Making ‘Time’ Last

The Chambers Brothers were one of the great bands from those psychedelic ‘60s, best known for one of the greatest rock anthems ever, “Time Has Come Today,” a song that still lives long and prospers in soundtracks and commercials. It may even be the party-ender when the Willie Chambers Band plays Nicholby’s in Ventura tonight.

Also on the bill will be those blues masters, Steve White and the Barstool Pigeons, with a CD to sell and 20 years of experience to back things up.

When Willie, Joe, Lester and George Chambers took the stage, they played so well that no one wanted to follow them. While most groups have one good singer, the Chambers Brothers had four great singers, creating superbly smooth grooves with gospel themes in songs that sound just as good today as they did then.

In the early ‘70s, after too many years on that endless road trip, the four sons of Mississippi sharecroppers split to do their own thing, even though they would resurface from time to time for the right gig. Meanwhile, Willie and Joe Chambers carried on the group’s legacy until recently.

These days, guitar player Willie Chambers is the brother whose band still spreads love, peace and happiness and plays all the Chambers Brothers favorites, plus some new originals. He consented to a brief Q&A; session.

How’s the rock ‘n’ roll biz treating you?

Well, you can never play enough, but we play one to four times a month.

What’s up with your brothers?

Lester has his own band here in Los Angeles. George has a gospel group--I have a gospel group, too. Joe is writing--he’s doing some sort of fictional writing, I think. We still get together every now and then whenever somebody makes us one of those offers.

So you’re the last brother standing?

Man, I’m dedicated. You know what? I never wanted to stop in the first place. We toured around for about 20 years with the band, then a couple of my brothers insisted we take a break. When you wake up and don’t know where you are, I suppose it’s time for a break. I remember one morning I woke up in Massachusetts, and I thought I was still in Los Angeles. I got up, put on a suit and was going to pick up my kids and take them to church when I opened the curtains to see what the weather was like, and wow . . .

The break has lasted longer than you anticipated?

At first, we were only going to take off for a year and let everybody get their heads clear. I begged them, “Please, there’s no breaks, no holidays and no vacations in this business.” So I waited and waited, a year, two years, three years, four years, 10 years, 15 years, 20 years--I’m still waiting. Everybody started just hanging out and having families.

But the act has continued off and on?

I played with some different people, and Joe and myself carried on. Then one night at rehearsal, Joe told me, “I’ve had it--I don’t want to do this anymore.” So he unplugged his guitar and took his amp and rode off into the sunset. That was in 1997. We still had several engagements, so I kept the band together.

What was it like moving to L.A.?

We came out here in 1954 in a Ford station wagon, and I remember it was very dark. When the sun came up, I started crying. If I’d had the money, I would’ve went back to Mississippi right then. I thought I was in a maze and everything looked the same. I had left paradise.

How did “Time Has Come Today” come about?

The first version was written in the ‘50s and it was just a two- or three-minute song and much slower. One day, I was downstairs writing some music and my brother Joe was upstairs writing lyrics. He came downstairs and said, “Hey, man, I was just putting something together here.” And I said, “Yeah, those words go with this all right.” Then a year or so later, psychedelic music was becoming a big thing, so I thought we could add some structure to the song, give it a beat and make it our contribution to psychedelic music. That song has been used over 30 time [in soundtracks, commercials and elsewhere], and it’s doing good right now.

And there were problems recording that song?

When we got signed they had this big welcome-to-the-label party. After about an hour, Columbia President Clive Davis was leaving, but then he stuck his head back in the door, and said, “You know that song ‘Time’ you do? Well, you won’t be doing that kind of [stuff] on this label.” Then he left.

Why would he say that?

We were four black guys and he wasn’t ready for us to tell people that “the time has come today.” He said we didn’t understand that the label had to sell albums in the South. Our producer at the time, David Rubinson, told us that we were going to record that song no matter what, even if he lost his job. He had us come in early one morning and we recorded it on one take. By the time Davis realized that we recorded the song, it had gone gold, and he had to present a gold record to us at an awards ceremony. And our producer did get fired.

Is it true that no one ever wanted to follow the Chambers Brothers?

That’s right. Plenty of times we made more money than the headliners. We had about the highest energy level of any band. There’s a certain level you take the crowd to, then you turn them inside out. That was always our intention--to turn the crowd inside out.

So what’s the best thing about being a musician?

The best thing is seeing people enjoying themselves. It gives them a chance to free themselves from all their worries and troubles. The bills aren’t paid, but for a while, they don’t have to worry about tomorrow.

Is there a worst thing?

The worst thing is all these young musicians that I meet that want to get paid for rehearsing. Man, I never heard of that. Also, it’s hard keeping a band together, especially a band that wants to play and is drug-free. In all the years I’ve been playing, I think I’ve met two people who don’t do drugs or drink, but I’m still hoping for an environment that’s drug-free.

Who goes to see your band?

When I play outdoors, I seem to get a lot of 10-, 11- and 12-year-old kids, and they have a great time. I get people in their 20s and 30s, plus I get people from way back when and their kids. It’s a wide range of people.

DETAILS

The Willie Chambers Band and Steve White & the Barstool Pigeons at Nicholby’s, 404 E. Main St., Ventura, 9 p.m. today; $7; 653-2320.

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AMC, home to all those great classic movies, and Jones Intercable--in conjunction with the Elks Lodge in Oxnard--will sponsor a big band dance concert Saturday night featuring a local favorite, the Johnny Olins Band. Hosting the free show will be actress Tippi Hedren. The mother of actress Melanie Griffith has starred in more than 25 films, including “Marnie” and “The Birds.”

Hedren will be taking time out from her full-time occupation: running the Shambala Preserve, not far from Acton. Shambala is home to more than 70 big cats, a couple of African elephants, a python and some really fast ducks. The actress campaigns tirelessly against the illegal breeding and trading of wild animals.

The cats, all illegally bred in captivity with no survival skills, live out their lives at Shambala in better style than did the characters in “The Birds.”

The free tickets for this show can be picked up at the Jones Intercable office at 721 Maulhardt Ave. in Oxnard.

DETAILS

The Johnny Olins Band at the Oxnard Elks Lodge, 801 S. A St., 7 to 10 p.m. Saturday; free; 485-3888.

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Named for Epitaph Records’ inexpensive compilation series (four, so far), the Punk-O-Rama Tour will bring Richter-scale decibel levels to the Ventura Theatre on Wednesday night. On the bill for this, the second annual edition, will be Bouncing Souls, the Dwarves, the Dropkick Murphys and the Distillers--all signed to Epitaph.

According to the label press kit, “This time around, fans will be treated to a solid roster of straight punk rock.” The $15 cost is a deal for four bands.

The Murphys’ new album is “The Singles Collection,” while the Bouncing Souls are still pushing their latest, “Hopeless Romantic.” The Dwarves’ new one is “Come Clean” and the Distillers have a self-titled effort with a scary dog on the cover.

DETAILS

The Punk-O-Rama Tour with Dropkick Murphys, the Dwarves, the Bouncing Souls and the Distillers at the Ventura Theatre, 26 Chestnut St., 7:30 p.m. Wednesday; $15; 653-0721.

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Bill Locey can be reached by e-mail at blocey@pacbell.net