Felix Wurman interviews Mark Tucker - Oak Park IL - November 1974 - Part 1 of 3

Felix Wurman (1958-2009) would go on to become a renowned classical cellist and founder of the Church of Beethoven in Albuquerque NM. Mark Tucker (b. 1957) would go on to become an indie/alternative-rock musician and founder of indie label Tetrapod Spools. Tucker began work on his now legendary "Batstew" album only a few months after this video was made. Both Mr. Wurman and Mr. Tucker attended Oak Park - River Forest High School where, as musicians, they formed a fast friendship and embarked on a number of creative projects together. This interview was taped for no other reason than to get practice using the Sony Porta-Pak videotape recorder which belonged to the high school. Mr. Wurman passed away on December 26, 2009 after a long battle with cancer. This videotape has been in storage for over 35 years. As a tribute and a gesture of thanks to Felix, the interview is presented now in its entirety, in three parts.

In this first part, we see Mark pop out the back door of his hearse. He talks about the advantages of owning a hearse. Felix asks if they can go for a ride and they get in the car. They drive past the high school, and then head north on Oak Park Avenue listening to Rachmaninoff's Second Piano Concerto on the cassette player in the hearse.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• Felix Wurman
• Mark Tucker
• 1964 Cadillac hearse
• Oak Park IL Illinois
• 1974
• Sony Porta-Pak
• Batstew
• Tetrapod Spools
• Church of Beethoven

[betamax75a]

What format was this originally recorded from? I know it was transfered to VHS, but was the original source U-Matic?

[stormyhawn]

The original recording was made on a Sony Porta-Pak reel-to-reel videotape recorder on ½-inch Sony V-32 tape.

[Phonehed]

@smokedaddyo lol, Somehow I'm not too surprised to hear that. I haven't been back since we rescued my grandmother in '87 but I couldn't believe how much it had all changed in 20 short years and I can't even imagine what another 24 years of changes might have done.

[Phonehed]

As I watched this entire 3 part series I felt a very strange connection to both of these little freaks, as they were the types I was hanging out with back then. I was born in Chicago and raised in Oak Park but we left for California in ' 67 when I was 11 yrs. old. I later moved to Texas in '70 but had we stayed in Oak Park, I probably would have gone to OPRF and graduated with the class of '74. Love to hear from any of my old classmates from St Edmund, (61-67) particularly Mike & Tony Martin.

[smokedaddyo]

aaah...oak park back when blue collar types could actually raise a family there. maybe a little farther south than where this was shot, but still.

[ranelcovert]

WWFD party Aug 7th, 2010 in Chicago. To celebrate Felix, his spirit, his creativity, his music. Please come if you can.

[snootzie78]

So sad to hear of Felix's untimely death. Such a wonderful musician and a great guy. .R.I.P.

[jkvas1]

"Old biddies!" Hah! -You young whipper-snapper!