Tower of Power

What Fans Are Saying About TOP at Jazz Alley…

January 31, 2010

From "Space Needle", a TOP Message Board Member:

NEWS FLASH!!! Dateline, Seattle WA, 1/29/10...................

10:00 P.M., Seattle: Traffic in downtown Seattle ground to a complete halt shortly after 10:00 on Friday evening as thousands of gallons of steaming hot East Bay Grease rolled through the city streets. Officials quickly identified the source of the slick, funky goo as being the Jazz Alley nightclub on 6th Avenue. Upon ascertaining that escape was impossible, crowds flocked on foot to the club, only to find the show was completely sold out. Following is a summary of the rare treat experienced by the fortunate patrons wise enough to secure advance reservations:

* Second show setlist was: Soul Vaccination Intro, Stoke Medley, Only So Much Oil, Stike My Main Nerve, Just Enough and Too Much, Loveland, You're the Most, Time Will Tell, Funkafize, Souled Out, SVHTG, Knock Yourself Out, This Time It's Real (encore tune). Great mix of tunes! Highly cool that the band came out, didn't mess around with talking to the crowd and blasted immediately into the wall of sound that is Soul Vaccination.
* Great to see Mic in the saddle again. He had all the parts down perfectly and was having a great time. He took a few solos, including a nice trombone solo on Strike My Main Nerve, and sounded great. Our group all noted how perfectly the trombone blended with the horn harmonies--pretty amazing how five horns can sound like a solid block of harmonic sound, yet it is possible to pick out each instrument if you listen carefully.
* Very impressed with Jerry Cortez. Dude has the chops (instrumental and vocal) and played some very, very tasty rhythm licks. Also had a couple strong solos. After less than a month with the band, he seems to be fitting into the guitar slot like a key in a lock.
* Little known fact: Roger was born with a third arm and hand. This has to be true. There is no other explanation for how he can play the Hammond like that.
* I have never heard Garibaldi's drums sound so good. Must have been the way the mics were set up on his kit. Very clear, stacatto sound. His snare sounded like a percussion grenade going off each time he hit it (and he hit it a lot!).
* I'm not sure who's running the board for TOP these days, but he deserves a pat on the back. Sound was absolutely perfect. Nice and loud but not muddy/boomy. After all, TOP music is something that can only be truly experienced by hearing it with the ears and feeling it in the gut.
* Looked like Rocco has some new bass amp equipment. He had two cabinets on the bottom which looked like they each housed 15" woofers, and a cabinet on top that holds four 10" mid range speakers. The whole rig was quite a bit taller than him! Sounded great.
* Braggs was Braggs. Great showman, great voice. Hit all the high notes dead on. By the grins on the ladies faces sitting near me, I think they liked him......
* I had the pleasure of visiting with Jan, who flew up from Atlanta to catch the shows. Great guy, and said he absolutely loved the shows and the venue (and he like the Seattle microbrews even more!!)
* Seattle TOP fanatics Tim, Katie, Kevin, Cheri, Nina and Sonny were all there for the second show. They were insane, as usual.....
* My wife and I are heading back down to see both shows tonight (Saturday), presuming we can navigate through the greasy streets!
Later,
Dave

(p.s.: I didn't go to the early Friday show, but nabbed a set list. It was: We Came To Play, Soul w/ S, Can't You See, Serious Side, How Could This Happen 2 Me, Groove, Mrs. Jones, JB Medley, What is Hip, YSAM. Very cool that the band didn't duplicate any of the first set tunes in the second set)

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From "Johnny R", A TOP Message Board Member:
Early Thursday Show

I've been going to TOP shows since 1976 and I've got to say that Thursday's early show was one of the tightest Tower of Power shows I've heard in a long, long time. The horns were absolutely smoking. I can't think of a better sax soloist than Tommy P...absolutely powerful. As Space Needle said, the mix was great especially the drums....wow! It was a nice line-up of songs....the same as Space Needle reported with the Friday early show. Is there a better song for Larry Braggs than Me and Mrs. Jones....I don't think so! What a fantastic night. The crowd was large and very appreciative. We sat behind Roger and were absolutely amazed at his work! Had a chance to thank him after the show....what a great guy! Jerry Cortez played great and did a fantastic job with backup vocals. We were a little far from Mic and Adolpho...couldn't see them well, but could hear! Jazz Alley is a super place to see and hear TOP...an excellent night! JohnnyR.

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From "BusMaster007", a TOP Message Board Member:
Outstanding...!!!

Sometimes it seems like one particular show is just a little more special than other ones, for whatever reason the listener finds it that way.
Tonight was one of those nights for me.
Second show, Saturday Night.

I was accompanied by my beautiful wife and two daughters.
Before the show, Soulvaccinated stopped over to say 'hello' to us. That was a nice and thoughtful surprise. Thanks for doing that! It was nice to meet you.

During the show, I was just amazed at how the presence of Mic Gillette transformed my perception of the performance.
It was like a trip back in time, hearing and watching him play.
"I remember when...", was what I was thinking.
He gave an onstage compliment to Adolfo after a solo that showed the class that Mic always has had, and it was a great moment to witness that.

There were some moments that the band seemed ultra tight. It's so cool when that happens! Nobody does it like Tower of Power. They simply cannot be copied when it comes to 'tight'.
Everyone seemed to be on the money all night long. I loved it.
All my girls were diggin' it.

Thanks again, Tower of Power, for being such a great experience to watch, listen to and be a part of for all these years!

Read more and post your comments at: Official Tower of Power Message Board

European Interview with Emilio, Doc, and Dave

January 10, 2010

Please click below to read an interview from http://www.Smoothjazz.eu



http://www.smoothjazz.eu/20091120top.html

Tower of Power's artist profile on the SmoothJazz.eu website:

http://www.smoothjazz.eu/index2.php?artist=104

Check It Out!

Meet One Of TOP’s Youngest Fans

December 22, 2009

Meet Perry Bartell from Minnesota. Perry's favorite band is Tower of Power.
This 5 year old Bumpster is currently hard at work designing an album cover for Tower of Power:

Mark Harper will be leaving Tower of Power

December 05, 2009

Tower of Power guitarist Mark Harper will be leaving TOP at the end of this year after a little over two years with the band. He will be appearing with TOP through the month of December. Mark will pursuing other musical opportunities and has a brand new smooth jazz solo CD that will be available soon.

From Mark Harper: "When I joined Tower of Power I joined a group of special musicians. Now I join another group of special musicians... Tower of Power Alumni. Cheers and best wishes to all."

Dave Garibaldi > The complete Drumhead Magazine article

November 04, 2009

Here is a nice present to all fans of Tower of Power and Dave Garibaldi.

Today is DG's Birthday, so enjoy the following article, courtesy of our friends at Drumhead Magazine

Click here to read a fantastic article:
Dave in Drumhead Magazine

Rocco Prestia To Receive Lifetime Achievement Award

October 19, 2009

TOWER OF POWER'S ROCCO PRESTIA TO RECEIVE LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD THIS SATURDAY

TOP ARTISTS ON ONE STAGE UNDER ONE ROOF!

Peformances by:
Rocco Prestia (backed by Tower Of Power bandmates Dave Garibaldi, Larrry Braggs, Mark Harper and Roger Smith)

Vato Negro (Juan Alderete with Thomas Pridgen and
Omar Rodriguez-Lopez of The Mars Volta)
Charlie Haden (in duo with pianist Alan Broadbent) and many more!


The show will end with the annual All Star Jam, led by Steve Bailey. Expect a night full of surprises and special guests!

Saturday, October 24, 7pm....
Key Club
9039 West Sunset Boulevard
Hollywood, CA

Tickets can be purchased online: http://tickets.frontgatetickets.com/search.php.

More information about the event can be found at http://www.bassplayerlive.com.



Join the team of Bass Player LIVE! at an exclusive private concert at the popular Key Club in the heart of Hollywood. Witness the presentation of Bass Player magazine's Lifetime Achievement Awards to funk legend Rocco Prestia and jazz legend Charlie Haden.

Listen to Doc tonight at 9:00 PM EDT interviewed By Patti Malloy of Positive Listening Radio

October 12, 2009

Stephen 'Doc' Kupka was interviewed this week by Patty Molloy of Positive Listening Radio (positivelistening.com). Tune in and hear Doc talk with Patty about what's going on with Strokeland Records and Tower of Power. Positive Listening Radio emphasizes the positive aspects of life with a goal of "inspiring good feelings, smiles and maybe even a little laughter". Sounds like just what the Doctor ordered.

Click below to get to Doc's Strokeland website, and click the link to listen.
http://www.strokeland.com/

TOP’s Extensive Horn Section Discography is now complete including some final updates

September 28, 2009

Longtime Tower of Power fan Jack Silva has put the finishing touches on the complete Tower of Power horn section discography. Every recording that the TOP horns played on is listed, complete with artist information, album title, and track listings.

It is amazing to read this list and see how many recordings the Tower of Power sound has influenced over the years.

Here is a quick link to the listing: http://www.towerofpower.com/discography/hornsection/

Thank you Jack!

New Interview With Emilio Castillo

September 21, 2009

San Francisco, CA- San Francisco, CA- Tower of Power founder Emilio Castillo appeared on Pedro Fernandez' radio show Sunday night and the pair talked boxing, Tower of Power now and then, and the death of Mary Travers, of Peter, Paul, & Mary, and much more. Listen by clicking on the link below:

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Emilio Castillo Interview from 9/20

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Pedro Fernandez
XTRA Sports 860
San Francisco, CA
www.ringtalk.com

Attention Carmen Grillo Fans>>>

September 08, 2009

Former TOP guitarist Carmen Grillo will be sitting in with Tower of Power this Friday night at the South Point Casino in Las Vegas.

So Funk The Dumb Stuff, and get on down to the South Point!

Mark Harper Has A New Website

August 25, 2009

MARK HARPER
Photo by Mike Droke

Tower of Power guitarist Mark Harper has a brand new website:

http://www.markharpermusic.com

Check it out today!

Two New Interviews with Emilio Castillo and David Garibaldi

August 18, 2009

Recently, Pedro Fernandez interviewed TOP members Emilio Castillo, and David Garibaldi in two separate interviews. Pedro "Pete" Fernandez is the host of "Ringtalk" which is a radio show devoted to boxing. You can check Pete's weekly show out at www.ringtalk.com.

Pete is a huge Tower of Power fan, and has been since the beginning.

Here are links to the interviews:
http://www.sheffieldgarage.com/dg-08-09.mp3



http://www.sheffieldgarage.com/ec-08-09.mp3


These links will allow you to listen to or save the interview as an mp3.

Our thanks to Pedro "Pete" Fernandez for his support of TOP!

New Interview With Doc Kupka

August 05, 2009

Our own Stephen "Doc" Kupka rarely speaks while onstage with Tower of Power. In a recent in-depth interview, Doc talks about what's happening with Tower of Power and covers many other topics such as new TOP material, Strokeland records, and some projects he has been working on with some former TOP members. Our thanks to Barry Jackson and KKFI (90.1 FM) in Kansas City, Missouri for the interview recording.

Brought to you courtesy of Strokeland Records, this interview will be of interest to any TOP fan.

Click here to get to Strokeland and listen: Interview With Doc Kupka

Photo courtesy Dennis Jeong

From Mike Bogart:  A Letter to Fans and Friends of Tower of Power

July 25, 2009

Dear Fans and Friends of Tower Of Power,

As my time with the band draws to a close I just wanted to say a few words to the greatest fans on the planet.
Thank you for being a part of my life for the last 9 years and for helping keep this wonderful music alive and growing for over 40 years!

A special thanks to "Philly" Brian for all the help putting the word out and collecting donations when my family lost our home to the San Diego wildfires 2 years ago, and to everyone who donated or simply kept us in your thoughts, God Bless you and thank you.

I'm honored to be handing the torch back to Mic Gillette. Mic has been an inspiration to me and a generation of trumpet players. You are all in for a treat!
Thank you to Doc and Emilio for taking a chance on me 9 years ago, and to all the current members of T.O.P.
Thank you and I will truly miss sharing the stage with you. (but not the bus!)

My wife Sherry and I are excited to be starting a new chapter in our lives. I'm proud to announce that following my final performance with T.O.P. on August 21st at Humphries in San Diego I will be re-entering into active duty service with the United States Navy. As many of you know I have 10 years prior service and the time has come to complete my Naval career. This fall I will be reporting to the prestigious United States Naval Academy Band in Annapolis, MD under the direction of LTCDR Brian Walden and joining the horn section of the Navy's premier contemporary entertainment ensemble "Electric Brigade". All Navy Band public performances are FREE, so please come out and support Navy Music (and wear your T.O.P. shirts so I can say Hi!) GO NAVY - BEAT ARMY!

Our schedule may be found at: http://www.usna.edu/USNABand


Thank you all once again for 9 fantastic years!

Sincerely,

"Iron" Mike Bogart

NEW VIDEO>>> TOP @ The West Oak Lane Jazz Festival

June 26, 2009

On June 20th, Tower Of Power appeared at the West Oak Lane Jazz Festival.

Here are a few videos from that show:

Stage Set-up, Sound Check, and Introduction:

"We Came to Play" and "Soul With A Capitol S"

Tower of Power Gives A Real Fan A Truly Memorable Experience

June 22, 2009

The Dean's List - Mike Paz And Tower Of Power
by Dean

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The Dean's List - Tower of Power In Concert

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-From Ella Dean of the Dean's list (http://www.wdkx.com/)

Usually, I review concerts, interview artists and share it with all of you. I am going to do a little something different this time.

Unless you have been living under a rock for the last 40 years, you already know the type of performance Tower of Power is known for. They didn't disappoint any of the 10K plus crowd on hand for Friday night's concert. For those of you who hadn't seen the band in awhile, you were treated to the lead vocals of Larry Braggs who has been with them at least the last 8 or 9 years. My personal favorite, he gives original lead singer Lenny Williams a run for his money. The show was phenomenal!! But for me and a few others, that wasn't the best part of the evening.

As most of you know, former WDKX morning show host Mike Paz had a stroke in March. It was very serious and was touch and go for a minute. Paz is now residing in a rehab facility and has made great progress. I went to see him last week and one of the first things we talked about was the upcoming Tower of Power concert. You see, Paz is a major fan of the group and hated the fact that he would not be able to attend the show. I told him to talk to the staff at the center and see if they would release him for one evening. I told him if they approved it, I would see to it that he made it to the show. They said yes!!!! So, with the help of WDKX's Andre Marcel, the transport plan was put in place and all systems were go.

By mid-week, I started to think how I could make the night special for Paz. I logged onto http://www.towerofpower.com/ and sent an email to the group telling them about Paz. Almost immediately, I received a response back from the tour manager, Jack. He told me that the group would do everything they could to make Paz's night a special one. If that wasn't an understatement, I don't know what is!

Upon our arrival, there were already thousands of people on East Avenue. We didn't know how we would wheel Paz close to the stage, but thanks to Andre and his detour around Midtown Plaza - we made it! There was a security guard posted at the side of the stage. I asked him for Jack. He said that Jack wasn't there, but he was expecting me. Tower of Power had a section right next to the stage reserved for us (also with us were Paz's sister and brother-in-law from PA, two of his great nieces, his friend Shelly and his social worker Sharon).

Once we entered the section, Jack arrived and introduced himself to me. He offered me his hand, but a hug was definitely in order for this occasion. He asked me to wheel Paz backstage because the band wanted to meet him. Paz was real quiet at first - I don't think he could believe what was happening. The band talked with Paz, gave him a copy of their new CD, a tee shirt, a hat and a signed glossy. They chatted with all of us and posed for pictures. And if that's not enough, during their encore performance, they dedicated "Your Still A Young Man" to Paz!

Words cannot describe how magical this evening was for Paz - all of us for that matter!

The appreciation we all have for the gracious and personal treatment received from Tower of Power cannot be put into words. They didn't know us - they had no idea we were affiliated with a radio station - the only thing they knew was that a major fan of theirs could use a pick-me-up and came through in a BIG way! Jack told me on the phone that it was their pleasure to help - "we are nothing without our fans".

Thank you Tower of Power!!!!!!! You have no idea how special this night was for Paz and the rest of us. It was a night none of us will ever forget.

We thank you from our "Souls, With a Capital S"

Tower of Power and Mike Paz has made The Dean's List.

You can reach The Dean's List at:

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To read this article from the original website, please click here: TOP on "The Dean's List"

David Garibaldi’s Latest Instructional DVD, “Breaking The Code”

June 17, 2009

David Garibaldi has released a followup to his previous instructional release, "The Code Of Funk".



David's latest, "Breaking The Code" is available through Hudson Music.

Click here for details and ordering information: "Breaking The Code"
Be sure to watch the interview and promotional videos

Description from Hudson Music's website:
Expanding on the information in his award-winning Code Of Funk book/audio package, and drawing from his experience with the legendary Tower Of Power, world-renowned drummer David Garibaldi’s new Lessons: Breaking The Code DVD provides some of the most insightful instructional content ever available on the subject of funk drumming.


The comfortable sound and feel of the funk style have become the rhythmic foundation of modern rock, pop, R&B and hip-hop music, and in Breaking The Code Garibaldi offers an overview of the general concepts and techniques used to create funk drumming’s characteristic sounds and infectious grooves while showcasing his own contributions to the style.

Sounds like a must-have for anyone interested in David's drumming style and techniques.

TOP to be honored at the MINT in San Francisco

June 04, 2009

Tower of Power to be honored at the Mint in San Francisco




From the Mint's Website:



Tower of Power

In the mid-1960s, 17-year-old tenor saxophonist Emilio Castillo moved from Detroit, Michigan, to Fremont, California, starting the band, The Gotham City Crime Fighters. which evolved into The Motowns, including bassist Francis 'Rocco' Prestia, specializing in soul music covers. During 1968, Castillo teamed up with baritone saxophonist Stephen Kupka (later to be dubbed 'The Funky Doctor') and trumpet/trombone player Mic Gillette, moved to Oakland, and together began writing and performing original material. One of their early influences was Soul artist James Brown. They changed the band's name to Tower of Power and began playing frequently in the Bay Area.

In 1970, Tower of Power (by then including trumpeter/arranger Greg Adams, and drummer David Garibaldi) signed a recording contract with Bill Graham's San Francisco Records and quickly released its first album, East Bay Grease. Next, augmented by percussionist/conga/bongo player Brent Byars, they moved to Warner Bros. Records and 1972's Bump City and 1973's self-titled release, Tower of Power, were breakout albums for the band.

Well known in the 70's for tunes such as "What is Hip?" and "You're Still a Young Man," Tower of Power toured with Sly Stone and Creedence Clearwater Revival, creating traffic jams when they started to headline their own shows. They performed on records with the likes of Elton John, Smokey Robinson, Rod Stewart and Dionne Warwick, and influenced a generation of musicians (including Sting, who has told Emilio Castillo, founder of the group, that he once had a "Tower of Power clone band" before he formed The Police).

Now, with almost 40 years of recording and touring experience behind them, Tower of Power melds jazz, funk, rock and soul in a way no group ever has. The ten-piece outfit is, as a recent Hollywood Reporter review called them, "tighter than a clenched fist." Tower of Power is experiencing a renaissance, touring most of every year and packing venues in the United States, Japan and all over Europe with its audience of new and old fans. Things just keep getting better and better.

The complete list of Honorees:

Booker T • Boz Scaggs • Carlos Santana • The Grateful Dead
Huey Lewis and The News • Jefferson Starship • Tower of Power

Booker T and Starship will be performing.

Please check out all of the details on the Mint's website:
http://www.sfstandingovations.com/index.php

New “Great American Soulbook” T Shirt Now Available

May 27, 2009

New from the Tower of Power Online Store, the "Great American Soulbook" T shirt.



Click here to visit the TOP Store: TOP STORE

Emilio Castillo recently interviewed…

May 07, 2009

The Emilio Castillo Interview

By Ralph Greco, Jr.

Vintagerock.com


You couldn’t talk to a cooler cat than Emilio Castillo, the leader, producer, songwriter and second tenor sax of the legendary Tower of Power. Along with Stephen “Doc” Kupka, Castillo created this unique American soul horn band, penning hits with his partner like “What Is Hip?,” “Only So Much Oil” and many others. Of course, TOP has also gained a reputation for backing everyone from Aerosmith to Huey Lewis. It seems that when anyone thinks about adding a horn section to a song, Tower of Power gets the call. Celebrating their 40th anniversary, the demand for TOP's soulful carnage continues. I had the honor of speaking with Emilio Castillo about the new Tower of Power CD Great American Soulbook, as well the band’s illustrious legacy and their busier-than-ever schedule. The man gave freely of his time and insights.
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Congratulations on the new album and the Number 3 spot on the Billboards chart. Why an album full of covers?

For a contemporary jazz band, we were pretty committed that we didn’t want to do it. Our manager came to us and said, “Since it’s our 40 year anniversary, I think it might be good to do something special. You’ve done all original albums. I think maybe you should give the fans something different.”

So this wasn’t the band’s initial idea?

We don’t chase trends — we set them! “Why would we want to do that?” we thought. It just wasn’t something we were into.

But the idea grew on you?

Well, we figured we’d try it, but if we’re getting bogged down we'd scrap it and get down to making an original record. We started recording it, and it was tough going at first, but about a third of the way into it, I started to put my thing on it, and it started to shape. Then we took a whole new attitude to it.

Can you tell me how you guys went about deciding on these specific songs?

There’s basically two schools of thought when you’re gonna do this kind of thing. What we used to do when we were playing around town as this little soul band — before we were Tower of Power — was go out and play all the songs the other bands weren’t playing. We’d find the obscure tracks by the same artists, the tracks we really dug. So my thinking with this album was, let’s picks songs nobody would pick. But there’s the other school of thought that said, no man, we gotta do the hits.

Well you certainly seemed to have balanced it out here.

For example, something like “You Met Your Match” was always something we wanted to do. It wasn’t even a hit for Stevie Wonder, but still it was one of the most exciting vocal performances I ever heard. And I knew my singer (Larry Braggs) could do it justice. “Loveland” (is another one) I wanted to do. Several of my members always dug that tune.

I see George Duke produced some songs on the CD. Tell me about his involvement.

I’d done four tracks and it kinda felt like we were dragging our heels. At the time, it was getting a bit frustrating because I didn’t do a lot of changing in the rhythm sections from the original recordings, but our versions still sounded good. But you know, we didn’t take any left turns rhythmically. I figured we’d just put our stamp on it with the horns. So I figured, let’s bring in another producer to hit a couple of the tracks. Tell him right up front whatever songs we choose, to go left with them rhythmically. That’s what George did.

And, of course, because it was George Duke, there were no conflicts with having another producer on the session?

Exactly. Lots of producers are really not much more than engineers, but not George. He’s such a great musician and great producer; he knew what we wanted. And he’s a great guy to work with.

You got some heavy vocal guests here. How did you come to work with Tom Jones?

I was frankly amazed we got him. The guy’s an icon, but he’s been a Tower of Power fan for years — we had (even) done a tour with him. It took a long time to get a response out of him though. Doc and I partied with Mark Woodward (Tom Jones’ son and manager) in Hawaii years ago, and all he did was gush over Tower of Power. Our old drummer plays with Tom. I finally got in touch with Mark through all these connections and told him we had been trying to get in touch for months. He apologized and said it had just been really hectic lately, but that Tom would love to do it and work with us. (Jones sings Sam and Dave's “I Thank You” on Great American Soulbook)

And Huey Lewis?

We had gotten Tom Jones, then Joss Stone came in and we arranged for Sam Moore. Huey had a really busy schedule, but I had toured with him in the 80s, so we know him well. He said he only had like a two-week window because he had to go to Montana to be with his kid, so he said, “Send the track to Montana, there’s a studio there I can use.” But in that time, he got sick, real sick, so he said, “Man I don’t know what to do, I’m sicker than I’ve ever been! I know you got to get it out.” But I told him we were in no real hurry. So he did it when he was well and sent it back.

I love what he did with you guys, I’m not sure I’ve ever heard Huey Lewis sound quite like that.

The interesting thing is that the song (Lewis sings the classic Wilson Pickett hit “634-5789”) isn’t even in his key but it did come out great.

I was reading about your recent anniversary show at the Fillmore. Tell us a little about what that was like.

We had whole bunch of former TOP members play with us. We also had Sam Moore sing.

That’s coming out on DVD soon, right?

Yeah, I have to go to L.A. next week, hopefully to finish the mixes.

That must have been really special, celebrating 40 years.

When we went through the three days of rehearsal, that’s when it really hit home. People dropped by the rehearsal — merchandising people, lighting guys, old road managers, wives, kids — all week and wow man, you start to realize. You start to see these people, and realize what a blessing it’s been that we have done this for so long. We’re always in the middle — we got blinders on and this is what we do. You’re always just doing it and don’t think too much about how long we have been doing this and how great it’s been.

How has your approach changed with the changes in the record business? It’s obvious that things are drastically different now then when you guys first started out. So how does Tower of Power weather all these changes?

Well for one, I remembered when you lived and died for a record deal. The 80s were a hard time. We couldn’t even record; there was no financing. But we got a record deal in the 90s. We were one of the few older bands who signed a deal with a major label at that time — a seven album deal with Sony. So we recorded with them, put them out, but began to see we really made no money from the record sales. But we were able to travel the world more; our box office price went up. So business was good for us. We went past the millennium, made a management change and decided at that point to start our own record company. We have a great distribution deal with Ryko so that gets the stuff out there.

Is Great American Soulbook the first release on your new TOP label?

Yes. This and a CD called The East Bay Archives Volume 1. That’s a live recording of two shows we did in Boston in 1973 with the classic lineup.

So, basically you’re more in control nowadays.

Right. We're not at the beck and call of a record company. We pretty much do what we want.

What’s in the immediate future for Tower of Power?

We’re going up to Seattle to play, then we’re doing Korea. This is our second time. Years ago, we played for military bases with Foghat actually, but this time we’re playing a festival in downtown Seoul. Then we go back to Japan. They love us there. We have a fan club over there. They call themselves “The Funk Club” spelled with a “K” (laughs).

Getting through the 80s, having the hits early on, playing behind a whole bunch of people, maintaining such a vibrant live act, seeing such a roster of great players come through — what do you attribute your longevity to? How has Tower of Power survived?

We make the music really selfishly — we make it to please ourselves. That's why we were reticent to do this cover album. We do what pleases us. Even now, we made it to please ourselves. It makes it easy to go doing something that’s pleasing to do.

Additional Links: Vintage Rock Website

Complete TOP Horn Section Discography has been added to the website

April 29, 2009

In addition to touring and recording, Tower of Power's unique and much sought after horn section, has had a very impressive career doing sessions for other artists. Never before has a more complete and exhaustive listing of these performances been made available. We thank Mr. Jack Silva for compiling this list and making it available to share with Tower of Power fans all over the world.

Please check out the CD and album discography page, and click on the link at the bottom, or simply click here to view: Horn Section Discography

Thank you Jack!

Photo Of “Great American Soulbook” engineering team

April 11, 2009

...Just In From Emilio Castillo:

This photo is of Clarke Rigsby on the left, me in the middle, and Ryan
Greene on the right during our mixing sessions at Crush Recording in
Scottsdale.
The photo was taken by Clarke's wife Mary Ann.

Tower of Power’s latest CD now available to order

April 02, 2009

Tower of Power Announces The Release of the "Great American Soulbook"
Featuring Guest Appearances by Joss Stone, Sam Moore, Sir Tom Jones, and Huey Lewis

Funk icons Tower of Power, known for taking left turns musically, have taken a bit of a detour and recorded a collection of classic soul tunes that they have entitled the "Great American Soulbook". Included in their latest release are a dozen Soul Essentials, some utilizing original style arrangements, some with a TOP twist, but all with the distinctive Tower of Power sound.

The CD consists of 9 songs produced by Emilio Castillo, Tower of Power's founder and leader since 1968. Three additional songs were produced by multiple Grammy award recipient, George Duke.

The CD explodes with the first track, "You Met Your Match", a Stevie Wonder song masterfully handled by Tower of Power's dynamic lead vocalist Larry Braggs.

Track 2, Sam and Dave's "I Thank You", features Tom Jones and Larry in a great rendition of a true soul classic that has stood the test of time with the Tower of Power Horns taking the song to a new level.

Further into the CD Joss Stone joins the party offering up two fine vocal collaborations with Larry Braggs. Joss appears on track 4, "It Takes Two", and track 10, "(Heaven Must Have Sent) Your Precious Love". In a quote from Emilio Castillo about Joss Stone he says, "You are an amazing soul singer in a most unusual package. Quite frankly, I was stunned by your performance" We think you will be too.

Sam Moore, who recently appeared at the Fillmore Auditorium with Tower of Power at their 40th Anniversary show, shines on track 7, "Mr. Pitiful". He brought down the house in San Francisco and his version of "Mr. Pitiful" will bring a smile to the face of anyone who enjoys soul music. Huey Lewis has been a close friend and a huge fan of Tower of Power throughout his career. On "634-5789" Huey delivers a rock solid soulful performance in a duet with Larry.

Larry Braggs, familiar to Tower of Power fans worldwide, serves up incredible vocal performances on "Loveland", "Me and Mrs. Jones", "Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel", and "Who Is He And What Is He To You".

To satisfy the funky needs of all Tower of Power fans there is a 4 song James Brown medley that covers, "It's A New Day", "Mother Popcorn", "There It Is", and "I Got The Feelin".

Guests stars? cover tunes? Something new and different for Tower of Power for sure, but rest assured this is a Tower of Power album through and through. The newest chapter in the 40 year story of Tower Of Power, the "Great American Soulbook", now available from TOP Records!

You can find the CD and much more in the Tower of Power Online Store

Here are some other ways to purchase the "Great American Soulbook"

I-Tunes Download
Amazon - Purchase CD
Amazon -Digital Direct




Read an early review by Susan Haller of rockoveramerica.com: http://rockoveramerica.com/?view=Cdreview&id=73

The East Bay Archive: Volume 1 - Now Available!

November 24, 2008

New 2 disc album entitled: The East Bay Archive: Volume 1 is now available at our store!

CLick here to purchase the Live in Germany DVD!

Tower Of Power has gone back into the studio to record a new album...Check back for updates!

TOP 40th Anniversary Show

November 05, 2008

“East Bay Archive Volume 1” Now Available!

October 09, 2008

David Garibaldi has put together an interesting 2 disc compilation entitled:

The East Bay Archive Volume 1 K-K-K Katy's Boston, MA 4/23/1973

Available Now: http://towerofpower2006.hostcentric.com/store/

Tower of Power gives Berklee students a “Soul Vaccination” By Marilla Gordinho

December 29, 2007

When David Garibaldi, Tower of Power's legendary drummer, turned into Jake Cohen and said "Why don't you play it like this?" Cohen couldn't believe it. He was face-to-face with his idol, learning from the master himself the music Cohen had loved since he was a boy.

Cohen had set up his drum set hoping Garibaldi would play on it during the exclusive master class Tower of Power did for students at Berklee College of Music last Saturday. And Garibaldi did.

Garibaldi grabbed the brand new drumsticks Cohen handed him and started playing on the Rogers blue-sparkle drums festooned with old-school stickers Cohen has played on since he was a kid.

Cohen is one of the 19 students who are part of this semester's Berklee Tower of Power (TOP) Ensemble, a band devoted to performing the music from Tower of Power. The ensemble is a 19-piece band with six vocalists, eight horns and five rhythm instruments, and its challenge is to perform the songs as close to the original recordings as possible.

Barbara Thomas, Major Gifts Coordinator at Berklee College of Music, knew that the Tower of Power was coming to Boston to play at Scullers Jazz Club several months in advance. She invited them to come to the college for a private rehearsal and luncheon with the students, so they could see the work the Berklee TOP Ensemble has been doing for eight years now.

This was the first time the entire band came to the college to talk to the students and watch them play TOP's songs. "We finally connected with them on a deeper level. They let us in to their circle for the first time and I felt we really committed to each other," Wayne Naus, the ensemble director and a member of Berklee faculty said.

A Tower of Power fan, Naus said the experience made the work he is doing more meaningful. "They showed their appreciation by all being there, having a great time and just hanging out. I think the energy that came from this event will affect everyone who was involved forever," Naus said.

When Ryan Majoris, the ensemble's bassist, lent his Fender Jaguar bass to Francis "Rocco" Prestia, Tower of Power's famous bassist, so "Rocco" could play a few songs with the ensemble, Majoris couldn't stop smiling. "I have to get a picture of Rocco playing on my bass," he said.

Rocco said, "It is great to see their interpretation of our songs. Just the fact that they know who we are is wonderful," he said.

But Majoris was so surprised when Emilio Castillo, founder of Tower of Power in Oakland 40 years ago, whispered to him "I need your phone number," while he was playing, that he almost missed a note.

Castillo seemed impressed by Majoris' skills and couldn't take his eyes off of him during the entire time the Ensemble was playing. "He asked for my phone number and email and told me to come and sit in one of the band's shows tonight at Scullers. What can I say? This was the best day of my life," Majoris said.

Castillo said, "I've seen other bands playing our songs, but this is the only existing class that studies our songs. I admire Wayne for doing this. And the kids seem to love it. It's really flattering."

The nine members of the Tower of Power spent almost three hours with the students in the same room in which the ensemble rehearses every Tuesday night. Many students gathered on the hall, trying to see what was going on thru the small window on the door. They couldn't get in because this class was exclusive for the members of the Ensemble.

To Trevor Kellum, the Ensemble's lead tenor sax player, the opportunity of meeting the members of TOP at the college is "as good as it gets."


Kellum said that Tom Politzer, Tower of Power's lead tenor sax, helped him with the parts and gave him "some good advice about things that I wasn't playing right," he said. Kullum is the only student who got to spend three years as a member of the Berklee TOP Ensemble.

Amanda Corvini, the baritone sax player of the TOP Ensemble, is the only woman at Berklee whose principal instrument is the baritone sax, a large and low-pitched horn that weights 14 pounds. For a college student who weights 95 pounds that is a big accomplishment.

Inspired by Stephen "Doc" Kupka, one of TOP's founders and the baritone sax player for band, Corvini decided to play the "bari" sax when she was only 9 years old, after seeing him perform. At first, Corvini couldn't even carry the instrument. She had to wait until she was 14 years old.

When Corvini first met Kupka last year, she was surprised to know that he already knew who she was. "He had seen some videos of me playing and when we met he said, 'You're the girl with the hat'. I couldn't say a word," she said. "He loves the fact that I wear a hat just like he does."

But to play in front of him was a really different experience for her. "He was the one who made me want to play the horn. I was really nervous," she said.

Kupka, also known as "The Funky Doctor" said, "I'm really honored to see really young people doing my songs. And they are pretty close!"


Mauricio Hersz, the guitar player for the ensemble, said, "It is not easy to play when you have the best musicians sitting there, looking at you."

After the band played, Kupka went to talk to Hersz. "He said that he loved my sound. I was really happy because coming from the Doctor of Funk it is a great compliment," he said.

Tansu Akman-Duffy, a singer at the ensemble, came impeccably dressed to the event with stylish suspenders, blue high heel shoes and a matching blue wool hat. She was officially named the fashion coordinator for the band because she wants to become a fashion stylist for musicians.

Akman-Duffy said she did some research because she "wanted to came prepared for the occasion. I went on You Tube and watched all TOP videos."
When the event was over, the six singers of the ensemble gathered around Larry Braggs, the current singer for the Tower of Power, to have their one-on-one time him as well.

"You should listen more to the original. They've got a lot of cool things out there and it was done like that for a reason. You have to try new melodies. You have to find your own voice, your signature, your sound," Braggs said.

Ceante Winston, also a singer in the Ensemble, said it is great that Berklee offers this kind of opportunity to the students. "This is the stuff you're really paying for," she said.

In high school, Jake Cohen was the kid who walked around wearing a Tower of Power T-shirt when no one else knew anything about the 70s funk horn band. Today, he still wears his Tower of Power T-shirts, but now he is the cool drummer at Berklee who played with David Garibaldi.

A fan of the drummer since he was 12 years old, Cohen met Garibaldi when he was 15, after sending him a 3-page letter asking to meet him in person someday. Garibaldi sent him tickets to a TOP concert in NY and they have been in touch since then. "It is really cool to see how Jake's doing now that he is out on his own," Garibaldi said.

The experience was much more than most of the students were expecting. "They are really down to earth, willing to help and I can imagine what they felt by seeing us doing their songs," Cohen said. "It's was a really great opportunity for all of us in the band to have a good time and play in front of our idols."

“Tower of Power Co-Founder Finds Flattery in Immitators” By Rich Freedman

December 08, 2007

Emilio Castillo doesn't have to venture far to realize his impact on American music. A ball game, an elevator, the radio. A lobby.

That's what happens when "Tower of Power" continues strong after 40 years of fabulous funk.

"I can't tell you how many times in the last 30 years, I'd walk into the hotel after the gig and the band in the bar is playing 'Soul Vaccination' or 'What is Hip?' or 'Soul with a Capital 'S'," said Castillo. "And there are all these bands using our song titles for their band names."

Summons his lawyer? Call the copyright cops? Hardly. Castillo is smart enough to know all these tribute bands merely keep the band's grooves in the public ear.

"It's been flattering," he said.

Of course, only Tower of Power can actually be Tower of Power. Take the time Castillo took his son to an Arizona Diamondbacks ball game near their home in Phoenix.

"We're walking out on the plaza and they had a daytime concert and they're playing 'Soul With a Capital 'S' and my boy's going, 'Dad, isn't that your song?'

"'Yes, son, And they're murdering it,'" smiled Castillo.

"But that's always a thrill," he added. "Go to YouTube and there's a Swedish band doing 'Diggin' on James Brown.' "

In an industry where break-ups occur more frequently than on TV soap operas, the band with the East Bay roots continues motoring.

And, thanks to the influx of Indian casinos, it's far more than chugging along. It's a locomotive even after 40 years since Castillo started the group in his Fremont garage.

"It's totally changed our career," Castillo said. "They've got money to burn and cover logistics, free food, free rooms most of the time. They pick you up, drop you off and they're giving you all this dough. And they don't want you to play long because they want people gambling."

Castillo, Doc Kupka and the rest of the gang put their time in at Cache Creek Casino & Resort on Saturday, playing Club 88 in an 8 p.m. performance.

"The gig is always off the chart," said Castillo, whose worked with Tom Jones at a Cache Creek gig.

Indian casinos have also put Tower in cities they often don't get to despite significant fan bases.

"We love going to Kansas City and St. Louis, but there are no promoters there who pay decent money," Castillo said. "Now, they have this casino right outside St. Louis and all these fans are so happy we're there."

Though "Tower" has never cracked the Billboard Top 10, it has produced seven singles in the Top 30, notably "So Very Hard to Go," "You're Still a Young Man," "Down to the Nightclub," "This Time It's Real" and "What is Hip?"

It's all about longevity, Castillo said, adding that it wasn't so long ago when TOP couldn't get an endorsement deal on any equipment.

"How many years we were just ignored," he said. "Once you get 30 years in the business, it's 'Oh, they're legends.' "

Admittedly, the 58-year-old saxophonist with 20 years of sobriety said it's not as easy physically as it used to be, especially those two-shows-a-night tours.

Take the recent three weeks on the East Coast.

"The shows went good. The turnout was good and we're making money," said Castillo. "But we're getting too old. When the shows were over, Doc looks at me and pumps his hand, imitating his throbbing foot. He says, 'I'm sure glad Advil isn't a mood-altering chemical.'"

Castillo said the music will stop when he can't get on stage any more, though he's seen aging artists performing after nearly being carried to the microphone.

"They get on stage and they're a new person," he said. "When they're on stage, they don't have aches and pains."

Castillo laughed. It may, after all, be out of his hands.

"Doc has always said, 'Entertainers don't retire. The phone just stops ringing.' "

Even if Tower quit, the songs will undoubtedly keep getting played, whether by tribute bands or on the radio.

It is a band that, apparently, has been ahead of its time. Take "Only So Much Oil in the Ground," a 1975 tune written by Castillo lamenting America's crude addiction.

"It's so relevant now," he said. "And it'll be relevant for who knows how long. It never made it into the Top 100, but I could care less. More and more people are using it."

It was 1985 when Castillo got introduced to Sting, who told Castillo he was in a Tower of Power "clone band" before he started The Police and they did "There's Only So Much Oil in The Ground."

"It's a song that's hitting home," Castillo said proudly.

Interview with Emilio Castillo from Tower of Power by Scott Preston

November 02, 2007

No matter who you are, where you live, or your taste in music, Tower of Power will find you. And once that happens, it's all over. You will come to believe not only that soul music is the salvation of us all, but that Tower of Power is one of those rare bands who can claim to be the real deal, 100 proof, aged-to-perfection, ground zero Soul. And the thing is, they're everywhere now.

Cincy Groove: I see that this year is Tower of Power's 40th anniversary, are there any special plans to celebrate the event?

Emilio Castillo: We had the celebration of the actual day we started back on August 13 in San Mateo. A lot of the old members came by and performed and it was also filmed. We are having the official party on October 18 at The Fillmore in San Francisco. We will also be filming for a dvd release.

Cincy Groove: How is the new Tower of Power cd coming along? Any special guests?

Emilio Castillo: We actually just finished mixing, and we are currently mastering. We need to get the liner notes together and the cover. So I think we are probably looking at the first of the year. As far as guests go we had Tom Jones, Sam Moore, Huey Lewis, 2 songs with duets with Joss Stone. They all did a great job, we are really pleased. We did all soul music Tower of Power style. We are going to call the CD "The Great American Soul Book".

Cincy Groove: How did Tower of Power first get together?

Emilio Castillo: We were just a bunch of kids in the neighborhood who got together and wanted to play music and start a band. We really worked at it and were totally driven and consumed by the music. After we learned how to play our tastes ran into soul music and once we found soul music it was like someone put blinders on us. It became out passion. Shortly after that I started hiring horns and before you knew it I had 5 horns. We were an east side soul band called The Motowns. When I met my song writing partner Doc, who is our barotone sax player, he was amazed at what we did with all the songs we were doing. Songs by Sam and Dave, James Brown, Curtis Mayfield, The Temptations. He said why don't we start writing our own songs? The thought had never really occurred to me, so I thought why not lets give it a shot. Shortly after that we wrote our first song and wanted to get into the Fillmore circuit. Where we lived the Fillmore Auditorium was the place to play.
They had just started their own record company, booking agency, they were managing people. So we ended up getting an audition at the Fillmore West. To our complete shock out of all of these bands that were trying to get in who were at the time pretty well established we ended up getting chosen. The producer that Bill Graham had brought in, David Rubenson, he saw the soul and dug it. Bill Graham of course was always a big fan of horns, rhythm, soul, so he dug it and they signed us. We were very fortunate.

Cincy Groove: When did you first pick up the sax?

Emilio Castillo: When I was 14 years old, my brother Jack and I got caught stealing a t-shirt and my dad said you are going go to you room and fill this notebook with reasons why you are never going to steal again and then you are going to think of something that will keep you off the streets, otherwise you are never going to come out of that room again (laughing). It was right about the time the Beatles had come out so we said we wanted to play music. So he said get in the car. He took us to the nearest music store, Alegro Music in Fremont, CA. My dad then told us to pick an instrument anything we want. My brother Jack pointed to the drums and I pointed to the sax and life as we knew it changed from that day forward. We actually started a band that day even though we couldn't play. We did it backwards, started a band then learned how to play.

Cincy Groove: What was the name of the band that you and your brother started?

Emilio Castillo: We first called ourselves The Roadrunners. Then we became The Extension Five. Then we had a brief stint where we all dressed as Batman and The Robins. A manager at a club in San Jose had seen us as The Extension Five and said I have a great idea there is this new TV show out called Batman so we will call you Batman and The Robins. It was about the same time that Paul Revere and The Raiders and The Young Rascals dressed up. My brother was Batman and we made this blue silk dome that went over his drum kit. By this time I was also playing the organ, so we put this light in front it so it looked like a computer. So this manager sent a letter to the tv show telling them I have this great band for you that should be on the show called Batman and The Robins. We immediately got a letter back saying we had no right to use the name. So we then changed the name to The Gotham City Crime Fighters and that lasted about a year. We became famous really fast in the Bay Area playing huge concerts and I wasn't even 16 yet. We were selling the Longshoreman's Hall and doing really well. Then the fad wore off pretty quickly and we really just got tired of the costumes.

Cincy Groove: Was there a band that had an influence on the bands development early on?

Emilio Castillo: We saw a band called The Spiders who were a soul band. They had 3 horns and thats when it all came together. I went out and got a trumpet the next day. Not too long after that my dad came home one day and said I want to take you to see this band, Sly and The Family Stone. We had already started listening to K Soul radio and there was this disc jockey there by the name of Sly Stone. We had never heard of the band, this was before that had made a record. I remember Larry Graham the bass player sang Georgia in this low voice, pretty different than Ray Charles version. Then they did losing you by The Temptations. Then I noticed there was this organ and there was nobody sitting at it. Then this guy walks in right through the dancers on the floor and right up on to the stage. He is dressed in this Sherlock Holmes suit. He had knickers, the cape, the hat, the whole thing. He walked up to the organ and stops the band in the middle of the song and yelled "1, 2, 3!!" and they went right into it. They were a whole different band when he got there. At that point we realized it was Sly Stone. What I wanted to do was to emulate the energy and the entertainment that they brought to the people.

Cincy Groove: How did the band end up picking the name Tower of Power?

Emilio Castillo: I thought if we could be like the Spiders and have that tightness and harmony, then have the energy and high entertainment factor that Sly and The Family Stone had, then we would really have something. The first name for our soul band was the Black Orfeece and that lasted about 2 months. I lived in Detroit until I was eleven so my mom said if you want to be a soul band you should be called The Motowns. As the Motowns we became tight and had that high energy and thats when I met Steven Doc Kupka. He told me your bands pretty good but your horn section is missing some bottom. Then he said "Oh by the way, I play the barotone sax, I have a Selmer with a low A key." I had just heard about this new barotone sax that Selmer came out with that had this key that was a half step lower than all of the other barotones. Before then the lowest note you could go to on the barotone was B flat. I then told him to come over to my house in Freemont next Tuesday for an audition. He shows up and he was also the first hippie we had ever met. We were all these clean, razor cut guys all wearing the same suits. As soon as he started playing everybodys eyes opened up. Because before that we were doing songs like Cold Sweat, Doc just added a whole new dimension to the band. We played a couple songs and my dad came out into the garage. He told me to come into the kitchen, I though I was in trouble. Right away he said "Hire this guy, he has something." I walked back into the garage and said he's hired, rehearsal is over (laughing). Shortly after that we wanted to get into the Fillmore and we knew we couldn't get in there with a name like the Motowns. Also with the look we had at the time, clean cut, suits and that whole deal. So we started growing our hair long and tried to think of a new name. We were doing some recording at a studio in Heyward, CA and in the studio I saw this list that said List of Psychedelic Band Names. It had all these crazy names on it like the 13th Floor Elevator and Strawberry Alarm Clock. Then I saw the name Tower of Power and I thought that describes our band. So I told the rest of the band about it and thats when we became the Tower of Power.

Cincy Groove: Is the band working on any other projects besides the new CD?

Emilio Castillo: We are doing this series of releases called East Bay Archives. All the band members have old tapes, board recordings, rehearsal tapes, that kind of stuff. So we are all going through these recording and finding some pretty good stuff. The reason we did it was because there are people all over the world selling live gigs of ours where we of course are getting paid for. Our manager said "Why don't you guys go through all your old stuff and start releasing it ourselves?" Our drummer went through all his stuff and picked out 6 shows. We ended up picking this show from K-K-K-Katy's, Boston, MA April 1973. It was actually on cassette so we took it to this mastering facility to clean it up. So that release is called "East Bay Archives Vol 1." That's been out for a month now.

“Power Play” by Mike Voger

October 31, 2007

STAFF WRITER • April 6, 2008 http://www.APP.com


How shoplifting incident led to Tower of Power formation

If Emilio Castillo hadn't gotten caught shoplifting, there might not be a Tower of Power.

Saxophonist Castillo — a founder of 10-member, horn-driven, funk 'n' swing collective known as Tower of Power — will explain.

"The story is, I got caught stealing a T-shirt," Castillo tells CELEBS.

"What happened was, me and my brother were on our way to the swimming pool in the summertime. We used to go to this high school and swim every day. One day, we decided we were going to walk through (the department store) Mervyns and steal a 'muscle man' T-shirt. They were very popular at the time. We went in there. We were just horrible criminals. We were caught the first time out.

"The store called my parents. My dad made us go back the next day and apologize to the manager. He (Castillo's father) told us, 'You've got to think of something to keep you off the street. You're going to fill this notebook with the reason why you'll never steal again, or you're never coming out of your room.' "

Meanwhile, a childhood friend named Jodie Lopez, who lived around the corner from Castillo, had just returned from a vacation in Mexico.

"Jodie had bought a guitar," Castillo recalls. "The Beatles had just come out. We told (Castillo's father), 'Dad, we want to play music.' He took us right to the music store. I pointed to the saxophone and my brother pointed to the drums.

"We never looked back. And my life changed from that day on."

For the most part, Tower of Power prefers to headline — as opposed to opening the show -- while on tour.

"Historically, it's been difficult for us to tour with anybody," Castillo says.

"We generally do really good (onstage), and people don't like that if you're an opening act. Nobody likes to get 'blown off.' Plus, we're a big band. If we go on and do our soundcheck, there's tons of mikes and channels being used. I'm sure that affects the headliner. So we haven't had a lot of luck touring with people."

Tower of Power occasionally hears from fans in the military who are overseas in Iraq.

"We're in contact with people, usually through their parents or their family — friends of ours who have kids over there," Castillo says. "We have fans there, too."