From Great Lakes I had orders to attend Radio School in Bainbridge , Md.
After several months of studies I graduated from school on the 14th. day of
May 1965. I flew directly to Iceland, my first duty station.


United States Navy March 16th. 1966
NAVCOMSTA ICELAND

I spent one year in Keflavik, Iceland. While I was there I studied to become a
3 rd. Class Petty Officer and passed my test. During that one year I worked in
communications both in the hangar and at the receiver site. I was able to go home
on leave at Christmas time for two weeks. I purchased a good Fender guitar and
small amplifier to improve my guitar playing in hopes of starting a band. This is
when we started:

"THA TREE'Z"

Mike Peck - Benny Jordan - Robby Robinson - Mike Wooten
Ron Geschwind - Wes Schobberland. ( Manager Hicks RM-1 )

In 1965 we were the only tree's ( sort of a pun ) for a 5 mile radius.
We played in Officer's club's, High School Dance's
and on one Armed Forces TV network show.

---

After spending one year in Iceland I was
sent directly to a small Transmit/Receiver Site
in Thurso Scotland, right on the North Atlantic Ocean.



NAVRADSTA THURSO, SCOTLAND

I spent 15 months in Scotland working at the Receiver Site, On the Transmitter
Deck and in the Control Room. That's where everything seemed to come together.

---

Whenever we were not working, I would go into town and walk around. I use to
visit a local Music Shop on a regular basis and finally introduced myself and got
to know the lady who worked there Mrs. Susan Aitchison. We became friends
and she allowed me to put up a flyer in the store,advertising to start a local band.

I met a guy named Mike Sutherland who said he was also looking to start a band.
So we embarked on a new adventure. Mike and I found some more guys to join
the group. At first we had a lead singer called Spike Mulligan who was only with
us for a short time because he was moving out of the area. He was a great vocalist.
We then found a bass player named( Fred Wilson ) who use to play with a group
"EILEEN & THE TALISMEN " to take over for Spike as lead singer. Some of the
members of their band use to play with Lulu, they were "Lulu and The Lovers". Of
course Lulu left for the states with her singing career and went on to do the movie
TO SIR WITH LOVE.

After we recruited Fred we needed a drummer, rythm player and a bass player.
Mike had a few more friends up his sleeve to check with. Graham Walker was
our first and only drummer. He was great! Out side of school his only ambition
was to become a great drummer and work in that area for the rest of his life.
( Which he did by the way). He played with many well know British names and
bands later on such as: Gale Force 8, The Thought Criminals, Spiggy Topes,
Gollum the underdog, and Jonny Sutherland. Later on Graham also played
with The Gary Moore Band and George Harrison from the Beatles.

Next we needed a rhythm guitar player. We found a guy named Roger Niven and
he did a great job as a rhythm guitar player and as a back up vocalist. He Stayed
with the group for as long as I was there. In fact I sold him just about all of my guitar
equipment before I left to come back to the States. I understand that today Roger is
a council accountant and he also has a group called "RANT". They have a new
British Techno-Celt sound that's a hit with Scottish clubs and radio stations. He
has two major record companies that are fighting to launch them worldwide.

Finally we needed a bass player, we found Alistair McCleod. He worked at
Dunnray and built his own bass amplifier. He didn't talk much but was content
to just play with the group. He was very good! He was always willing to help
out where ever he could. His home brew bass amp. had some very unique
sounds. Sometimes he would have to kick the side of his amp. to make it work.

Well, then there was me, I was the rhythm guitar player and back up vocalist.
Mike left to join a rival band shortly after spike moved and that's when we found
Roger. By the way Mike and I remained friends even though he defected. So when
Mike who played lead left, I then took over lead and Roger came with us to play rythm. However sometimes we would switch back and forth depending on the songs we played. I introduced some of the material we played but most of what we did focused around:

Kinks	Stones	Sam&Dave
Blues	Hendrix	Ventures

Click below to Look At These...



Graham came up with the name for the group. He said he was watching
a late night special on how they grow opium in the Far East. So he wanted
to use "THE OPIUM TRAIL". I didn't care much for that name, all I wanted
to do was play music, and these guys were pretty good. I guess I shoudn't
complain about the name because we did get to Record for BBC and be a part
of a film documentary representing the beat groups in northern Scotland.

You would think that must've been the height of our career, but not really. At
one point the "CREAM" was going to be playing in Inverness and we were asked
to open for them. I'm not sure now why we didn't, but at least we were able to see
the concert and hangout with them at their hotel afterward. Actually I enjoyed talking
with all 3 of them. They were going to be leaving for the U.S. in a few months and I
was due to go home shortly. They told me when and where they would be in Detroit
so I could come and see them - but for some reason that never materialized. Anyway,
I can at least say I met them and at that time in my life, it ment a lot to me.

When I first returned back to the States I took out a loan and bought some real nice
guitar equipment. Actually I thought I might continue on with my music career, Playing
in bands and making good money. But it just wasn't the same feel here as it was in
Scotland and Iceland. I tried playing with a few groups but it just didn't feel right. So I
decided to let music be a favorite past time and look for a career in some other area.
When I returned from overseas I signed up for 3 years of inactive duty with the U.S. Navy
to complete my 6 year hitch. At first I worked with my father driving a bus for one year.
Then I thought about working in communications for a few companies but that would
mean relocating. Somehow I ended up in retail sales for the next 20 years. During that
time I met some friends at Bethesda Church in Detroit MI. at that point I started to get
involved in some creative music again. Below are some groups I played and sang with:



Click On Any Group For Music

The Tree'z	O.P.Trail	The Remnant
New Covenant	New Jerusalem	Bethesda Choir

May Take Several Minutes to Load...



If you clicked any of the songs above you would have heard
a few sample ideas in wave file format of what we sounded like.
The Tree'z and the O.P. Trail were a good experience for me to
help give me confidence in getting up in front of large groups to
play and sing. I know by the time I got involved with "The
Remnant", "The New Covenant" and "The New Jerusalem" groups I
felt I was actually contributing something very positive to the
christian music world. The lead singer of both The New Covenant
and The New Jerusalem group was Edward Stingley. We sang and
played together from 1974 to 1984. He was the best I've ever
played for and sung with. His story is incredible! He got his
start years ago singing on the street corner with some friends of
his, one of which was Smokey Robinson. Edward told me that they
were trying to get a group going and that people would not always
show up for practice like they should so he got discouraged and
joined the service, six months later Smokey released his first
hit. Edward likes to say it this way " I was always a day late
and a dollar short". I know what he was saying, but I think
after playing with him at church for more than 10 years I can
honestly say I believe God had a plan for his life and part of it
was to be used through this kind of music. I want to thank
Edward Stingley, Joe Lantz, David Butzu, Bill Defibaugh,
my cousin Debbie Quire, Diane Diedrich, Aldo Angeloni,
Karen Lambert, Brian Mack, Dale Bettney and my wife Carol
for the contributions they made during the 10 year span
that our group played together. My wife and I have been singing
in the Choir at Bethesda now for 30 years and I feel it's not
just a choir to sing in but a ministry unto God and his people.
Music has been a very big part of my life, it's taken me places I
never would have gone. Had it not been for music, and my Mother
encouraging me to study music way back in the 8th grade and my
Aunt (Frieda Campbell) inviting me to visit Bethesda, I'm not
sure where I'd be today. May I leave you with this thought:

"MUSIC IS AN INTERPETATION OF TEMPERMENT,
IT LIVES ONLY DURING IT'S PERFORMANCE"

I use to perform for hours on end late at night in rock groups but
The next day nothing changed and everything seemed to be the same.
But when I began to use my talent for God and the church, I could
see peoples lives being changed and when they woke up the
next morning they had something real that would last for eternity!
Music is a good source of entertainment and I enjoy it. It can
pick you up when your sad or comfort you when your down. It can
also calm the beast within us. However, I think the most
important thing it can do when combined with christian love and
the spirit of God is "Minister Life to people who are hurting
from day to day and give them hope to continue on in life"
Only God can change peoples lives and music is one key
element that can prepare a persons heart to be changed.

Other's I would like to thank for being a source
of encouragment and inspiration to me are:

My Pastors James & Harry Beall, My Father Art Geschwind,
My Father-in-law Rev. Herb Moos, My Aunt Rev. Thelma Strait,
My Friends Doug Kaherl, Bob Hodgson, Lou Warren,
Paul Jackonen, Keith Collins and Rev. Dan Mastro.

I Salute You - Thank you for a good life! - May God Bless You.

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