'Rumble' Memories

Celebrating the 25th anniversary of the release of Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers' Rumble. [July 9 - August 9]

A written submission courtesy of Chuck Harrell, a San-Francisco-based Emmy® Award winning video professional with over 15 years experience in broadcast television and corporate video production. A native of North Carolina, Chuck was kind enough to share some of his thoughts about Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers, music documentaries, and his memories about playing Rumble at East Carolina University's college radio station, WZMB. 

"Wow, I loved Tommy Conwell in college!  I used to play his record on the East Carolina University campus station, WZMB -- Rumble, the national debut record with "I'm Not Your Man."

I'm originally from North Carolina, I grew up in Mount Olive (very small town) so you had to drive to get to see a decent band. Once I became aware of Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers, I'd have driven a long way to get to see him live. I really thought they were a good band and "Rumble" a solid debut.

Tommy was one of those guys I always expected would blow up and be HUGE, but it just didn't happen for some reason. Some of his songs tie me directly to an ex-girlfriend, it's funny how certain music gets assigned significance to people, places and time. But I thought his big label debut was great!

I played at least three songs consistently off that record every shift I worked. And those three songs came by request; it wasn't just me playing them for my own enjoyment. We had a rotation clock to follow, so that proved -- to me, anyway -- that the listeners really loved them. 

Again, I sure did think Tommy and the Rumblers would have gotten big one day, but I guess there are far more stories of "near success" vs. "real success" in the music industry. Far too many great bands lose that brass ring right when they almost have it in their hands, sadly.

The rockumentary is great...you got to fulfill sort of a dream of mine, doing a documentary about something that you're passionate about -- that's just awesome! Good for you, no matter what grade you got, you got to do something which is really important, which is to document a bit of music history."