Jose Calvera

My full name is Jose Javier Calvera and I really go by Xavi (Havee), which is what my friends call me. I was born in Santiago de Cuba and arrived in Whittier in 1965.

I loved going to Whittier High and have many fond memories of my years there. They were happy times and a less complicated era. My favorite teacher had to be Mr. Gothold in choir. It was easy to get caught up with his enthusiasm for music and his zest for life.

Music was my favorite part of those years and I have fond memories of playing the guitar and jamming with the guys at Bruce Perovich's house. Funny thing, he still live in the same house on Mavis and I bought a house last year on Rockne, the next street over. But I haven't seen him around yet! We've been in touch lately though thanks to this 1968 class page so I have a feeling that will change real soon and will say hello again after 30 years or so.

Another fond memory of those days is recording the first song I ever wrote at Riley McIntire's house. That was on a huge ampex reel to reel Riley's dad had. If I recall correctly that was in the Summer of 1966. Riley's brother Bob wrote the music out and played a flute part for the song while Riley played the guitar and I sang. All recorded at once, of course. No overdubs in those days! Days later we went to Hollywood and cut a 45 from the tape and took it around the record companies. I remember Riley and I were so convinced that we were going to get a recording contract that we did not get a haircut for the first day of school. Of course Mr. Cook sent us to get haircuts in spite of our assurances that we need the long hair for our upcoming gig as rockstars!

I'm still singing and writting songs, working on my music- that won't ever change! Check out some of my songs on line at

https://www.facebook.com/SongwriterXandtheSkeletonBand/
youtube.com/c/SongwriterXandtheSkeletonBand

I also have a Bachelors and a Masters degree in Anthropology (from CSUF) and I am in the social work field (for a day job)- update, retired from day job. It's music full time now. I've acquired the persona of Songwriter X and he is quite a rocker, long hair and all! (yes I do have the receipt to prove that it is my hair!) You die all alone and turn into bone, so Rock 'til you die

I'm thinking of the 'freak out' dance our band held at Patriotic Hall on Greenleaf. I want to say the date was Dec 5th, 1968 but who knows for sure!

We went all out with slide shows and projecting movies on the wall and a light show using a strobe and banks of colored lights. I think it was the first event of its kind in Whittier. We advertised for weeks before the show in the school paper- We charged 50 cents a head and were going to donate the proceeds to charity but somebody walked away with the can full of money and I think the take ended up being 10- 15 dollars and we had 300 people or more there that night!