Raiderhed - South Oakland Baby!

This is why I love my Raider Nation so much. Our fans are just downright creative with their fandom. Raiderhed, the unofficial/official band of the Raider Nation has taken a tune from the 1970's Cheech and Chong movie (a favorite movie of my youth) and colored it Silver & Black.

The 1978 movie - "Up in Smoke," the song -"Lost Due to Incompetence."  The tune itself was just a catchy beat with a strumming bass and nice electric guitar riff; perfect for that late 70's sound.  The movie introduced me to everything California, me being an east coast kid. In the movie, Cheech and Chong were rolling in weed, chicks, cars, music and sunshine. I'd never seen a low-rider until I saw "Up in Smoke."  

Mind you I'd heard of many of these things but had never actually seen them. The best that east coasters could compare to California was Florida. And not many families from the hood were making it down to the Sunshine State for vacation.  You want a sandy shore, go to Coney Island kid, and wrap up in a snorkel coat.

Today's 420 hour of weed and relaxation was what the late 70's was to me. Travolta was still king and the boom box playing the latest hit music was a cultural necessity. 

A band by the name of Yesca was responsible for the cool song in the movie.  I specifically remember the band because I'd worked in a Record World music store during that time. Because of a rumor, I'd read the album cover to cover looking for word of the complimentary insert inside.  See, It was rumored that a large complimentary zig-zag sheet of rolling paper came inside the album cover along with the album. I never did see one, but it made for a good sales pitch back then.  For you young spliff rollers, zig-zag was how it was done back in the day.

Thanks to the internet, all those old facts and tidbits are right at my fingertips.  Like the Spanish meaning of Yesca; "to burn up like tinder," up in smoke....

Its nice to be able to reflect on a time that once was and is no longer.  The oddball thing is that I ended up not only making California my home, but becoming a Raiders fan...For Life!  Fate I suppose, but my story and how I became a Silver & Black die-hard beginning in 1996 will have to wait for another time.  

Just wanted to give a good Raider Nation Shoutout to Raiderhed and recognize them for a job well done on the video. If San Diego Chargers fans knew that we'd renamed their city South Oakland they'd move to Florida (The Gunshine State.)  

Win, Lose or Tie

Recording Credits:

(The band known as Yesca)
Waddy Wachtel - Guitar
Danny Kortchmar - Guitar
Jai Winding - Keyboards 
Stanley Sheldon - Bass
Rick Marotta - Drums

Lou Adler - Producer
Waddy Wachtel - Producer (8, 9, 11, 13)
Danny Kortchmar - Producer (8. 9, 11, 13)
Jerry Leiber - Producer (5, 6)
Mike Stoller - Producer (5, 6)
Jerry Goldstein - Producer (3)
Steve Katz - Engineer
Howard Frank - Assistant Engineer