Ferrari Testarossa

This band featured myself, Warren Ng, Sean Neil, and Nadav Havusha. It began one night at The Right Bank, a place on Kent where Todd P used to do a lot of shows. Sean and I were hanging out and discussing the fact that I was moving to Philadelphia soon (an ill advised move all around, but that is neither here nor there). Sean informed me that he was going to host a going away party for me at his residence (502 Warren Street) and that he and I were going to be in a band that played it.

About a week or so before I was scheduled to leave I showed up at Sean's house, having talked my friend Warren into joining us. We played for a while, switching instruments around, when we realized that we needed a singer. Sean suggested Nadav, who played with him in Aa. Nadav was the one in the band that I knew the least, although that has changed over the years.

I saw Nadav the next night and we talked about his possible involvement. He wasn't entirely convinced, but we eventually coerced him into showing up.

The four of us played again and it was great! We needed someone who could sing and play drums, and Nadav could do both.

We practiced again the next day, then recorded this the day after (please note that Sean put the artwork together and while he did an awesome job he is solely responsible for the misspelling of not only Ferrari but Testarossa as well). We took the next day off and then played a show at The Right Bank (fitting) with The Love Of Everything. Apparently I knocked my friend's beer out of her hands and all over her boobs, for which I received no small amount of critical acclaim.

The next night we played the going away party for which we started the band. I wore a three piece suit which I slowly shed as I went from singer to guitar player to drummer. Bobby played with us again but he just put on Misfits records and sang along to them.

The shows were both super fun, and I think we did pretty well with the time we had. Just so you know, there is a Black Flag cover after the end of the last song, Sean really liked the idea of a "hidden track". Apparently after I left for Philadelphia Sean received several telephone calls complimenting him on our work and asking when we were playing again. He informed them that there would be no encores.

Ladies and gentlemen, for your listening pleasure, a compact disc recordable by Ferrari Testarossa.

Ferrari Testarossa EP (Self)
1. I Only Came For The Open Bar
2. Habit
3. She Let Me Touch Her Boob
4. War Fever
5. Lamborghini Countach

The Lookers

I saw The Lookers play at Yo-Yo A Go-Go in 1997. They were great!

I saw Sarah Dougher play solo some time later and was a bit less impressed.

My friends band opened for Cadallaca at Bottom of the Hill one night and we may or may not have been involved in consuming their beers whilst they were playing.

I found this tape at Epicenter one day and decided to purchase it. It is a little weird in that one song cuts off on the end of side one and starts over again on side two. I suppose they were not professionally dubbed.

I took care of this little anomaly so you can listen continuously without being jarred by the tape turning over or something like that.

Ladies and gentlemen, for your listening pleasure, a cassette by The Lookers.

All Dolled Up (Self)
1. Muscle Beach
2. Leaving TX
3. The Office
4. Magpie Side
5. Murphy Bed

Fast Forward

I picked this record up one day on a whim from Sound & Fury (a record store that I still miss). It was much as described - a fun single that I'd listen to once and then put away.

Some years later though I pulled it out again and it is still a fun single! The other Fast Forward records I have are a bit more harsh than this one, but feel free to enjoy it anyway.

I will say that Le Shok stayed at my tiny apartment in Brooklyn when Cundo (or John, or whatever) was in the band and there were bodies everywhere! I believe we saw them play at ABC No Rio and then got really drunk and then went to see Mike Simonetti DJ at the Knitting Factory and I split my pants on the way.

I went and danced anyway because I wasn't going to go back to Brooklyn to change them and I didn't want it to ruin my night. It was dark in that basement anyway.

I saw Marty (who I mentioned the other day) that night and rubbed my ass on him because it seemed like a good idea at the time. It probably wasn't.

Ladies and gentlemen, for your listening pleasure, 2 songs from Fast Forward.

Co-Worker (Capillary)
1. Co-Worker
2. Pre-Seasonal Man

The Make-Up

I was at a record store in Simi Valley one day and I started chatting with the dude who worked there about The Nation Of Ulysses. He told me that they had broken up but they were in a new band called The Make-Up. Apparently we forgot to talk about Cupid Car Club, but I got that single soon enough.

I started accruing their singles as they were released. I loved them, although I think I started to become less interested as more albums came out.

I saw The Make-Up twice, once at Bottom of the Hill and once at Tramps right before it closed. Good times!

Ladies and gentlemen, for your listening pleasure, several early singles by The Make-Up.

Blue Is Beautiful b/w Type U Blood (Black Gemini)
1. Blue Is Beautiful
2. Type U Blood




















The Make-Up/The Meta-matics (Black Gemini)
1. Trans-Pleasant Express





















R U A Believer b/w Version (K)
1. R U A Believer
2. Version




















The Make-Up/Slant 6 (Time Bomb)
1. We're Having A Baby
2. This Is...Young Vulgarians




















The Make-Up/The Crainium (Slowdime)
1. I Want Some (Gimme Some)

Calm

Calm is somewhere between Mohinder and Duster, which seems obvious but is true. It sounds like hardcore kids trying to make something more ethereal. I believe that I enjoy those bands more than this one, but that doesn't mean that there are no redeeming qualities.

One of these records was purchased at Amoeba many moons ago, and the other at the occasionally missed Epicenter Zone. Epicenter had a great sticker that said "Open for holidays, closed for riots".

I also spent pretty much every Saturday for 2.5 years working at that store.

I do not miss working at a record store, just so you know.

Ladies and gentlemen, for your listening pleasure, 2 singles by Calm.

Arlington Sunset (Unleaded)
1. Arlington Sunset
2. Wild And Free
3. Sign Crushes Motorist
4. Vacancy
5. (Excerpts From) Rolling Thunder

















Moonraker b/w Scientists & Saboteurs (Needlepoint)
1. Moonraker
2. Scientists & Saboteurs

The Catholic Church

Over the years Marty and I have become pretty good friends. I first met him when he was playing drums for The Lapse and they performed in my dining room. We did a DJ night together (Bible Study) when he first moved to Brooklyn.

I have always loved the punk name "Marty Violence" (his real last name is Key - although I don't think that is a secret). He told me the origin - one day Sam McPheeters decided that should be his name and it stuck. Awesome.

Ladies and gentlemen, for your listening pleasure, 2 sides of The Catholic Church.

The Catholic Church/Sam McPheeters (Vermiform)
1. Action Reaction





















The Sad Magician Pt. 1 & 2 (Capillary)
1. The Sad Magician Pt. 1 & 2

Jonathan Fire*Eater

I never paid this band any mind until my buddy Lou Santos came along and made me start listening to them. I was, I must admit, quite surprised by how much I liked them.

Now you can either surprise (or remind) yourself.

Don't feel obligated to, however.

I found the two singles from Wolf Songs For Lambs in London, and the split at the once legendary record store I used to manage (until it was raided by the feds), Midnight Records.

I don't remember where the other record came from. Perhaps it rose from the dead?

I never did see this band, although I have seen and enjoyed The Walkmen on several occasions. I didn't like them much the first few times, but they were great at Barnard that one time some years ago.

Ladies and gentlemen, for your listening pleasure, 3.5 records by Jonathan Fire*Eater.

The Public Hanging Of A Movie Star b/w The Cakewalk Of Crime (PCP)
1. The Public Hanging Of A Movie Star
2. The Cakewalk Of Crime




















Jonathan Fire*Eater/Stiffs, Inc. (Titanic Tours)
1. The City That Never Sleeps





















When The Curtain Calls For You (Deceptive)
1. When The Curtain Calls For You
2. A Night In The Nursery




















These Little Monkeys (Deceptive)
1. These Little Monkeys
2. Tomorrow's News Tonight

The Apples

I saw The Apples once, but it was after they changed their name to The Apples In Stereo. I believe I mentioned it before as Duster opened for them. They were somewhat enjoyable, if memory serves me.

Their first record is, in my humble opinion, their best. I think it was reissued on some other thing but who cares? Wouldn't you rather hear it as it was originally released?

I thought so.

Ladies and gentlemen, for your listening pleasure, the debut release from The Apples.

Tidal Wave (Elephant 6)
1. Tidal Wave
2. Motorcar
3. Turncoat Indian
4. Haley
5. Not The Same
6. Stop Along The Way