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The
Dark! These guys (youths) were unbelievable. Ages from 13 to
15 years old, but man how they could play. The guitarist could
unleash notes with the speed of a machine gun when he felt like
it. However, at least in the beginning, he would downplay this
in favor of the power chords. I only heard him pull off these
monster riffs when he would blow a note, get pissed and add
this rapid fire stuff in. We used to actually yell at them to
put more lead in their songs. Mike Hudson knew them and had
taken them under his wing. They got a gig set up at a Kent warehouse
type party and Mike and I drove them to it. We loaded up the
two cars and headed south. Mike and I began racing each other,
down those dark country roads, passing each other on the left
in the face of oncoming vehicles and also at times on the right
shoulder. A cop coming the other way witnesses a bit of our
actions and turns around to begin his pursuit. I ditched it
off on a side street and pulled in behind a building and hid
for a bit. Hudson wasn't as lucky. The cop pulled him over and
asked, "Where's the other car?" Mike denied knowing who the
other car was or what the hell they were doing driving like
that. Then the cop asked Mike, "You been drinking?" He replied,
"I had a drink with dinner, sir". I guess if a bottle of wine
is a "drink" and a half pack of smokes is "dinner" then Mike
was telling the truth. The cop looked deeper into the car and
sees all these young kids in leather jackets and chopped hair
and who knows what else and asks Hudson, "What is with you guys?"
Hudson replies, "We're a band". The cop wants to know, "WHAT
KIND OF BAND." Mike tells him, "PUNK ROCK!". The cop just told
him to get out of here. Anyhow, we finally make it to the gig
with the band in check. Another hassle takes place as the doorman
is trying to make us (including the band) pay to get in. Hudson
negotiates with him in that Hudson manner and things get worked
out. Inside there is a good crowd. The space is dark and maze
like. The Dark play about twenty minutes and are as great and
throbbing as usual. After that we all just looked at each other
and it was like "Go?" "Yep" and so we split. We took the 40
mile drive back a little slower.
(Rand Primos) |
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When
The Dissidents first starting playing out, we were inexperienced
to say the least. We always took refuge in the fact that we
were only 16-17 year olds. "How good do you expect us to
be? We're just kids!" One night at Tucky's that all changed.
I believe it was a benefit for the Cleveland Confidential album.
We went down to the show. It was the first time we had seen
the Dark. We were blown away! Tommy Dark and Robert Griffin
were our age, Scott (bass) was only 13 and Dave (drums) was
only 14. They were great! Good songs, tight arrangements, and
loads of energy. That night the Dark inadvertently pushed us
to be a better band, and over a period of time we became one.
The "we're just kids" excuse no longer worked.
(Scott Stemple)
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