We start off the Garrison Extras section with a series of rare sound bites from 1977-1979, which include our first radio airplays, a radio spot for our appearance at The Last Chance in Poughkeepsie, NY, and a radio interview with Dan Brown.
Our single had only been out about a week and we had already brought copies to every local radio station we could dig up. The first station to actually play it was West Point's WKDT-FM (KDT...CADET...get it???). Since the Military Academy was literally right across the Hudson from us, we often listened to KDT while we weren't recording. On this particular evening, we hand-delivered a copy to DJ Bill Gemma (I'm guessing at the spelling of his name) who promptly and enthusiastically played it. What you'll hear on this rather lengthy (about 5:14) bite is a phenomenon that plagued the single from the beginning; since it didn't have the usual large 45 RPM center hole, it was always being played at 33-1/3 RPM until the slowed-down vocals kicked in. By then, of course, it was too late; few DJs enjoyed being caught off-guard like that.
WRNW-FM was an extremely popular rock station out of Briarcliff Manor, NY in the mid-70s; we really wanted to have them spin our single. So, one day we showed up on their doorstep and asked to see the Program Director. This incredibly tall guy with a moustache named Howard came over, listened to our impassioned plea, and told us that if evening DJ Meg Griffin was willing to play it, it was fine with him. So, after a number of badgering phone calls to her (sorry, Meg), she finally said that she would play it sometime that week. Luckily, we had a tape deck rolling at the right time. This sound bite joins Meg after she has just played It's In De Blood. Say what you will about Howard Stern; all I know is that he was extremely nice to us and he put us on the radio. What more could you ask for?
Garrison (Phase III configuration) played The Last Chance in Poughkeepsie, NY on October 7, 1979. This was a pretty big deal at the time; a number of name acts played the Chance during that period. We played well, but unfortunately, we were trying out a new sound guy that night. Big mistake. He and the sound were, in charitable terms, "unacceptable." Garrison stalwart Don Kratzke caught this sound bite off the radio using a hand-held cassette recorder.
Spotlight 107 was a WRNW-FM radio show devoted to showcasing local tri-state musical talent. I had appeared on the show a year earlier when Modern Phonography was being promoted. This time around, host Gary Axelbank interviewed Dan by phone and played two Garrison songs, Dan's Fallout and my Sending Out Signals, both of which we had recorded live in the studio. This sound bite only contains the interview portions with Dan.
Kevin Brennan: drums
Roy Ellingsen: lead guitar, vocal
Dan Brown: rhythm guitar, lead vocal (Fallout), bass, vocal (Sending Out Signals)
Eric Bergman: bass, vocal (Fallout), 12-string guitar, lead vocal (Sending Out Signals)