Gas Pump Jockeys serve audience with hits, laughs

CELINA - Before pump-your-own gas stations came onto the scene in the mid-1970s, the chore was handled by "gas pump jockeys" who filled the tank, washed the windshield and checked the oil.

The audience at Lake Shore Park on Sunday will return to the era when Top 40 AM radio ruled the music scene as the Gas Pump Jockeys perform in the final show of the Celina Summer Concert Series. The free performance begins at 6:30 p.m.

According to front man Pat McLoughlin, the Columbus-based group was formed in 2005 when members decided to switch from a country-rock band called Cimarron to a '60s and '70s oldies band.

"We wanted to change our business model," said McLoughlin, 62, a retired AT&T marketing manager. "We come out on stage looking like gas station attendants. We try to play the music you would be listening to on your radio while the guy was filling your gas tank and checking the oil and the air in your tires."

The change was good, he said.

"We play to larger audiences," he said. "We're very pleased with the change. It was a different era, gas was only 29 cents a gallon."

Most of the group's material comes from the classic rock 'n' roll era, McLoughlin said, noting the group varies its playlist to keep the shows fresh.

The band's slogan is they play "more songs per gallon than any band in North America."

McLoughlin said the group also weaves comedy and audience involvement into its concerts.

"We have one bit where we re-create driving down a bumpy road listening to an eight-track stereo," he said. "An eight-track would skip to the next track when you hit a bump."

The style is a hit with audiences, he said.

"The hard thing about it is we're singing a song and then we hear a sound like a bump in the road and we shift to another song with a completely different tempo," he said. "It's been very difficult to learn but it's been worthwhile. The audiences love it."

One of the group's members, Mike Losekamp, was a member of the popular 1960s band, The Cyrkle, which had two million-seller hits, "Red Rubber Ball" and "Turn Down Day." During the Gas Pump Jockeys' concerts, Losekamp sings lead on the two songs and splits singing lead with McLoughlin on other songs.

"When people hear 'Turn Down Day,' they say 'yeah, I remember that,' and when they hear 'Red Rubber Ball' they start singing along," he said.

McLoughlin said another interesting aspect of Losekamp's experience in rock music is that The Cyrkle was managed by the late Brian Epstein, who also managed The Beatles.

"We like to joke that we're only two degrees removed from The Beatles because Mike was connected to Brian Epstein, who was connected to The Beatles," he said.

In addition to McLoughlin and Losekamp, other members of the band are drummer Scott Langley, lead guitarist Don White and bass guitarist Larry Vest. All are veteran rock musicians.

McLoughlin, who also interviews Ohio musicians on his radio show, said the group hits the road for about 30 shows a year during the warm-weather months. He said they play an occasional private event during the winter.

The Gas Pump Jockeys performed at Summerfest in St. Marys a few years ago but this is their first stop in Celina.