Heres what I remember.
I woke up on a Sunday afternoon in the early fall of 1986. Uncharacteristically, I had left my friends at a party where the keg still contained beer. I called Magee to find out what when down in my absence.
He said---Matt and Evan and I formed a new band. We need a bass player, though.
At this point I had been playing bass on my roommates Fender Mustang bass (currently used by Mike Bonnello of the Dirty Faces) for about a month in a band with Richard Schnap and two other people who I cant remember their names. We played one gig at a party and I was already thinking about my exit strategy. Anyways, I said---Hey, Ill play bass.
I totally dug Matt and Evan songs and the way they played together from the Shunts. They could sing with each other like nobodies business. Evan could twang and Matt could rock. Besides, Magee was my favorite drummer in town.
Much to my delight, they agreed to my offer.
We played as this band for a year or so. We were a nice indie rock country band who also could rock pretty hard. Evan was also in ATS, who were getting quite popular at that time and that always seemed like it was his reason for leaving the band for a while but what I think really happened was when Matt, Magee & I decided to learn Physical Graffiti that pushed him over the edge.
Evan left for a while and Wick appeared.
If you ever saw Hello Betty, you knew Wick had star power. Wicks audition for the Flies was a 30 minute version of LA Woman.
This version of the Flies rocked the hardest. We released two 7-inch, 4 song EP's on Cubist. One was called "Babe". The other was called "Bullworker." We played at the Banana and whatever venue Manny was running, plus played in Morgantown and Cleveland. We opened for Fugazi, fIREHOSE, Knifedance and Nice Strong Arm. We played at Lavellas wedding reception in a totally hot basement on a 90+-degree day. After our set I went outside and puked my guts out over Spielers backyard.
Then I quit.
The Wick version of the Flies did various reunion gigs over the years. We took the profits from one reunion and recorded 4 songs at Sound Seven, which were supposed to come out on Mind Cure, but never did.
Wick moved east, then really east to South Africa. Matt went west.
The last time Wick and Matt were both in town we merged both lineups for two shows.
Evan, Magee and I continue to play as the Cro Flies Trio. We rock with Matt and Wick when they're in town.
Truthfully, the coolest thing about the Crow Flies is that Ive been able to play music I really like with 4 really good friends off and on for the last 20 years. You cant ask for anything better than that.
-Sam
What you're hearing:
Recorded July of '07 at the Miller Playhouse. Mixed by Sweet Johnny X and Matt in Rainy Hollywood Ca around the corner from Bogie's Liquors - the happiest place on earth.
