The Underthings debut.

Finally Andy, Kris and Sam from the Spitoons decided to debut the new version of their band last Friday, September 6th. The Spittoons were great because they're all seasoned players and the nicest bunch of goofballs you'll ever meet. They played only covers but with a super fun spirit and just the right amount of finnesse. They began in the quintessential 60's garage band paradigm - playing hits - the early repertoire included Tossin' and Turnin' next to numbers by The Who, The Kinks and (slightly anachronistic with the rest of the material) The Ramones, etc. Apparently years of listening to CBS Oldies rubbed off on 'em. As gigs became more frequent song selections became more obscure. They added one of my all time favorites, Shake a Tail Feather by the Five Dutones as well as The Who's Circles - although thank goodness their version was based on Fleur De Ly's superior arrangement and performance. Now they've added Brett Wilder on bass, Sam has switched to second guitar and they're doing 95% originals under the moniker The Underthings . Brett was in The Vacant Lot but I know him mostly from when he worked at the junk store on 9th st which is now the home of Academy Records. At one point the junk store, I can't remember the name of the colorful character who owned it but I recall him smoking cigars and being married to the singer of the Trick Babies at the time - anyway, he had bought a whole mess of video cassettes from some Chinese guy. It was junk heaven for me because, while they were litterally beat up and some of them dirt encrusted, these cassettes contained obscure kung fu films: Enter the Fat Dragon, Mantis Fists and Tiger Claws of Shaolin , Roving Swordsman, and so forth. And he was selling them for a dollar a pop. I often bought them from Brett who was always super nice, friendly and fun to talk to. Low and behold some eleven years later Brett resurfaces in front of me on stage next to Andy, Kris and Sam...The show was at Cakeshop. It's a nice cozy basement space underneath a hipster cafe and an ever diminishing record store in the rear. The downstairs bar is beer, wine & sake only. I saw Dave the Spazz and Victoria, we talked a bit 'bout the upcoming Norton anniversary on his radio show, then I made a bee line for some inexpensive sake (turns out they serve the standard yet reliable Ozeki). I’m sippin sake, standing at the end of the bar, near the stage, when an attractive young woman taps me on the shoulder. I thought she wanted me to move because I was in her view path but then I realized it was J.K. saying hi. J.K. plays with Kris in the brilliantly retarded garage punk outfit The Plungers, one of the best bands in town (led by the brilliantly retarded Masayo). I down my carafe of sake and the Underthings take the stage with such laid back ease, then break into their first number. Genius – it’s power pop with just enough edge to keep it in garage territory. To be continued...