Sir Douglas Quintet.Chasing the Midnight Sun with Doug Sahm. From Kenny Denton's Memoir, “There Ain’t No Rules In Rock ’n’ Roll”

This Deep Dive review is from Kenny Denton’s memoir, “There Ain’t No Rules In Rock ’n’ Roll”, recounts his turbulent experience producing the Sir Douglas Quintet in 1982. The narrative begins with Denton being detained and fined by American customs for carrying a large sum of undeclared cash intended for the recording sessions. Upon arriving in San Francisco, he faced constant friction with the band’s eccentric and demanding leader, Doug Sahm, whose drug use and lack of discipline threatened the project. Denton describes a chaotic professional environment where he had to assert control as a "ringmaster" to manage the musicians' unprofessional behaviour. Despite the initial hostility and logistical disasters, the collaboration eventually resulted in the successful album Midnight Sun. Ultimately, the author reflects on his evolving relationship with Sahm, moving from mutual dislike to a deep, lasting admiration for the artist's unique talent, who he misses to this day.The full story and more in my book “There Ain’t No Rules In Rock ’n’ Roll." Available from Amazon books.