Thursday, March 28, 2024

Lost Faculties celebrates 25 years of rockin’

For the Kasson-Mantorville Homecoming pep fest in October 1997, the students were considering having an air band for the program, but Nathan Davidson and fellow K-M instructor Phil Johnson got a couple more teachers together to play three songs. When K-M instructor, Denny Yell, introduced the program they opened the curtain to show the group playing.

Nathan and Phil never really planned on having a band, but they played for the K-M staff Christmas Party at the Hayfield Country Club in December 1997. The group didn’t have a name but since the members were playing rock and roll music from the 60s and the band members were K-M teachers, they came up with the name “Lost Faculties.”

The group next played on the 1998 KTTC Cancer Telethon and in 2001 the group opened for Peter Noone and Herman’s Hermits on Sunday night at the Rochester Riverside Concert in front of a large crowd of 12,000. They have also been the opening act for Janis Joplin’s band, Big Brother and the Holding Company; Rare Earth; and have done four shows with Ringo Starr tribute artist, Mike Callahan, who goes out as Ringer Star. Mike has traveled to seven different countries and continues to travel as the best Ringo Starr tribute artist.

Over the years the Lost Faculties would play 40 — 50 gigs each year, but Nathan has cut that back to around 20 per year as he also plays with other groups such as the Polka Dots, CBB Jazz Combo, the Rutabaga Brothers Blues Band, and his latest group, Nathan’s Jazzers. Nathan is an avid Beatles fan and when asked what his favorite song the band plays he said, “I Saw Her Standing There.”

On Saturday, May 6, the Lost Faculties will be performing at the VFW in Rochester from 7 — 11 p.m. for their 25th anniversary. Original member Phil Johnson will be returning for this gig. They will also have James Donna playing two songs including “Liar, Liar.” James is a member of the Minnesota group “The Castaways” who rose to fame in 1965 with their one-hit wonder song, “Liar, Liar”. This band opened shows for several other bands including the Beach Boys and was on Dick Clark’s TV show “Where the Action is.”

James will also be signing copies of his book LIAR, LIAR: From Garage Band to Rockstars, The Story of Minnesota’s Castaways in the 1960’s.

A connection to the local community is that James’ son, Joel Donna, was a high school science teacher at K-M for four years and now is an associate science professor of education at the University of Wisconsin- River Falls.

To find out more information on the Lost Faculties and their upcoming 25th-anniversary show, check out their website at: www.lostfaculties.com.

 

 

Dodge County Independent

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Kasson, MN 55944

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Kasson, MN 55944

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