Does anyone remember some speaker cabinets built in Houston by Allen speaker Co?

[Slobrain]

I have been trying to find some info on a company that built speaker cabinets in Houston, Tx back in maybe the 60s or early 70s that made cabs that looked sort of like Fender cabinets but with a grey silver cloth on the front.

Does anyone out there remember a company called Allen cabinets?

Slo

[Chuck H]

Maybe this is a place to start your detective work:

Vintage Amps Bulletin Board ? View topic - Allen Speakers

[Slobrain]

Maybe this is a place to start your detective work:

Vintage Amps Bulletin Board ? View topic - Allen Speakers

Thanks Chuck,

I actually found that site earlier today right after posting here. I used to see the Allen speaker cabinets all the time in the early 80s in Galveston, Tx but I just do not see any over the last years. I had a 2x15 Allen cabinet in 1982 and should have kept it. These cabs were built as good as the vintage fender cabs. I used to use a buddies 2x12 Allen cab in maybe 1980, 81 with a Fender bandmaster head but he quit the band and then I had to buy the used Allen 2x15 cab but didn't keep it long as the 15's blew after letting someone use the cab...

I was just wondering if maybe someone here had ever ran across the Allen speaker cabinet company and knew anything about it. Seems it was one of those companies that was an unknown even though they made some cabinets for ZZ Top and some other Texas bands back in the 60's early 70s...

Thanks

Slo

[Chuck H]

It looks to me like the company might still be around, though they may have changed their MO. There is an Allen Speaker recone service is Huston. If it's owned by the guy that bought the company from Mr. Allen (who's name is indicated in the link by the son of Mr. Allen) that could be their new paradigm. At any rate, it could be tracked down if you wanted to.

[Slobrain]

Hey Chuck,

I had did some research last night and found there is a place in Houston Called Allen speaker re-coning service. Looks like its the old Allen speaker cabinet shop, I seen a picture on the net. I will call them and see if the owner wants to talk shop...

Some one should write a book on the Texxas music scene... from the 60s thru the 90s at least... Houston had a big rock scene in the 70s to the 80s. Dallas had the blues scene... Austin had the strange music scene...but they had SRV too
Galveston had well... something of a music scene but then again its an Island... There was this one cool rock club in the 70s called Viggianos that had a bunch of really good bands go thru it. Of course there was the park on 27th and Beach blvd that had rock concerts in the 60s too. Galveston has some music history too it.

I forgot a Beach club called (The Grass Menagerie) that had the Moving sidewalks play there in the 60s in the outside stage. I played the same club in 1982 but it was called (the sports tavern) then. Hurricane Alicia washed it away... that same hurricane wiped out the Bamboo hut club too. I had seen some really good rock bands there in the late 70s. Got drunk there too.



Cheers

[Chuck H]

I lived in Leander (25mi. N of Austin) for a short time in '88. Surprisingly little going on there at that time. Stevie and ZZ were both out in the wide world tearing it up by then. I was too busy with some pretty messed up stuff to notice much anyway. So I missed that, sadly. And now here I am in the PNW very near Seattle. Again too late! I did catch a lot of the SF bay area scene when it was happening though. Glam rock balladeers, big hair and spandex! I met some celebs and started my foray into amps with Dan Torres when he still worked out of his garage! Fun times.

I hope your little speaker shop is still in the scene in some capacity.

[Slobrain]

Hey Chuck,

When I was living in Galveston in 67 to 95 the scene was mixed with rock, country and disco and the rock n roll scene was small. I was lucky enough to get up to Houston in the late 70s to the early 80s to go to the famous and now torn down Sam Houston Coliseum to see many big rock acts and the (Lakewood church with Joel Osteen) was back then called (The Summit) which also had lots of rock n roll headliners too. There was also a place called The Music Hall which was next to the SH Coliseum. it had lots of good concerts there too. I seen Trower there in 1980 for the Victims of the Fury tour, good concert...

Well I just got off the phone with a guy named Ronny that works at the speaker recone shop and he said that was the old Allen speaker cab company and it was Allen Lesiker that used to run it. Ronny didn't have time to talk at the moment but maybe I'll see if I can go up there to see the place one day. I guess since I'm in my 50s I'm reminiscing about old times but now curious about some of the old music scene and I always like to hear stories about the rock scene from the 70's thru the 90s. If I were good at writing I would probably write a book about the area where I grew up and the music scene there. Galveston was a strange and crazy place to grow up. Hmmm maybe that isn't a bad idea... a 70s 80s rock book of Galveston... Heck if they can write a book about Peavey then I could do a book too...

Cheers

[Chuck H]

IMHO If you can write, you can write about almost anything. Your posts read easy enough I say nail it! The era, the scene and the town are all well known. Put 'em together and it could be great! I wouldn't make it too auto biographical. A little research on what you DIDN'T see that was happening also. The speaker shop is a good place to start. They may know people that knew people, if you get my meaning. Make good with any old connections and find your way back inside. Sounds like a hoot. I'll read it!

[Leo_Gnardo]

A little research on what you DIDN'T see that was happening also. The speaker shop is a good place to start. They may know people that knew people, if you get my meaning. Make good with any old connections and find your way back inside.

What's the inside scoop on Archie Bell and the Drells? Not just "Tighten Up", IIRC they played the rarely heard gem "I'm A Hog For You". Primitive but very entertaining!

[Slobrain]

What's the inside scoop on Archie Bell and the Drells? Not just "Tighten Up", IIRC they played the rarely heard gem "I'm A Hog For You". Primitive but very entertaining!

I see a bunch of different people doing this song on Youtube but not Archie Bell. It shows Archie is 69 and still alive on Wikipedia.

[qkslvr]

I still have one of the Allan Speaker cabinets in my attic, I bought it in the mid 70s. Guess I ought to see if it's still in one piece. Might be a good time to sell it.

[Slobrain]

I still have one of the Allan Speaker cabinets in my attic, I bought it in the mid 70s. Guess I ought to see if it's still in one piece. Might be a good time to sell it.

I was looking to buy one but since I've been riffed from my job last year I cant afford one now. These were cool cabs but basically just Fender copies. You could see them on stages in Galveston in the 60s. Here is a pic at the old Grass Menagerie right across from the Hut club in maybe 68.

[Batdad62]

Yes I have a 15” bass cab. But it has a black cloth. Not grey. Used to have the plastic tab on the front but it broke off.