Ride Captain Ride: Mike Pinera 

Ride Captain Ride: Mike Pinera 

When I think of Mike Pinera, the first song that comes to mind is “Easy Rider (Let the Wind Pay the Way),” a great track from the 1970 Iron Butterfly recording Metamorphosis. It just seemed to describe the Tampa native who left a huge mark on the music world. He passed away November 20 at the age of 76.

Pinera was a singer, songwriter, and gifted guitarist whose recording career began with the Tampa band Blues Image, who scored a national smash in 1970 with “Ride Captain Ride.” The group had moved to Miami and become the house band at the legendary club Thee Image.

When Erik Braun left Iron Butterfly after their enormous success, Pinera and Larry “El Rhino” Reinhardt joined the band, which soon produced Metamorphosis. The 14-minute opus “Butterfly Bleu” is notable for one of the first uses of the guitar voice box.

Pinera and Jimi Hendrix drummer Mitch Mitchell assembled a powerhouse band in 1972 called Ramatam, a group that featured another superb guitarist, April Lawton. When they played Tampa, Pinera was the rock star. When I caught them in Asbury Park, Lawton was the queen. Their self-titled first album is brilliant.

In 1973, Pinera helped to reform Cactus as New Cactus, and the band released Son of Cactus in 1975.

Pinera put together a new band called Thee Image, with a pair of albums, self-titled and Inside the Triangle in 1975.

He also recorded two solo projects, Isla (1975) and Forever (1979).

Pinera was Alice Cooper’s guitarist from 1980 to 1982, and he continued performing, often in Iron Butterfly recreations.

Ride on, Easy Rider!