60's group with NU roots is feted

Unbelievable Uglies reunite after decades

By FRITZ BUSCH

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- Remember the Minnesota bands of the '50s and '60s rock and country music? The likes of the Bobby Vee and Sherwin Linton. How about the Unbelievable Uglies and the KSTP Sunset Valley Barndance?

The Uglies -- a 7-piece rock and show band with a slice of jazz and slapstick humor thrown in -- were among the first bands inducted into the Minnesota Rock and Country Hall of Fame May 22 at the Medina Ballroom in Minneapolis.

Still stumped? In their day, the Uglies opened for the Yardbirds, Beach Boys, The Who, Billy Joe Royal, The Four Seasons, the McCoys, the Outsiders and "?" and the Mysterians, among others throughout the Upper Midwest.

Actress Jessica Lange once gave the Uglies a go-go flair at a Detroit Lakes appearance. The Uglies, who performed as many as six nights a week, headlined at the North Dakota State Fair.

For New Ulm musician Bob Eveslage, reuniting and playing keyboards with the band after more than three decades was about as good as it could get.

"We found the magic again, found each other, rekindled friendships and shared the stage with other great acts," said Eveslage, who plays a synthesizer and electric piano.

He isn't the only member of the band with local ties. Drummer James Miller of New Ulm, filled in for a deceased member.

With help from lots of e-mailing, the band reunion brought members from as far away as New Hampshire. Paul Lidstrom is now a psychiatrist in Littleton, N.H. Allen Spears is now a Country disc jockey in Nashville and owns his own tourism magazine.

The group reunited and practiced together for the event six weeks ago at Eveslage's home in New Ulm. It was a time he'll never forget.

"The magic was seeing each other and catching up on our lives. It was almost like reliving our childhood," Eveslage said. "I was amazed at how fast everything came back. Some of the guys haven't played music for a long time. It felt like we began playing last week and never stopped playing together. We all felt the same way about many things. These reunion things can be really good for people. It's like living out a dream again."

The Uglies opened the show at the Medina. They performed abbreviated versions of "The Log," the anti-drug song "Get Straight" earlier performed by Paul Revere and the Raiders, "Sorry" originally done by The Impalas, among others.

The Duluth surf-rock band The Titans played their three-guitar hit, "No Place Special." The Trashmen fired up the crowd of 700 with "Surfin' Bird" and "King of the Surf."

Now in his 50s and sporting flowing long hair, Eveslage isn't showing any signs of leaving the music business. He currently performs in several New Ulm bands including Bob and Jer (Jerry Chamberlain), the four-piece band the Tin Box Kings, Van Gogh's Ear, a five-piece classic rock band and with concertina player Smiley Wiltscheck and Scott Sparlin on occasion.

Sparlin, who has played with them on and off for nearly a decade, commented on Eveslage and the Unbelievable Uglies.

"Bob is quite a guy and the Unbelievable Uglies are quite a band," Sparlin said.

Eveslage also performs by himself with his keyboard and sometimes with an old friend, Johnny Holm and his band. Eveslage and the Uglies jammed with Holm and his band at the Medina, performing the likes of "Great Balls of Fire," and "Mustang Sally."

A native of Frazee, Eveslage chuckled when he said that Holm told him he was inspired to become a musician after hearing the Uglies. The bands reminisced until about 3 a.m. at the Medina.

The Uglies are planning a reunion tour next year. Among their favorite places to perform are Detroit Lakes, Fargo-Moorhead, Duluth, Winnipeg, Bismarck, Jamestown and George's Ballroom in New Ulm, if it works out.

Eveslage recalled jamming in Winnipeg with the likes of Burton Cummings (of the 70's band, The Guess Who) and Randy Bachman (of the 70's band Bachman, Turner, Overdrive).