|
G
C:
Tell
me about your band - when/where/how/why did you form? Who were / are the members? What records did you put out (on any label?)
J F:
This
is a long story. It started with Elan Portnoy(Fuzztones) and I going to the same school. Although several grades apart(I was
behind...) we found that we had similar musical tastes. After he graduated, Jordan Tarlow(Outta Place) came to my school.
We started playing with Elan's brother Orin. Due to some personal matters, I had to opt out of the band and the Outta Place
formed. IIRC this was around '83. About a year earlier, I had been introduced to a former band mate of Elan's. This was Peter
Stuart Kohman. He and I formed the Tryfles in the fall of '83. His friend Ellen Oneil came in on drums and shortly after,
Lesya Karpilov joined on 6 string guitar.
As for records on MIR, we did the 45 of "Your Lies" B/W "We I See That Guy".
Later,
after Ellen quit and was replaced by Celia Farber in the spring of '85, we did an LP in the fall.
Unfortunately, even
though the 45 master was delivered to MIR in Feb. '85, it was not released until Dec of 85!
At that point, I had already
been out of the band for 3 months.
I never could figure out why there was so long a delay; perhaps the band might have
survived if it had some product.....
G
C:
How
did you first encounter JD Martignon and/or Midnight Records?
J F:
I think it
was at a party or a bar somewhere. I did go to the store but there was a sort of rivalry between Midnight and Venus Records,
and I spent more time at the latter.
G
C:
What
were your impressions of JD and/or Midnight?
J F:
Well, to be honest,
due to the above mentioned and likely baseless rivalry, I kind of sided with Venus and so I do not think I was all that pleasant
to JD. Some what unkind on my part, considering that he was eventually going to sign the band. But I think there was alot
of ego flying around in all directions... Talk about "Too Much, too soon...LOL!
Admittedly, I think I was an ass.....(JD
did have a reputation as well......)
G C:
What were your impressions
of the New York scene at the time?
JF:
Well, in the beginning,
it was fantastic. All was so new, so much to look forward to. A lot of good comradery and support. The summer and fall of
'84 for me were fantastic. But saddly, that was also around the time when the Outta Place broke up....
G
C:
Did
your release(s) help your band get a wider audience? What effects / benefits did you see from the release(s?)
J F:
Well, due to the
reasons stated earlier, the 45 and LP came too late to really help the band at the time. However, I truly do appriciate there
being realesed anyway; JD could have shelved them but he did not and consequently, the stuff I am best known for (ok by only
a few....LOL!) is in existance.
G C:
How did the NY
scene change over time?
J F:
Well, it got more egocentric. I was NO angel
here.... it seemed that people got to concerned with what a band was not, than what it was. The Swamp Gobblins were a fantastic
band that got the cold shoulder simply because they were not a pure 60s band.
G C:
When was the
last time you spoke to JD or had any contact with Midnight?
J F:
The last time I saw JD was on a visit
to NY in 93. He was quite nice. I asked if he wished to here my latest realese, but he declined on it being from Seattle....("
I do not like Grunge" said he in his accent....- And it wasn't even grunge either LOL!).....
G
C:
What
do you think overall is the "legacy" of Midnight?
J F:
I think that
it is similar to that of IA- despite questionable practices, MIR pretty much doccumented the NY garage scene. So in hindsight,
hats off to 'em. We would not be here if they had not done so. I also think that there were bands who were able to use MIR
as a stepping stone to other places....
NEXT PAGE
HOME
|
