LINK WRAY and MIKE VERNON
Ponderosa Stomp III
New Orleans, April 2005

2008--Twenty Years-3 Balls...the Balls start the new year with a new CD and a new look. Now a quartet with bassist Jimmie Randal(Jo Jo Gunne, Dead Pyrates Society), drummer Mark Evans (Will Sexton, Les Dudeck) and Will Ivy on keyboards and guitar - the Balls are soaring with a new, fuller sound and playing tracks from new CD, "Jet Set Guitars". Look for CD release events in LA and NY later this year. Coming soon - the first installment of the Jerry Cole psychedelic series on Sundazed Records - lost recordings from late Sixties featuring acid-laden guitar riffs produced and annotated by Vernon. - also look for another Vernon project -the second installment of the Jerry Cole Crown Recordings series on Ace. The new Jo Carol Pierce CD with Mike on guitar, is finaly out and getting smashing reviews for the West Texas fireball. In March, Mike played guitar for Texas legends Roy 'Treat Her Right' Head and sax great Spot Barnet at the SXSW Music Awards for their Texas Hall of Fame awards...see photo section.

From '07... On Jan. 13 the Balls backed up legendary Queen of Rock & Roll WANDA JACKSON in San Antonio at Sam's. It was an incredible evening as Wanda and the Balls delivered a sizzling 90 min. barn burner for the hopped-up and near-frenzied fans of the Queen of Rockabilly...In May the 13 Guitar Rumble II took place at the Continental Club featuring the Balls, Eve Monsees, Teisco del Rey, Homer Henderson, Redd Volkert and many more...yikes!...June saw the Balls joining sax-legend Brandford Marsallis,Don Felder of Eagles fame, Billy Burnet, guitarist for John Fogerty and Fleetwood Mac, Stu Cook of Creedence Clearwater and actor/musician Chris Mulkey and Dennis Quaid at Quiads charity ball at Austin Film Studios...it was a surfin sojurn to LA in July where the Balls scorched Hollywood and the surrounding area featuring Vic Gerard and son Victor rythem section. In October the band started recording sessions for new CD at Nico Leophonte's Big Beat Studio and at the Hit Shack in Austin

From fall '06..... 3 Balls of Fire at the EMMYS! Well, not really but the band's music is exclusivly heard on Emmy winning "Masters of Texas BBQ" documentry featuring Joe Ely nararator and music score by Mike Vernon. The film on Texas culture and food will be airing again on PBS, Discovery and Food Network....Jerry Cole and 3BF took no prisnors last November at CD-release shows and on the radio. The latest Vernon-produced project, 'Hot Rod Twangin" by Cole is selling like new Chevys and look for the next installment soon...Bob Spalding of the mighty VENTURES now lives in Austin area and will be doing gigs and recording with the BALLS...stay tuned and check out CALENDAR.Coming off the heels of the highly acclaimed "Quite A Party", Burnin Vernon has signed a four-CD deal with London's Ace Records as producer for the Jerry Cole/Crown Records Series. Probably the most recorded guitarist in history, Cole recorded a slew of red-hot r&b, hot rod, surf and go-go LPs for the budget-minded Crown label in the Sixties and Mike will be compiling and anotating these long lost Sunset Strip era gems for Europe's premier record label. The first installment is due out this fall and look for the Balls and Jerry Cole perfoming in Austin and Los Angeles when the Cd is released. In addition, 3BF starts pre-production for the next CD, due out in '07. And also look for Vernon's first solo Spanish guitar recordings coming in early '07!

April '06....The UK tour was more than fab! The Pipeline Convention (largest guitar instrumental show in da world) was a blast with GEORGE TOMSCO, Bob Spalding and British instro bands The Flames, Surfin Gorillas, Rapiers and the impromptitude Guitar Rumble at the finale. Thanks to the great crowd that attended and hoping to do it again! 100 Club in London was very cool and never heard George Tomsco perform better. Cavern Club and Liverpool was a gas and it was great to hang in Beatle territory. Thanks to everyone in the UK, especially Ace Records who took good care of us on the tour. The "13 GUITAR RUMBLE. Link Wray Invitational at Antones was a smashing succsess as 15 guitarist showed up to pay their respects to Mr. Guitar ~ the awesome line-up included Eve Monsees, Bob Spalding of the Ventures, George Tomsco of the Fireballs, Ramon Molinari, John X. Reed, Thierry LeCoz, Tony Scalzo, Rick Broussard, Mike Buck, Mark Andes, Paul Skelton, Gary Dixon, David Murry and 3 Balls of Fire. We are planning to do this every year and the word is that the sound was "REALLY BIG!!"

Also check out the NEW, IMPROVED 3BF lineup w/ ultra-bassist MARK ANDES (Spirit, Jo Jo Gunne, Canned Heat, Stevie Nicks & Heart to name a few) & veteran drummer-deluxe BRUCE LOGAN at finer establishments around the globe.

West Texas fireball JoCarol Pierce has asked Mike to produce and play on the Lone Star legend's first album in 10 years. Check out "Across the Great Divide," a tribute to JoCarol with Joe Ely, Jimmie Dale Gilmore and many more. Her "Bad Girls Upset by the Truth" has been reviewed by media all over the world, including the NY Times and is considered one of the great Texas songwriters. Vernon is imbuing his signature "aqua~swirl" sound to the 13 song collection due out this year! Check the Calendar for upcoming gigs w/ Mike, Mark Andes, Bruce Logan Guy Juke on guitars & bass with Mary Welch on vocals.

From 2005....The Tex-Mex Fireball, George Tomsco of the Fireballs came to Austin last November 17-19 in conjunction with the release of Ace Records' QUITE A PARTY! Backed by the Balls, it was hotter than a pistol. If you missed it, you can at least order a copy and have your own party. Order at www.acerecords.com. More details below. It's been quite a party for 3 Balls of Fire this year~ April saw BURNIN' MIKE VERNON join LINK WRAY for red-hot hour-long set at the infamous PONDEROSA STOMP in New Orleans. Link and Mike went neck-to-neck with dueling Strats on such classics as "Rumble," "Jack the Ripper," "Ace of Spades" and many of Mr. Guitar's best known songs. Also performing at the star-studded event was Elvis Presley sidemen SCOTTY MOORE and D.J. FONTANA, JOHNNY FARINA of Santo & Johnny,NOKIE EDWARDS, Little Richard's guitarist TRAVIS WAMMICK and dozens more. Mike's journal about his adventures with Wray are featured in LANCE MONTHLY and is the cover story of the latest issue of London's NEW GANDY DANCER - photos from the Stomp in the Gallery section. LINK WRAY R.I.P. Nov. '05

London Calling! Prestigious UK label ACE RECORDS tapped Mike to produce a FIREBALLS tribute album that includes 24 vintage and rare tracks from the VENTURES, the SHADOWS, and the ELECTRAS (featuring high school age JOHN KERRY), and current artists including DAVE WRONSKI, JOHN BLAIR, the TORQUAYS, and 3 BALLS OF FIRE performing instrumentals made famous by the influential New Mexican band, the Fireballs. Titled QUITE A PARTY!, the CD is now available from acerecords.com. Look for reveiw w/"Chrome & Water" in upcoming ROLLING STONE!!!!!

3 BALLS OF FIRE traveled to New York City in June (and brought the heat with them!), sharing the stage with the HOWLIN' THURSTONS and the IRREVERSIBLE SLACKS. After NYC, the BALLS burned it up at engagements in Boston and with 9TH WAVE in Connecticut. The Yankee hospitality was warm and friendly - thanks to MIKE ROSADO, UNSTEADY FREDDIE, and their many new fans, the BALLS look forward to their next trip north of the Mason-Dixon line.

The BALLS rolled in 2005 with the opening of their new office in Austin, Texas' historical Clarksville district, just adjacent downtown, in the West Lynn Building @ 1300 West Lynn, suite 111. The telephone has been ringing off the wall as 3BF's music is being licensed for upcoming episodes of AARON SPELLING'S WB drama, Summerland, Fusion Sports Entertainment, ABC Sports, Fox Sports, OLN Network, TWI Production, NFL Films, and several film and tv production facilities in New York, LA and Austin. In addition to mundane music matters, you can find the Balls hangin' out at the office...listening to records, smoking cigarettes, playing cards, and writing new songs. Call for an appointment, (512) 587-8389.

2004 will go down as a landmark year in the Balls' 18-year history: Surf x SurfWest @ Headhunters in March, Mike's 50th birthday bash @ Solano Beach, CA in April with Slacktone/Dick Dale's rhythm section, the Chrome & H20 tour in July, music on USA, Mexican and European television, NPR's 'All Things Considered' and the soundtrack for documentary, Masters of Texas BBQ, narrated by JOE ELY. Also a live version of 'Ulan-Bator' on KFJC's new Curl Rider CD.