Conly, meanwhile, put together the music for a play by Sam Shepard (Shepard pounded the drums for an in-theater combo that was billed as Lothar and the Hand People and was a part of the story) before setting up a computer music lab at Harvard -- a forward-looking venture that came a-cropper after Conly "fried" a prototype synthesizer worth approximately $100,000. Just in time, he received a call from Emelin, who'd returned to Colorado as part of the trendy back-to-the-country movement; he suggested that together, he and Conly could build a log house in Aspen big enough for both their broods. They did a good job: Emelin eventually sold the cabin they'd assembled to Jimmy Buffett, who in turn peddled it to once-and-former Eagle Glenn Frey.
During the mid-'70s, Conly and Emelin combined forces again on a video-music project -- another prescient idea they came up with before they could benefit from it. After that business went bust, Emelin drifted through a number of careers, even running a factory that made air-dried, vegetarian backpacking food; he's currently a real-estate appraiser, working mostly in the mountain towns outside Denver. For his part, Conly has made his living from music. His credits include getting one piece onto an edition of Sesame Street and scoring the 1984 children's film Kid Colter.
John Emelin and Paul Conly today, and mugging with their Hand People brethren for photog Richard Avedon in 1967.
John Emelin and Paul Conly today, and mugging with their Hand People brethren for photog Richard Avedon in 1967.
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Emelin and Conly have also continued to write songs together over the years, and they hope that the renewed interest in Lothar might create a market for the first new Hand People collaborations in three decades. A Web-site prototype created by King is on the Internet right now (www.lotharandthehandpeople.com) and features an impressive gig list (Lothar once played a party for the late columnist Earl Wilson that was attended by Johnny Carson and Barbra Streisand), and a gallery of posters and photographs by the likes of renowned shutterbug Richard Avedon. The Avedon snaps have a close-call quality of their own. He took them in 1967, presenting the negatives to the musicians as a gift; then, a month later, he re-enacted the poses with the Beatles for what would become one of their most popular photo spreads.
All the Hand People remain friendly, and Conly says they're intrigued by the idea of making music together over computer lines -- although Emelin would prefer everyone to get together in person, "because it's a lot more laughs that way." But even if none of these plans comes to pass, the Denver twosome are still pleased that the music of their youth hasn't been completely lost to the years.
"I would prefer that it be noted that we were the people who introduced synthesizers into rock and roll, but since the fact remains, the credit doesn't make that much difference to me," Emelin says. "The main thing is the music, so I'm happy that anything is available -- and quite amazed, too, considering all the wonderful music that's not available."
Adds Conly, "The best part about everything is to have some recognition thirty years later. It's been great for my self-esteem."
