Heartland

Nicole wrote:Something I just came across, doing random searches for any Sisters reviews/postings/whatever.

Apparently a little club near Ball State University called The No Bar and Grill (in Muncie, IN) in the late 80s was in possession of an address book of contacts for various bands - turns out Eldritch had a little something to do with it - well, getting the book from whoever it belonged to, giving it to the people from Muncie, who then ended up giving it to the No Bar and Grill to help book bands.

http://www.musicalfamilytree.net/forum/ ... opic:69861

No Bar wrote:That "address book" wasn't quite an address book. It was a contact book owned by some poor soul in Chicago who gigged the 'big acts" -- ie, big bands -- at places like Cabaret Metro, Aragon Ballroom, Bismark Hotel etc.

Story on that book? A whole bunch of Muncie folks went to see the original line up of Sisters of Mercy at Cabaret Metro on a Monday night in June... 1985. (Scott Nordoff, George Evanga, Jeff Case, Yukki Gipe, me and others). It was the second to last show ever by the original Sisters of Mercy lineup. Some girl jumped on stage to do a groupie hug on lead singer Andrew Eldrich. She tripped on some chords in the fog show, knocking him over. Andrew Eldrich just picked up his mic stand and hit something (probably her head) that was on the ground in the fog and dry ice. We couldn't quite see what he hit. But it made a dull thump. The Sisters of Mercy were already ready to break up anyway. One guitarist had already quit... Eldrich just walked off stage with guitarist Wayne Huesey (who would then form 'The m*****n' aka m*****n UK). Bass player kept going until he noticed they were gone. Then he left and just the drum machine finished the song.

I assume Eldrich had an argument with the promoter over refusal to pay / failure of musical act to play minimum 20 minutes... Whatever the deal was, Yukki and I and a few others from Muncie were practically the only people down in the basement club later -- known as Smart Bar -- when Eldrich lumbered down the backstairs -- much shorter than any of us imagined. He pushed the book at us and said 'shhhhhh, just take this." Then he hung out on the other side of the room all night while the other Sisters sat with some groupie chicks and told the DJs to play Led Zeppelin all night. I remember Yukki in mowahk and Bay City Roller plaid pants talking to the guitarist, Wayne... The Sisters guitarist was talking about how 'genius' Zep was... He was limply shaking Yukki's hand until Yukki told him we drove five hours to see the show... then he gave Yukki's hand a big squeeze and a look of deep admiration and respect.

The book was donated to Jon Rans later back in Muncie to help No Bar contact other bands and to help Indiana bands make contacts for out of state tours... another example invisible, uncredited hands helping out folks in the Muncie scene without their awareness.

I remember entries in that gig book like "Lydia Lunch," and "Frank Zappa" - "Thurston Moore - Sonic Youth" and "BOB - HUSKER DU - HOME PHONE."

dinky daisy wrote:But where was Riley mentioned?

Yep, I remember that. He (Eldritch) was pissed off at the promoter and handed us that book! Funny. Yeah, he wouldn't really talk to us, but Hussey was so freakin' nice. In hindsight, it seemed he might have been hitting on me, but I was completely oblivious. Years later, Bullet LaVolta played a festival in Germany and The m*****n was in the line-up. I was going to talk to him backstage, but couldn't find him. I was gonna ask if he remembered that gig. He was prancing around on stage, barefoot, with a frilly, puffy-sleeved paisley shirt...

In hindsight, it seemed he might have been hitting on me, but I was completely oblivious.

7anthea7 wrote:

In hindsight, it seemed he might have been hitting on me, but I was completely oblivious.

Thus saving himself from an experience that she would no doubt later have come to regret mightily

Further proof that oblivion can most definitely be the best state to be in at times...

Big Si wrote:Thus saving himself from an experience that she would no doubt later have come to regret mightily

7anthea7 wrote:

Big Si wrote:Thus saving himself from an experience that she would no doubt later have come to regret mightily

You really think he would even have remembered? I mean, aren't we all (female fans, that is) just interchangeable parts...?

Big Si wrote:The poster was a bloke wasn't he?

7anthea7 wrote:

Big Si wrote:The poster was a bloke wasn't he?

So he was - got my threads tangled!

Makes it that much funnier, though...

Nicole wrote:Hmm, I can't tell - the original poster of the story was I think - the response to it a bit later, about Hussey being nice and Von not talking to them, I'm not sure of, was someone different I thought.