Steve Miller remembers his first Vancouver show in 1967 with the "terrific" Collectors

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      Had a great chat with Steve Miller last week, in advance of his band's performance at the PNE on August 30.

      As the interview wound down I asked the 78-year-old rock legend if he remembered his first show in Vancouver, when the Steve Miller Blues Band played the Afterthought, the "psychedelic ballroom" located in the Kitsilano Theater (now the Russian Hall). 

      Miller's group played a three-nighter with the Collectors, the local psych-rock band composed of lead vocalist Howie Vickers, guitarist Bill Henderson, saxophonist/flutist Claire Lawrence, bassist Glenn Miller, and drummer Ross Turney. (After Vickers left the band in 1969 the remaining members formed Chilliwack in 1970.)

       "Of course I remember that," declared Miller, "the Collectors were so great! They were really a cool group of guys. We jammed and had a good time, and we were just thrilled to come and play in Vancouver.

      "I think it was 1967," he added, "might have been '68, I can't remember now exactly, which year it was, but it was in the '60s. And I loved [the Collectors], I just thought they were a terrific band."

      For more from Steve Miller see the feature story in next week's issue of the Georgia Straight. Read it on paper for that old-school Kits Theatre vibe.

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