RSS 2.0 FeedFebruary 10, 2011, Bellmore Life
Speed Limit opens up for breast cancer research
Catch a blast from the past at K.J. Farrells, February 12.
Speed Limit, the late ’70s-early ’80s Long Island rock band that cemented its place as a premiere regional band when it played at My Father’s Place in Roslyn, will play a reunion at K.J. Farrell’s on Saturday, February 12, to support breast cancer research – and to honor Judge Regina Jabbour, who died of the disease.
“We were a band that wrote and played our own original music, a cross between Bob Seger and The Eagles,” said drummer Scott Westman.
The band “schmoozed” with all the Long Island bands of the day, including Rat Race Choir, Twisted Sister, Nazarene and Zebra, remembered guitarist and lyricist Jamie Brull.
During its prolific period the band also starred in several sets on WBAB-FM radio’s Home Grown series, said Mr. Westman.
Mr. Brull recalled how an advertisement in the Good Times weekly music newspaper for calls for local bands to play at now-defunct My Father’s Place, an original Long Island venue for up-and-coming music bands, catapulted them into the Long Island music scene when they were accepted, and played with several other bands.
“My favorite memory was when we opened for the Charlie Daniels Band,” said Chuck Idol, another founding member and guitarist. “This was before the Charlie Daniels Band became popular, and we just sat around with them, talking after the show,” he continued.
Speed Limit also played the North Stage Theatre in Glen Cove, several Town of Hempstead bandshell dates at Nassau Community College and the Malibu Beach Club.
Long time coming
Mr. Westman told Bellmore Life that he had wanted to get the band back for several years, but only through Facebook were all four members able to reconnect.
“We didn’t know where bassist Brian Carder was” until he surfaced on Facebook, Mr. Westman said. From there, it took little coaxing to get the band together and find a suitable venue for the fundraiser once Mr. Westman contacted Steve Eplan of Bellmore’s Rock Underground, who suggested K.J. Farrrell’s.
Mr. Idol, who, as a classical violinist traded a minibike for a guitar, said that his sister-in-law Judge Regina Jabbour was a professionally trained singer with beautiful, soaring vocals who used music to help her fight her battle with breast cancer. “Music helped her face her disease,” he said.
The reunion, he said, is dedicated to her memory and is designed to help the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center help others in their fight with breast cancer.
Mr. Brull, who lives in Deer Park, will also front his own band as one of the opening bands. Other opening acts will include kids bands THOR from New York City; the Rock Underground’s own Militia; TRU, a Kiss tribute band; and a Rock Underground adult band, The Code.
Mr. Idol said he is in awe of such a place as the The Rock Underground to teach kids the culture of music, of learning how to play in a band, how to produce and record the music, how to form confidence in forming a band, and going out and playing. “We never had that when we were growing up,” said Mr. Idol.
Doors open at 5 p.m. with showtime beginning at 6 p.m. until 2 a.m., with tickets $10.
All proceeds go to the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.
For information visit www.americanidol.pro or www.speedlimit.pro to hear selections from the band and learn about the reunion.
Mike Epstein, founder of My Father’s Place and a recent inductee into the Long Island Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, is expected to be in attendance at the show.
– Douglas Finlay
