Round Two: Rockin’ and rollin’ in Kent, plus a tribute to Paul Murphy

I recently finished reading Chas Madonio’s book “Bars, Bands, and Rock ‘n Roll: The Golden Era in Kent, Ohio,” which was published by Kent Historical Society Press in 2022. Like I said awhile back, I had a stack of books to get through, so I got to Chas’ eyewitness account of the wild Kent bar scene in the 1960s and ’70s a little late.

Then again, it doesn’t matter when you read it. “Bars, Bands, and Rock ‘n Roll” is like traveling back in time, so it’s never too late to take this ride. If you were there — and you might even be mentioned in the book if you were (don’t worry, Chas keeps it as PG-rated as he can, considering the subject matter) — the book surely covers some of the most memorable moments of your life. That is, if you’re able to remember moments that occurred in the 1960s bar scene.

And if you weren’t there — like me, for instance, since I was born in 1968 — Chas’ stories are every bit as captivating because, as you read the book, you realize that you really missed out on something special. Some of it good, some of it not so good, but special either way.

“Bars, Bands, and Rock ‘n Roll” is set amongst the backdrop of one of the most turbulent periods in American history (sound familiar?), chock full of political violence and deep societal divisions (sound familiar?) where college students and others flocking to the bevy of bars in downtown Kent began as a way of getting in on the cultural revolution inspired by The Beatles and morphed into an escape from the daily horrors of the Vietnam War, with almost everyone in those now-iconic bars knowing someone who was fighting, had fought or had been killed in Vietnam.

Alcohol and live music were the elixir that medicated those who packed the Kent bars (and medicated the country, really) during those troubled times. And, of course, hard drugs were plentiful as the nation did what it could to navigate years of upheaval.

And Chas, a longtime mover and shaker in Portage County, was right in the middle of all the excitement back then with his bass guitar. He played in several bands that became house favorites in the Kent bar scene, local heroes whose music gave people something to look forward to during a time when the news was dominated by the bleak reports from Vietnam.

The Kent music scene was a byproduct of The Beatles’ explosion into international stardom in 1964. From there, it didn’t take long for Kent to become one of America’s epicenters of live music, jump-starting the careers of some of the most influential musicians of our time. You know the roster: Joe Walsh/James Gang, Glass Harp, Eric Carmen/the Raspberries, Chrissie Hynde, Joe Vitale, Devo. You diehards out there will know the local bands like the Measles, Monopoly and The Numbers Band.

Then there were the bars themselves, places like the Deck, the Cove, the Fifth Quarter, the Towne House, JBs and the Dome, among so many others. Each establishment had its own aura and unique set of characters.

Chas doesn’t sugarcoat the stories or the time period, telling the tales in a raw, entertaining, what-you-see-is-what-you-get manner. He talks about the fire that destroyed much of the North Water Street Strip, and, of course, he talks about the devastating impact May 4, 1970 had on the Kent music scene, the city itself and the country.

Mostly, though, Chas focuses on the dedicated and talented local musicians who defined that era of Kent’s history, sprinkling nuts-and-bolts information around hilarious anecdotes that had me putting the book down for several minutes at a time while I laughed until I nearly cried. Chas is a master storyteller – he has a natural gift of deadpan delivery no doubt honed from decades of weaving these tales from the moment they happened. I don’t want to give too much away, but keep your eyes peeled for a certain angry Kent State football player, a snowstorm in New England and a monkey (you know a story has to be good if it involves a monkey).

Then there are the vintage photographs of the bands, bars and even promotional concert posters that fill the book, giving the reader a rare glimpse into those halcyon days. As you look at the rare pictures, you can almost hear the music, taste the beer and smell the … well, you know. These were college bars, after all.

In the last line of the Preface to the book, Chas writes: “Enjoy your trip to the golden age of music in Kent,” using the idea of a time machine to transport the reader back to the 1960s.

Pack your bell-bottoms, tie-dyes, ponchos and headbands. “Bars, Bands, and Rock ‘n Roll” is one heck of a journey.

PAUL MURPHY CELEBRATION OF LIFE AT ROMA’S MOGADORE

The family of the late Paul Murphy will hold a celebration of life gathering for the former Mogadore High School athletic standout and longtime coach from 3 to 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 25 at Roma’s Bar & Grille, located at 3763 Mogadore Rd. in Mogadore. Paul passed away Feb. 8, 2025 at age 87.

The Roma’s event is open to the public. Paul will also be honored prior to the Mogadore football team’s home game Friday, Sept. 26 against Cleveland Central Catholic. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.

Paul’s son, PD, called me recently to offer a personal invitation to the gathering at Roma’s. I was honored, and I wouldn’t miss it for the world. His father had an enormous impact on my life, as he did on countless others during his decades of coaching Mogadore sports, including the football teams I played on in high school.

Which almost didn’t happen.

Our freshman football team at Mogadore in 1982 shared the practice field with the high school team. We got one end of the field, and the high school team got the rest. We had our own team, coaches, game schedule, everything. We had nothing to do with the high school team except for an occasional scrimmage against the junior varsity.

While we were separate from the high school team, we couldn’t help but notice some of the goings-on in the high school team’s practices – notably, Paul Murphy’s outbursts when a player was underperforming. Not giving 100% and not doing things “The Mogadore Way” were frowned upon by Paul (and the other coaches, for that matter), and he didn’t hide his displeasure. As a 14-year-old freshman with shaving still in my future, watching Paul tear into seniors who were grizzled veterans (and outstanding football players) had me thinking that if these guys were getting chewed out, I would get eaten alive.

One day during our freshman practice, Paul was in especially rare form. As I remember, the high school team had lost its game the previous Friday night, and Paul was in no mood for a Mickey Mouse practice. He blew up on a player to the point that it brought our freshman practice to a halt. We just stood there – coaches included – and watched the show. I don’t know about anyone else, but my blood froze.

When Paul’s tirade finished, one of our freshman coaches, George Tompkins, turned and looked at us with a serious expression. George had been a star running back in the late 1970s at Mogadore and knew all about the trials and tribulations of playing for Paul, since George played the very position that Paul coached.

Then, George grinned and said, “See what you guys got to look forward to the next three years?”

My first thought was: “Not me, pal. You guys have fun. This is it for me.”

Of course, it wasn’t. I played for Paul Murphy the next three years, and I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything. The guidance, direction and discipline I received from him (yes, including some “tough love” at times) impact my life to this day. Paul showed his players that they are capable of a whole lot more than they ever thought possible. He taught us that just when you think you’ve got nothing left, you’ve got a lot left. You just have to dig deep and find it.

He also taught us that every little detail matters, every ounce of effort matters, how you conduct yourself matters. Those are life lessons, not just football lessons.

It’s ironic: The same guy who I once thought would be the reason I wouldn’t play high school football turned out to be the same guy who was the reason I had a high school football career at all. Because he wouldn’t let me give up on myself.

How do you repay that?