Maybe I should clarify my comment about 'friends' from my interview... Pete had friends. I had friends. We all had a ton of friends that travelled in a lot of different musical and artistic circles. As a band, however, it was a different story. Our 'friends' in other bands wouldn't readily put us on bills with them because MF was perceived as a liability - as Pete says, the crowd would erupt spontaneously. So I / Pete / Mark had to book our own shows. A lot of clubs & spaces had the 'once bitten twice shy' attitude as things started moving indoors, whereas others were willing to take a risk. I was always surprised that Hilly booked MF again in '88, after the 2 shows we did in '85 & '86 there were pretty rowdy, but that is a testament to Hilly's vision and equanimity. Thank you Janette Fritz for the empty lot video, that is a vital artifact of an age long gone. Imagine the condos that exist in that space now. Namaste! - RB
Maybe I should clarify my comment about 'friends' from my interview... Pete had friends. I had friends. We all had a ton of friends that travelled in a lot of different musical and artistic circles. As a band, however, it was a different story. Our 'friends' in other bands wouldn't readily put us on bills with them because MF was perceived as a liability - as Pete says, the crowd would erupt spontaneously. So I / Pete / Mark had to book our own shows. A lot of clubs & spaces had the 'once bitten twice shy' attitude as things started moving indoors, whereas others were willing to take a risk. I was always surprised that Hilly booked MF again in '88, after the 2 shows we did in '85 & '86 there were pretty rowdy, but that is a testament to Hilly's vision and equanimity. Thank you Janette Fritz for the empty lot video, that is a vital artifact of an age long gone. Imagine the condos that exist in that space now. Namaste! - RB