Boy Drummer’s on a Roll; He Hopes It’s to Stardom

Josh R. Freese has a stated goal, and that’s not bad for a 14-year-old who wants to become a world-famous drummer. “I want to become a household name,” he said, such as the late Buddy Rich.

Until recently, his Placentia neighbors weren’t so convinced of his future. “They got bummed out” with his practice, and it wasn’t until recently that they agreed to let him bang away on his drums in practice from 4 to 6 p.m. “My parents didn’t mind (the practice).”

At first “I wasn’t all that supportive,” said his father, Stan Freese, who used to lead a band at Disneyland, “because I knew what was ahead for him. But he’s an unbelievable drummer, and you have to be unbelievable to make it.”

His mother, Tricia Freese, said: “I think Josh has his mind set to be a great drummer.”

So far, good things are happening to the El Dorado High School student, who has joined Polo, a rock ‘n’ roll band that plays at Disneyland.

“If he wasn’t terrific,” said band agent Suzy Frank, “they wouldn’t keep him. At 14, there’s a big age gap.”

Other band members are as old as 19.

Josh often practices three hours a day, sometimes with name drummers he has befriended, such as Tommy Lee of the Motley Crue and Jeff Porcaro of Toto.

“But Vinnie Colaiuta is the most amazing drummer I’ve ever heard,” he said. “I went up to talk with him when I was 10, and he taught me a lot about drums. I was bewildered, and once in a while we would sit down for a drum set.”

Josh pays the price for his hours of practice and meetings with his first-line drummer friends.

“I don’t get to hang around with my own friends so much,” said Josh, who misses that contact. “It’s neat to have a bunch of them with you, because you’re the center of attention, and that’s fun, but I guess. . . .”

Josh thinks there aren’t many opportunities for anyone under 21 to work in a nightclub.

“I guess it’s kind of hard to take a younger kid seriously,” he added, “but if a kid can play, let him play, especially these days when there’s so many more younger players than there used to be.”

So far, Josh doesn’t have many complaints, since he’s playing in a band that is about to cut an album it hopes will be picked up by a big record company.

“I’m proud of what I’ve done and what I’m doing,” Josh said. “I just want to play drums, and I want to do it the rest of my life.”

Costa Mesa Police Lt. Gary Webster recounts the excuse a motorist gave for not making a complete stop: “I made a California (rolling) stop.”

The officer replied: “I’m giving you a California ticket.”

After graduating from UC Irvine a couple of years ago, David Thompson, 28, of Irvine and James Glover, 28, of Laguna Niguel embarked on a fund-raising mission to co-produce a videotape historical documentary on Orange County.

It took two years and $40,000 to complete, and it will be on the market soon for $19.95. They call it “California Riviera.” It shows the rich culture and history of Orange County that they believe has been overlooked and ignored by the media in favor of Hollywood and other colorful tourist locations.

But the two stayed true to their mission. There’s not one word or picture about Disneyland, Knott’s Berry Farm or the Wax Museum.

It might have been better if Cheryl Ann Cates, 26, of Tustin, had gone into the Social Security office to change her name on her card after she married. Instead, she filled out a form, enclosed $10 and her marriage license and sent it away. She got her license and a new card--reading “Sister Cheryl Ann Cates.”

“I became a nun practically overnight,” she said. “and my friends started calling me Mother Superior.”