‘Catalyst Sessions’ recap: Pete Merrigan

Pete Merrigan opened Friday’s Catalyst Sessions with a song looking back on the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, when he and his fellow musicians were kings of the Pinellas County beaches:

Harry on the bass, when he wasn’t out with Jimmy

Really fired up the Mad Beach Band

It was wild, it was crazy

Though it’s all a little hazy

All in all, what I recall is it was grand.

Those were simpler times

The paper was only a dime

And a pitcher of beer ran you ‘round a buck and a quarter

We were invincible then

Me and my curious friends

Sittin’ on top of the world in those simpler times.

They weren’t invincible, as Merrigan and his curious friends would find out (some, the hard way); more than 40 years after the fact, however, the Mad Beach Band still gets together every now and again for reunion shows, which are always extremely well-attended. The band even put out a new CD in 2019.

As for Pete Merrigan, solo performer, he’s still doing what he’s always done – writing songs, and playing and singing to earn a living, and to make people happy. His regular gig (four nights a week) is at Billy’s Stone Crab restaurant on Tierra Verde.

Currently, of course, his sofa is his stage, as like so many other musicians, he’s been doing virtual concerts – every Wednesday, in his case.

Watch the video for small talk, big talk and a trio of tunes from a true St. Petersburg legend.

Monday on The Catalyst Sessions: Actress/singer Becca McCoy.

Weeknights at 7 on the St. Pete Catalyst Facebook page.