With the addition of a talented young guitarist to the band, and a new direction in sound, Crown of Creation drummer Sal Kunz (Cross) found a new name for the band. He had been reading a book titled “The Devil and Daniel Webster” where a guy named Jabez Stone sold his soul to the devil. Since the band was known for playing Jethro Tull covers, the name they chose needed to have a Tull ring to it. They became known as Jabez Stone. Members were the same as the Crown of Creation final lineup: Dave Collins (lead vocals), Michael Gallaher (lead guitar), Earl Spivey (bass, lead & rhythm guitars, vocals), Jon Schmidt (flute, tenor & alto sax, vocals), John Bianconi (keyboards, vocals), and Sal Kunz (drums, vocals).
The band continued playing their signature Jethro Tull tunes along with cuts by Led Zeppelin, Traffic, Bloodwyn Pig, Stones, Johnny Winter, War, Who, Savoy Brown, etc. They made appearances at clubs like Bowman’s, Half-Way House, Dulaney Inn, Latin Casino and performed in the WKTK sponsored Flood Relief Benefit concert at Steelworkers Hall on August 22, 1972. They also played many school dances and recreation centers, and traveled on extended stays to clubs in PA, DE, WV, SC…
John Bianconi, Earl Spivey. Courtesy of Sal Kunz
On one gig, Sal Cross relates that the band went to a Navy town in South Carolina to play at the Flying Dutchman club. They spent two weeks in shabby trailers with roaches the size of mice. The dance club featured two cages where go-go dancers were to perform. It turned out that all the dancers were of the “plus” size. The fat ladies danced while the band played. With the band and the dancer’s cages on the same platform, the whole stage really rocked and the band laughed so hard they could hardly play.
Around early 1973 Bianconi decided to leave the band. Keyboard player John Kormantic (ex-Lurch) briefly joined the band before he and singer Dave Collins decided to form another band called Cathouse – that later developed into Monopoly.
Gallaher later moved to New Orleans where he played jazz music. Spivey went on to join Fable. Schmidt later joined Fable, Summer’s Misfits, and in the ‘00s could be seen with Bobby & the Believers.
