The band recently spent a beautiful Michigan summer's day in Neil's garage filming clips for a YouTube, "Back To The Garage" video.  The plan is to have a "Monkeys" style, humorous vignette for your entertainment.  We also filmed a touching take of Bob singing "The Way We Are" to his wife, Rita.  Tears flowed, but they were good ones.  These videos will no doubt take a few months to complete, but keep checking with us for reports on their progress.  Keep rockin', friends.

Lyle

I had a good day today for many different reasons. I was contacted by John Sinkeveics of the Grand Rapids Press, our old hometown newspaper. He asked a few questions about the bands that had most influenced us and informed me that he would be featuring The Quests in his blog this Sunday, both in print and on www.mlive.com/grpress (click sound check). While I don't know if it will be favorable, check it out.

Next, I received a message from someone I met a long time ago while playing. She informed me that a vintage "SCREAM LOUD" 45 that I gave her was sold to a fenzied record collector. That is THE CIRCLE OF THE QUESTS that I write about. Who would have thought that when I gave a record to a young lady, obviously to impress her, that I was giving her the chance to cash in on some better royalities than I would have been at the time. Thanks Karol, do I get half? Only kidding, it was great to hear from you and we do have some ideas of playing live in GR.

I sure do get a charge out of hearing from you guys from the past and newbies. Keep it coming

Bob F.

If you have gone through the pages of this site, you have seen several references to the term REDUX ROCK. Ever since our lead guitar player, and my songwriting partner, Lyle introduced the concept, I have really been into the idea. Why should lovers of music be content to let the large corporations dictate what we enjoy and should listen to. We here in the USA are consistently moved toward concepts of what to wear, think and believe by Wall Street and the flow of coin in their pockets. I'm sure that is true all around the world. While I'm all for business, I am not for control, either direct or indirect, in the arts. Well, Lyle has gone and done something about it, small but a beginning. I could spend more time and space on the concept, but he does it in a much more complete and elegant fashion at the website. So do yourself and the course of music a favor, check out this website.   www.ReduxRock.com

Lets all become music huggers again.

Bob F.

If you love '60s rock like we do, then I have found a great location to check out. Jim Witty creates great podcasts that certainly will interest you. We will be featured on one of them #75 coming out 4/18/08. 

You can check out his location and schedule by going to http://jimschild.blogspot.com or check out our links page.
 
He has some great pics of a lot of famous and obscure groups that I have never seen. You have to appreciate the time that Jim obviously puts into these creations. A true work of love.
I have always enjoyed being associated with people like Jim, they make all this work worth it. Hope you get a chance to check us out on his upcoming show.

Bob F.

I am amazed at the different countries that make up our visitor list. You are from all, and I mean all over the world. What a  thrill it is for all of us to have a connection with so many people. Please, do me a favor and sign up for our mailing list if you haven't already and give us a chance to get back to you with some interesting, hopefully exciting news and opportunities we have coming up this year for both us and you. I hope to soon list some of the great places that you all are coming from.

Ok, who do we need to know from Erfurt, Germany. Drop us an email and tell us who you are. You a surely #1 on our contact list, thanks for the support.

Bob F

In case you wondered, there was a reason for the name, at least I'll say that now.

  quest [kwest]
n (plural quests)
1. search: a search for something, especially a long or difficult one
2. adventurous expedition: a journey in search of something, especially one made by knights in medieval tales (literary)
3. something sought: the object or goal of a quest (literary)
Peace is still our quest.
4. computer games game objective: an objective to be achieved in a computer game
Strange things will happen if you perform quests out of sequence.

v (past and past participle quest·ed, present participle quest·ing, 3rd person present singular quests)
1. vti seek something: to seek or go in search of something (literary)
2. vi hunting track animals: to follow the track of a bird or animal that is being hunted (refers to hunting dogs)

[14th century. Via French < Latin quaesita < form of past participle of quaerere "seek"] 

Well it has been a long journey seeking something or other. Actually, we are closer to a pack of dogs than anything else. What did you expect!!!!!!!!!!      Bob F.

It has been great to hear from some of the old GR people that came to our shows. Those were some of the wildest days ever. Wouldn't it be great if we could all get together at THE PLACE for ONE LAST BIG ONE. I could still do the playing and singing but it would be touch and go on some of the after the show stunts. On second thought I would be down for that part to. For all the people who have visited the website from Europe, South America, Asia and who know where------- you would have loved it!!!!!!!! Second best thing to do is to crank up the volumn on Scream Loud, Shadows, Tempted or best of all That's My Dream(my favorite), close your eyes and let that mind rip. I'll meet you all there. 

Bob F

Hey don't get me wrong, I like Singapore(my son lives there) but there is only room for one band called "THE QUESTS" in the United States. I'm pretty sure we had the name first, so we have to make some distinction that is more obvious than just the fact, we have a better sound. We could play them off in a Battle of the Bands, but I think that would be too easy for us, although the challange is given. 

Lets put our name where our hearts are------"THE QUESTS(USA)" challange "the quests(sing). Give us a call and we'll work out the details.

Bob F. and the band

 

Well when we started, we knew it would be fun, but not easy. Been almost a year since we all got together and formulated a plan to pull all the old and new music together. Still a lot of the journey ahead of us, but there are signs of life. Web site is up and running, interviews ready to come out this month and best of all our first CD is available. Slow but sure.

Got to give a hat tip to Lyle, it has been his efforts that have made much of this possible. This guy is a worker and a perfectionist in the best sense of the word. He is the person I want on whatever team I play on.

Now all we need is a bunch of you out there. So hold on, we will find you and hopefully get you back on the path of some solid music. The rescue has begun.        Bob F.

Well, the month to completion has changed to two months.  The Master CD should be finished today, and the CD design work finished this weekend.  If all goes as planned, the duplication will begin next week.  We hope to have the entire site up and running on the search engines by the end of Feb.  Cross our fingers!

Lyle H.

Well it looks as if I get to be the chief blogmaster for the group, which is OK by me.  I doubt there will be any group, from any era, that would love to talk to you all as much as us.  In a way, WE WORK FOR YOU.  This whole website is devoted to one purpose, for two groups of people.  The purpose is to have fun, pure fun.  The two groups are you and us.  If there is anything we can do to make it more fun, just let us know.  Anything short of "please give up" we would be happy to hear and maybe try.

I've thought about this blog as a place where maybe some ideas of the intersection of music / life could be considered.  When we started back up with writing and recording there were very mixed feelings by even the band members.  Some people want to stay safe and others are willing to take a chance.  Fortunately, we had enough risk takers to get it all going.  I see myself as one of them.  From getting a Ph.D. to writing songs and performing, I just love the challenge.  There are some of you that know exactly what I mean, others not.  Taking risks means more than the old crap I did as a teenager (I was going to mention some, but I still have patients to see).

The greatest risk comes from standing up in front of an audience and basically saying "Here I Am, What Do You Think?"  Unless you have done that, for 10 or 10,000 people, it is hard to explain the way it feels.  I loved it !!!!!!  To all those musicians out there from 12 to 102 years old, my hat is always off to you.  I'm still proud to be one of you!

Bob F.

As some of you may know I've spent the past 35 years practicing as a clinical psychologist.  The reason I mention that is because with this type of job there is a transition that takes place inside you that eventually opens your thinking into a different manner of viewing the experiences of life.  Without having the intention, you become somewhat of a philosopher.  Trying to understand the various aspects of life becomes a constant quest.

Why this has any relevance to a band may not be clear at first glance.  Then again, isn't music one of the ultimate expressions of the human condition?  Through both tune and lyrics we try to present the process of licing, both the good and the ugly sides to this journey we are all taking.  Great songs touch a core inside us that remind the unconscious of a multitude of past experiences.Lyrics often speak to our dreams, desires, fears and fantasy.  The very beat of the song taps into core instincts that motivate us not only to move but also push toward an unknown outcome.  

You all know the emotions likely better than I do.  Music and life itself can be a hell of a ride to say the least.  It is that mirror effect that drives you to listen and some of us to create.  Let's talk about it as we enjoy the trip together.  

Bob F.