julie Wahil, Nat Keller, the great Jim Lester, Rita Coulter and a host of others. The strongest line up yet, the band were in the process of negotiating their first major recording contract when disaster struck in the form of a serious accident which almost ended Razz's playing career. After a lengthy recovery, Razz is now playing guitar again for his church. |
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Ronnie Strange Band |
In the late 1970's, Brett formed a musical association with popular pianist and singer Ronnie Strange. He played in Ronnie's band The Young Bros (aka The Ronnie Strange Band) until Ronnie passed away in 1986. After Ronnie died, daughter Veronica joined the band on piano and vocals. They recorded with this line up many times; one of the songs, "Pot of Gold", was co-written by Brett and Veronica as a tribute to Ronnie, and stands as one of Brett's personal favorites from his career to date. |
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Rita Coulter |
After Veronica left the band to get married, Brett called on old friend Rita Coulter, with whom he formed Aces & Eights along with pianist Dave Adams and Barry Clemmons. Rita fronted the band for almost ten years until 1993, subsequently joining internationally known zydeco circus rock act The Colorblind James Experience. She was replaced for a while by the much-missed Liesa Marvel, forced to leave the club circuit after developing an allergy to cigarette smoke, and, occasionally, Patrice Alane, who moved to Nashville to record in 1996, but has now moved back to Western NY. |
Dave Adams |
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Steve Lowden |
Brett, Paul & Tim |
Liesa Marvel |
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By 1996, both Liesa and Patrice had moved on and the band reverted back to a grass roots rock & roll trio with original members Paul Harris on drums and Tim Smith on bass until the end of the 20th century, when both retired to private life. Ace drummer John Borelli took over the sticks in 2001, and John Fisher, formerly of Paris, stepped into the bass spot until 2005 before handing the mantle over to Frank Finney, whose previous engagements include a stint with Johnny Maestro, lead singer with The Crests and Brooklyn Bridge, who had hits with "Welcome Me Love" and "The Worst That Could Happen". |
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