Amidst all this, America beckoned. Following Traffic’s first U.S. tour which was a great success Spooky Tooth followed. In the early summer of 1968 the band flew (via the polar route – being cheapest!) to San Francisco. The flight had stopped off in Calgary, Canada and in all had taken almost 24 hours.
A frustrated promoter, Bill Graham, met the band at the airport and heatedly explained that they should have been on stage at his Fillmore West, 30 minutes earlier. Amazingly a police escort led the entourage to the venue and they went straight on stage. The other acts that night included Buddy Guy and his band and local stars Quicksilver Messenger.
Kellie says “I remember the first words anyone said to me in the dressing room, a very laid back young lady said ‘Hey man, what sign are you?’ strange to think that I had no idea at the time!” Even though they were exhausted Spooky performed well and there began a strong association with American audiences. Such an adventure… this was what they’d been looking forward to for so long.
That tour, a short one, lasted only about 2 or 3 weeks and moved east from San Francisco to Los Angeles and later on to Boston, Chicago, Cleveland and finally New York where they performed at Graham’s other venue Fillmore East.
On the bill with them that night was a young band called Santana, a Cuban American unit. The atmosphere of the American gigs was like nothing they had experienced in England. The oil light backdrops, the smell of incense, the kids dancing wildly and some cross legged taking in the performances.
During the next 2 years or so the group toured the U.S. extensively. When in New York, along with Traffic, and occasionally Jimi Hendrix they would jam the night away at Steve Paul’s Scene club and later at the unlicensed Unganos. Friendships were formed some of which remain to this day.
Steve Paul later went on to manage Johnny and Edgar Winter with his faithful assistant from The Scene club, Teddy as their tour manager.
