Musicians, Long Beach Everymen

PHOTO by JENNIE WARREN

Paperplanes do Long Beach on everything, a dedicated band of pearl-buttoned country players that synthesize ’70s twang into a sound as local as it is Lubbock or Nashville. When (from left) Jon Husak, Pete Tavera, Brad Coats, Cliff Kane and Micah Panzich aren’t playing Long Beach bars, they’re patronizing them, gathering along the way the kind of essential country knowledge found only at the bottom of an empty bottle. Visit them at myspace.com/paperplanes.

Where in Long Beach would we be most likely to find each band member?
Micah: I’m usually at the studio or at home working on graphics or looking for graphic work. Sometimes after practice we go for a beer at House of Hayden (421 E. First St., Long Beach 90802. 562.435.5699). Pam and Jackie treat us real well there. That’s where we find our friend, Larry Talavera. I will be damned if he isn’t the only human being we know.
Brad: The Pike Bar and Grill (1836 E. Fourth St., Long Beach 90802. 562.437.4453) for work. House of Hayden after practice. Or the couch, passed out.
Pete: House of Hayden or the studio. I have a business in the same building as our studio called Modern World Art Panels (myspace.com/modernworldartpanels). I make custom canvases and wood panels for artists.
Jon: You can usually find me behind the bar making dreams come true at Joe Jost’s (2803 E. Anaheim St., Long Beach 90804. 562.439.5446).

What’s your favorite place to grab a bite before a show? How about after?
M: I like to go to the Coffee Cup Cafe (3734 E. Fourth St., Long Beach 90814. 562.433.3292) the morning before a show. Afterwards, La Revancha (2634 E. Anaheim St., Long Beach 90804. 562.439.7702) for good tacos. Plus the mural looks like Pete.
B: MVP’s Grill and Patio at 2 p.m. (3701 E. Fourth St., Long Beach 90803. 562.439.0809).

What’s your favorite Long Beach drink?
M: Probably the tap water. You never know what free meds you might get.
J: A Bloody Mary at O’Connell’s made by Bob or Rusty (2746 E. Fourth St., Long Beach 90814. 562.433.5068).

Where do you buy your hats, boots and country clothing?
M: I used to buy country shirts at this little store on Fourth St., but it’s not there anymore.
B: I got my boots from Slim the Drifter.
P: Boot Barn (visit bootbarn.com for locations) for boots, thrift stores for the shirts.

Where do you take friends visiting Long Beach for the first time?
M: I take them to the Pike Bar and Grill. Get some food, grab a beer, maybe catch a band. If you feel like moving on, you’re within walking distance to the Prospector (2400 E. Seventh St., Long Beach 90804. 562.438.3839), Ashley’s (1731 E. Fourth St., Long Beach 90802. 562.436.7643) and the Que Sera (1923 E. Seventh St., Long Beach 90813. 562.599.6170; thequesera.com).
B: The Observation Bar on the Queen Mary (1126 Queens Hwy., Long Beach 90802. 562.435.3511).
J: For cold-ass beer, a snack and good conversation, I’ll take ’em to Joe Jost’s. For good food at a great location, I’ll take ’em to the Belmont Brewing Company (25 39th Pl., Long Beach 90803. 562.433.3891).

What’s your favorite Long Beach landmark, and why?
M: I would consider the Prospector a landmark, at least for the music scene. The Prospector was one of the first places around here to let us book our own shows and let the bands kind of just do what they do. There have also been some really great shows there in the last few years. I think when we are all old and gray, a lot of us will look back with fond memories of the Prospector. (The other night we played a place where we got one drink ticket per band member. That would never happen at the Prospector.)
J: The park at the top of Signal Hill (Hilltop Park, 2351 Dawson Ave., Signal Hill 90755) after a good rain or when the Santa Ana winds are blowing.

What long-gone Long Beach thing do you miss most?
M: How about the North Woods Inn? I also miss Brad working at World of Strings.
B: My old apartment with Ian Flatt and the shed behind the Stillwell House at Fifth and Rose.
P: Acres of Books. Damn you!
J: The Foothill for great music and the best damn bar brawl I have ever seen.

Tags: house of hayden, joe jost's, Long Beach, Music, paperplanes, que sera, the pike, the prospector