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One night after Demands' rehearsal in early '02, Jahna stops by Leisure Time Lanes in NYC's Port Authority Bus Terminal. There, she meets up with Blair and the two of them invite a couple of the bowling pals, Mike and Matt, to start a band.
Michael and Blair have known each other since at least 1973, when they were still a couple years away from double-digit ages. Michael played in various bands over the years (including drums with the Bordellos a few years back.) In fact, he and Blair once jammed together in 12th grade, w/Blair on Casio and Michael and their friend Cliff on guitar, playing Louie, Louie for 30 minutes. Matt played in his first band sometime in the early 80s. One of his bands, The Painted Birds, even played one of NYC's favorite garage/psych nights of the late 80s, the monthly Mind's Eye event (which Blair was probably at, since he went to almost every one of those that happened). From 2004-2006, he joined forces with Blair and Jahna in The Coal Gems. (That band is currently on hiatus.)
In 2005/2006, the band recorded, both at home and at Mike Fornatale's place. The stuff recorded at home was mixed by Blair's old roomie, Andy Peters. Jahna left soon after the early '06 sessions, to be replaced by Jeff Cuyubamba, a friend of Blair and Michael's since the mid-late 80s. In early 2008, Blair's wife Maureen - also his partner in The Emby Confection - joined the group on bass, thereby relieving Blair's left hand of those duties and providing actual bass lines and some better backing vocals. (Maureen can also be heard on The Royal Purple's 2008 CD, both in a singing role and playing harp.) In June, 2008, Jeff informed the band that he had to give up his seat due to work, but agreed to help out with a project that was near and dear to Matt's heart, recording a song for a tribute to Winter Hours. And that's where things stand...WE NEED A DRUMMER!
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