Mk I: Rex Brown / Tony Dapolito / Kelly Duncan / Barry Mace
Mk II: Rex Brown / Tony Dapolito / Scott Miller / Brian Plummer
Mk III: Rex Brown / Tony Dapolito / Scott Miller / Les Mobley
Mk IV: Rex Brown / Tony Dapolito / Scott Miller / Les Mobley / David Burdick
Mk V: Rex Brown / Scott Miller / Les Mobley / Eric Kehr
Influences
A huge influence on me was Marc Bolan. He proved that a moderately talented musician could make it big if he had enough curly hair. Most of my odd lyrics I blame on Marc Bolan.
Other influences were Frank Zappa, Devo, Black Sabbath and Pink Floyd.
This site is a tribute to Radio Milan, a Tulsa band popular on the regional new wave scene in the Eighties.
Originally formed in 1980 as The Insects, the group changed its name to Radio Milan in 1984. Their very last gig was in 1986 opening for Wang Chung at Tulsa's Riverparks Amphitheater.
Here's an old viddy of the Insects performing "Sofas in Motion" on the KTUL TV show, Night Shift.
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The Insects played at Tulsa's famed Bleu Grotto to a small and puzzled crowd. Eventually the "art noise" gave way to more serious music. Later the group played at clubs like Tulsa's Dance Cafe, Bongo Silly's, Crystal Pistol, Cain's Ballroom, Club 424, Nuevo Wavo in Stillwater, the Twilight Ballroom in Dallas and the Bowery in OKC. The band played many gigs with local favorites like Square Force, the Food Chain and opened for such notables as Lords of the New Church, The Fleshtones and Wang Chung. Radio Milan's only vinyl release was the tune "Mille Miglia" on the Explosive Records Sampler.
In 1986, when the cassette "Musica La Dolce" was released, Radio Milan was Rex Brown, Scott Miller, Eric Kehr and Les Mobley. Through the years the group also featured Tony Dapolito, David Burdick, Barry Mace, Kelly Duncan and Brian Plummer.
For more info, tunes and exciting Insects and Radio Milan gear visit www.maduko.com
He passed away Sunday from an apparent heart attack. Came across this obit from Crib Notes...
I thought this quote was worth noting:
"According to his eldest son Alan, he was famous for his dark sense of
humor: “I was talking to my Dad’s friend Roy and he told me as bad as I
am feeling, Dad is probably laughing his ass off because what a better
way to go than to die in your sleep of a heart attack on Father’s Day.”
More tunes have been unearthed from the Insect vaults!
Live tracks from the Night Shift on KTUL television are now digifized for your auralistic convenience. You can buy them now from your favorite purveyors of musical downloadables...
Check the new tunes... live Bleu Grotto track from the very first Insects gig! The White Zone- it's Nancy's favorite.
Also a recently unearthed studio recording of Sofas in Motion. This was recorded at Tulsa Studios circa 1985 and featured the Big Band (Grandpa Burdick, Les, Sabu, etc).
The pic of you guys at Nitro sure brought back the memories. I can't tell if that's me standing behind the bar but that's where I spent a good deal of time back in the day. You guys were the best. Thanks for sharing!
You can visit the Crystal Pistol, virtually of course, but you might still need to show some ID.
Here's an update from the Where-are-they-now Department...
Haven't seen Tony in years- last I heard he was living in Arkansas. Brian Plummer is alive and kicking in St. Louis and known here as Automaticdrums. Scott Miller was last spotted down near Corpus Christi. David "Grandpa" Burdick is also in Texas and seen on these pages occasionally. Kelly Duncan is hovering between Tulsa and Bartlesville. Les is in San Francisco and still playing drums for an alt-country band, Red Meat. Eric is back in Tulsa but I haven't seen him in several years. And Barry is in Plano, Texas.
Barry's wife is 29, and his daughter is 5, so he doesn't really use the net much, but I'll pass the message along. Hey, how do I get jumped in to the Crystal Pistol? I am legal now. I wanna play.....
Hey Rex, This is probably going to sound like a mother lioness protecting her cub, but I have to update the Barry image....he moved to my place in late 99 or maybe early 00. It didn't happen over night, but he is absolutely clean and has been for several years now. The birth of his daughter cemented that, I feel sure and he is really that kind, creative soul that he was prior to that meth crap. I know he was a wreck but he has really put himself and his family together and I hope that someday, that is the Barry that people know and not that other guy. I know he was what he was...I just always knew that he was more. And he is. Hey, he even owns a suit! Dashing if I do say so myself.
"Where is Barry Mace these days? I saw him about 10-12 years ago in Los Angeles..."
from what i gather he lives in plano texas now.........i just got in touch with his sister........don't remember her but the mace boys are in texas i guess...........
Bleu Grotto, Crystal Pistol, Cain's Ballroom, 424 and Nuevo Wavo in Stillwater, the Twilight Ballroom in Dallas and the Bowery in OKC...yeah, but you forgot to mention the house of Argyle off highway 97 north of Sand Springs. whats up ? Happy Thanksgiving.
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