Some
of the bands that rocked this place during the early years of NW music
were:
Ballin
Jack
The
Bards
Black
Oak Arkansas
Bread
Canned
Heat
Chicago
Transit Authority
Cinnamon
Soul
City
Zu
Mick
Farren and the Deviants
Fever
Tree
Golden
Earring
Kryptic
Light
Linda
Ronstadt
Locomotive
The
Pied Pipers
Brady/Hiatt
& the Sonics
Three
Dog Night
Time
Machine
The
Trolly
Truth
The
Young Rascals
Others ?
I saw Golden Earring in 1968 or 1969 at the Trolly. They played multiple nights during that gig, maybe a week. I also saw Velvet Underground. Place was full of junkies. Surely was in 68. Also saw them at Avalon Ballroom in San Francisco.Peter Simpson, November 2003
The Trolly Club was originally known as the Tunerville Trolly Club, and was owned and operated by Mr. Blaze Lewark. Many of the local radio DJ's stopped by to spin records in the sound booth, before there was rap, Such as Burl Barer, Papa John, and Lan Roberts. Groups such as Bread, Chicago, Spooky Tooth & Led Zepplin would stop in after their concerts, and jam. Blaze also put on the BFD 1 & 2, 2 later called The Happening, along with his partner Ken Legg who split after the Happening. The Trolly was also known as the Chariot Club. Blaze also started the Club known as the "Clock Work Orange" on Highway 99.W. Jassman, February 2004
When the Trolly Club was owned by Terry Schmidt. I did the large psychedelic pictures that lined the walls inside the club. It was a trip really. Those were indeed some fun days in the 60's.
John Hill, September 2004
The Trolly played at the Trolly Club quite a bit. We were managed by Terry Schmidt, the owner.
I also remember that Linda Ronstadt played there one night. Her back-up band The Stone Ponies (some who went on to form The Eagles), couldn't make the date so the Trolly backed her up.
One of my favorite memories of the Trolly Club was the open "auditions" Terry Schmidt would hold weekday evenings and Saturday afternoons at the Trolly. My little Everett, WA hometown band was invited in on a Tuesday evening in March 1968. We didn't get paid. We expected that the room was filled with agents, dancehall owners and DJs who would sign us up for gigs. We didn't get any gigs out of the date, but Barry Puhlman keyboardist for The Trolly was there, and some months later helped me join the Trolly.
In those days, EVERY teenager was in a band. Some could actually play and some couldn't. There was a group in there one day whose keyboardist apparently was using an organ that was color-coded. After one especially bad chord he played, the guitarist yelled at him, "Red you idiot!" To this day, whenever someone makes a major mistake at their job I want to yell, "Red you idiot!"
Way funny,
Peter "Kirby" Scheldt, April 2007
Our group, Locomotive, was the house band at the Trolly for 6 months or so in the late 60s. The club was one of the hottest in Seattle at the time and a lot of the concert acts playing the big venues would come in and jam after their shows. Robert Plant, John Bonham and John-Paul Jones from Led Zeppelin jammed, Chicago came in, etc. Bonham played his famous bare hands solo while Trolly chicks climbed all over Plant.
I clearly remember a couple of the guys from Vanilla Fudge (Bogert and Appice) jamming because Tim Bogert played my brand new Guild hollow body bass with his shirt off and the next day the finish totally lifted off. You owe me, Tim! I probably had more fun playing this club than any gig since! It was rockin’!
Terry Schmidt also managed Locomotive during that time, but we were snatched away to Los Angeles by MGM Records and a big time manager before we signed any contracts. Of course, we got screwed in L.A. but… live and learn.
Bill Stroum, October 2012