Catching up w/ Gary Higgins & the legend of “Red Hash”
What was the trajectory of your music career like before recording your legendary album “Red Hash” in ‘73? Were you playing quite a bit of shows/festivals, or gigs in and around the Connecticut area during those early days? You're the sole artist to release material on Nufusmoon.
I was playing mostly bass and drums at the time from ‘67-’70. My early days were mostly folk music related guitar, early 60’s thru ‘66. I became interested in rock more so in the later 60’s. My band at the time, Random Concept, played all over New England and NYC. Somewhere around 1970 the acoustic group Wooden Wheel formed and this is where a lot of the “Red Hash” songs saw the light of day. “Red Hash” was utilized personally from both of those groups. Nufusmoon was created solely for the purpose of releasing “Red Hash” by Whatever Music Inc. That company was comprised of band members and friends who worked tirelessly to get the album released.
What was the ultimate vision, or idea for this record? What did you ultimately want to achieve and express with this body of work? You put together such a wonderful group of folks to help bring this album to life. How did you initially express your vision for recording “Red Hash” to folks such as Dave Beaujon, Terry Fenton and Jake Bell to just name a few?
The ultimate vision would have been to sell a lot of records and do shows to promote it I guess, BUT due to the legal circumstances and my unsure future it was MUCH more like let’s get this recorded and out there as we may never be able to do so again. Prison loomed. All the musicians were on board based on that premise, no expectations, only full support.
Tell me about the recording sessions at Odyssey Productions and what memories stand out to you the most from those experiences. What was the work ethic like structure and laying out this album? Long days/nights, or did you guys wrap up the production rather quickly?
The Odyssey sessions were all completed within a 40 hour period. I remember multiple sessions, none terribly long, some maybe 8 hrs or so, where the basic tracks were laid down (4 ch recorder) overdubs as needed and then vocals. One song at a time. Most of the songs were already being played in one, or both groups mentioned above so it was mostly a matter of playing them error free. Of course some enhancements were discovered and recorded on the spot, but mostly all the parts were already there.
Did you tour, or play any gigs in response to its release in ‘73 to help promote the album? What shows stand out to you the most and do you have a favorite you’ve played from back in the early days? The album was released 50 years ago and has since gained world-wide attention and is considered a critically acclaimed masterpiece. What are your feelings and thoughts on “Red Hash” after all these years?
I went to prison before the album was released so I was unable to promote the album in any way really. None the less the Whatever Family managed to get a LOT of radio play in the CT and Boston area. Nothing would have happened if not for their hard work. The rest as they say is history. I’m still amazed at the response after so many years. The Drag City re-master and release in 2005 really made an impact. They did a remarkable job from packaging to promotion. So much so it has been hard to believe what happened after. From major TV shows where the music was heard to major publications and interviews. Even this past November (nearly 20 years after the reissue) it was on the cover of Mojo magazines 30th anniversary edition. I am forever grateful that all this somehow in someway took place. Still hard to believe it some days, but I’m a lucky person that it all happened.
