Promises Tonight

David was one of those kids whose life changed on February 9, 1964 when the 'Lads from Liverpool' rocked the world on the Ed Sullivan Show. From that pivotal moment, he knew he wanted to write his own songs, play them and sing them with the same passion and integrity as his heroes. All that mighty music of the late 60's and early 70's fueled his hungry heart--the Stones, the Kinks, the Who--the list goes on. He formed a band with some equally talented and passionate friends and music consumed them: this Michigan band eventually became known as Springwell, and they rode the wave of the truly classic rock of that era. Springwell often shared the stage with many other local and national groups: Bob Seger, the MC5, the Stooges, the Rationals, the Frost, SRC, and even Fleetwood Mac one summer evening at the Grande Ballroom. It was an exhilarating and wonderful time. They made very little money--but having the time of their lives! Springwell had a couple regional hits, and even one: 'It's For You', that went national. David was thrilled to get a check for $200 for writing the B-side! They did tours in the South and Midwest with Frijid Pink. They played small clubs, mid-sized venues and even a baseball stadium. All this time David was honing his craft, continuously writing--learning his trade from the best songwriters of the time: Pete Townsend, Paul Simon, Jackson Browne, Neil Young, Stephen Stills--and of course, Lennon & McCartney. They still made very little money. Eventually Springwell folded, and David began a solo career as a singer-songwriter, playing acoustic guitar in some of the darkest and seediest downriver bars that Detroit had to offer: Cap'n Ahab's amongst them! Ahab's featured a faux 'nautical' dcor that seemed right at home to some of the 'pirates' and other denizens of the night that frequented the club: the smoke was thick, the alcohol flowed, fights broke out--and David kept right on singing. He was eventually joined on stage by several friends that eventually decided to become a full-time band: Bad Axe. The deal was $200 bucks a night: 9 pm until 2 am--6 nights a week. It was grueling...and they made very little money. Bad Axe rocked Ahab's and other clubs with a passion, intensity and camaraderie that is rare amongst many bands--these guys truly loved each other and the music they were making. They spent endless hours writing, polishing and recording the original songs they were committed to doing. The lack of funds and interest from record companies eventually lead to the band slowly drifting apart--but they remain close friends to this day and still have an aching love of music. They still get together with other musician friends and jam whenever busy 'day jobs' allow it. Throughout all this, David has written songs--some 250 at least. He continues to record and release albums every few years--the most recent being 'Promises Tonight'. He also managed to get a degree in physics--yes, physics, and has taught it for over 25 years. His students remark about his true passion for the science--but also his love of the music: they know he still must Rock & Ruehl!