After the demise of Woodeye, Tom felt the need to rock out again with his buddies, so he got together some old friends. And, after careful consideration, the name "Bill's Toupee" was suggested, and accepted by everyone involved.
The band first started out when Phyllis and Tom were having pizza. It was over a large salami and garlic pie that the idea to have a twin-guitar band, with a tight bass/drums combo, was discussed. They wanted it to be a little like Woodeye, with more songs by female artists. Also, most of the songs would be modern rock. They proceeded to make a list of about 40 songs; 70% new songs, and 30% classic rock. It looked great on paper, but the right players had to be chosen. This was easy, because Tom knew who he wanted to play with already....even before the pizza!
Andy and Chris would be the new rhythm section. Andy and Tom had been friends since 1981, and they knew each others' playing styles very well, so it was obvious who would be playing the drums (electric OR acoustic!). Also, Andy and Tom had played with Chris previously, and they always had a good time, so Chris became Bill's lefty-bass player. Dave's funk/rock guitar stylings were a perfect match for Tom's pop/rock playing. And, since they had been playing together off-and-on since the 500 Hats days, it was kinda like a match made in Guitar Heaven..... Phyllis was to sing the majority of the songs, occasionally handing over the lead vocals to Chris, and Tom. This worked out very well. Each player had a job to do, and a role to play.
After about 2 or 3 months, the band was ready to go. The first gig was at a party in San Francisco. It was a pretty relaxed atmosphere, and nobody noticed the mistakes....... From that night on, Bill's Toupee was a giggin machine. Playing at venues like Boswells in Campbell, CA, The Huddle in Fremont, CA, and The Pioneer Saloon in Woodside, CA, the band was on a steady diet of Red Hot Chili Peppers and Garbage, among others (like, Melissa Etheridge, Alanis Morrisette, and Tom Petty). There were other gigs, too. Carlos Murphy's in Pleasant Hill, CA (when only 10 people were there...), and various City-sponsored functions and private parties.
It was during these shows that Dave and Tom invented their patented "adventure guys dual solo style", as heard on live recordings of "Rocky Mountain Way", and "Play That Funky Music". It wasn't always pretty, but sometimes they would come out with something brilliant.
There are several audio & video recordings in the vaults, taped at various stages of the band's existance. Some of them are actually pretty good sounding, too.
After a while, Andy decided to part ways with the band. But, that didn't mean the end of Bill's Toupee, and after trying out 2 or 3 other drummers, the band decided on Mick to be the new Bill's Toupee drummer. Tom knew Mick from his days with Marshall Coleman. Although Tom really missed playing with Andy, the band took on a different personality, and everyone was happy again. Then, Brian replaced Chris as full time bassist. Brian and Mick had been playing in Marshall's band together for about 4 years, and the combination was stunning. THEN, Dave decided to leave, making B.T. a four-piece. They only played about 3 or 4 more shows as a quartet, and decided to call it a day.
All in all, the experience was a good one; as everyone in Bill's Toupee had fun, played thousands of notes, and ate tons of food after the gigs. Oh, and I edited my profile with Thomas Myspace Editor V4.4 (www.strikefile.com/myspace)
