This set of photos were at my small efficiency apartment in Dallas on Mckinny ave 1984
This photo was at Zero's in Fort Worth
I believe this was The Wax Trax era in Chicago
The Hot Klub NCM opening for Gary Myrick
This was at our apartment in Oak Lawn on Rawlins called Dana Court. Dallas, Texas
This was at Mine & Jon Lacy's apartment on Rawlins st. Dallas,Texas
Hot Klub ? Dallas,Texas
Young David Hill
I drove to David's mothers apartment In Useless as he use to call it and then I snapped this photo before I drove him to DFW Airport. He left my car to catch his plane to L.A. and I knew I would never see him again .It was a very sad day .
all these photos were taken at Northpark Mall ,Dallas ,Texas in the phtotbooth there .David loved to escape to the movie theatres quite often when we went together we would always hit the photo booth .These photos started early in our relationship . The 1st set are the ones where my hair is kinda short and yellow .
Look at Davids aka John Millers fantastic abstract artwork and I love the titles he chose for each piece ... blunt and to the point which is how he is . LINK >>>>> http://www.johnmillergallery.com/indexcontent.html
The images below were sent to me today from Marsha Hawkins former owner of (Stacks o' Tracks Records).Thanks Marsha !!! Great funnyface fotos ! Now thats a Bitterbeerface!
click on Thumbnails to see Full Photos .
There are many things that can be said about David Hill. I’m sure stories are circulating right now of how he has influenced the life of another. Time has probably helped to embellish upon the realities. There is no doubt he was one of the most gifted musicians that ever set his boots in Texas. Except David’s shoes were punk “creepers”. Buddy Magazine voted him one of the top twenty guitarists in the early eighties with good reason.
He was like a cross between Hendrix, Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top, Freddie King, Clapton, Harrison and the Clash. They were certainly all influences where he drew some of his swizzles, licks, and bravado from his guitar blazing days. As the lead guitarist for N.C.M, which included bass player and vocalist Neal Caldwell, and drummer Randy Caldwell the trio tore up Dallas in the late 70’s and early 80’s. They were featured in all the clubs of that era, most notably as nearly the “house band” at The Hot Klub owned by Mark Lee and Danny Eaton. They opened for major touring acts of the punk rock era as well as packing the house on their own.
I met all three musicians when I worked for The Melody Shop in the Inwood Shopping Center that was a Dallas staple in the music industry for over 40 years in the early seventies. David was always recording songs he liked and putting them on cassettes for me with hand drawn cover art to share his musical faves with me.
This was before Neal opened VVV Records on Cedar Springs, and before Stacks O’ Tracks was born in 1979. There is recent unearthed video footage of David playing guitar with The Fast Food Czars circulating on YouTube, and of the Stacks O’ Tracks “Street Dances” which was a collaboration of all the local groups that played at that time. I took many photos in that era that are turning up on websites and in magazine articles.
As crude as all the recordings and photography of the time were it still captures a glimpse of the genius of David’s guitar playing and now his legacy. His talent stood out as did his humble persona. He spent every minute honing his craft when not playing live. He was the quintessential guitarist that bled out of the sixties via channeling Hendrix, and landed full frontal with the Clash to capture the most unique riffs.
David’s talent as an artist would become more prevalent in the decades to come under his persona of “John Miller”. His paintings are as complex and detailed and controlled as his guitar playing was. Every stroke had meaning, multi-layered, and disguised with hidden innuendo alluding to some part of his twisted humor and perfectionism.
This year was a blur of events that had a profound effect on my perspective. There have been other moments in life when tides changed, when sands shifted, and everything that I thought was real had suddenly been challenged. I imagine that this is what David Hill thought as he battled things he could not win.
By all accounts, every one of those events in previous years before shaped who I am at this moment in time and have changed the attitude I have toward the future. I think David knew this too; he brought his friends Dan, Craig, and Bob closest to him in the end.
Each time my limits have been tested, I came through it stronger. Each time I was drowning in my own sorrow I was rescued by the kindness of another. When I felt the hands of despair press down upon my shoulders I was able to stand on the legs of hope. Every tear I shed purged my disappointment about how cruel life could be. I fell into the arms of love and this is what comforted me. David gave in to his need for vanity toward the end and finally let all his friends come to his side in his final moments. He wanted to preserve his image, and remain secretive as he was riddled with disease but part of him craved the attention he sought while on stage and he received up to the very end as his friends from past years became aware of his plight.
Love is everywhere, only most people are so focused on their own troubles that they can not feel or see it. Look at the stars twinkling above you in a darkened sky and imagine them to be kind words of encouragement looking down upon you. All you have to do is swipe one out of the sky and pull it close to your heart and put it inside to feel the warmth. There is now a new star, his name is David Lee Hill.
The birds that circle in flight overhead are on a course of their own. With arms outstretched they catch the waves of wind that carry them from place to place. The birds glide with confidence that that wind will be there when they decide to take off in flight; they trust that what they will need to lift their wings will be there. Look upward and when you see a bird imagine that you can capture their confidence in your hand and trust that whatever is needed to lift your wings will be there. David now flies with his wings spread.
As big as our circles get in life they always overlap onto other circles we have known before. This was the week I lost a significant friend in my life to whom I have loved and I owe much. I know that there is nothing left to do but accept that David has passed on to another adventure. I still hold him in my heart as if he were still kicking out the jams. As his friend and caretaker Bob Alexander said announcing David’s passing, “…David peacefully slipped away in the moonlight with a look on his face like he saw something beautiful on the other side. It was as if wherever he was he was listening at the front door of a club where he could hear Ronny Lane playing inside and see Jimi Hendrix standing at the front door handing out “Coodercaster” guitars to jam with the band, all the while George Harrison stamped hands signifying that everyone was able to utilize the open bar.” The true beauty of memories is that you can replay them one by one savoring every moment. For every friend I have lost I have found solace in another, and with their hands clasped together I have been carried to a firmer ground where I have begun anew. Many of David’s friends from many era’s came together at the end, swapping stories of celebration of David’s life with one another.
The answer lies in gratitude. As the end of a friend’s life draws to a close I am refreshed by the breath of the sun upon my skin. I have one more day here on earth, another moment to rejoice and appreciate. Our lives touched each other and with it so much to learn. The lessons learned in hardships are the most indelible. David left a footprint on so many souls for ever more for us to reflect upon and to use as a guide in a new direction. It is not how much time we spend it is how we spend that time that matters. Life matters, it all counts toward what we can look back upon and say we have achieved with it. It is a gift to mold and cherish into our own desires. David created with his heart, his art and his gifts throughout life.
What will 2009 bring without David Hill? It will bring what we dream about, what we think about, what we act upon. If we give with all our hearts we will get it back 100 fold. Every kindness we give will become one we receive. What he created in his art and his guitar work will be a lasting gift to those who can admire it.
Thanks,
Marsha Hawkins
Posted On: Wednesday, Jan. 14 2009 @ 7:38PM
