My memory is so hazy, I can't remember how I came to be in the band. Maybe Ron recommended me? Anyway, I was by far the youngest in the band. It was a little intimidating. Dean was a pretty fantastic guitar player. He could pull off crazy "licks," I believe they're called. My style was (and is) based on slop. So maybe that had a nice yin/yang thing? I believe it was my role to put some quirky "leads" over the songs Dean and Amy had written. We rehearsed a few times in the basement of the Hive, aka Ron's house. Did we only play one show together? Did we ever talk to each other again? Was it a love-rectangle that forced our demise? Or an argument over a meatball sandwich? (No, definitely not that. Maybe a seitan sandwich?)
Gosh almighty, I can hardly remember anything at all. What's wrong with me? I remember our cover of "Heart of Glass," because Amy's vocals really shined on it. And I remember her song about how she loved her dog. And I remember Dean suggesting we do a cover of the Pixies' "Bone Machine," and I was always kind of bummed that never happened.
- John
Like John, I really don’t remember how we all got together except that Ron was wanting to play the drums and I happened to live with a very good guitar player and I knew John was a cool kid. That’s it. Overall, I think it’s unfortunate that we only had maybe seven practices and two shows. I think we could have been alright if we had time to actually be a band. I’m not sure seven practices and two shows even qualifies as a side project. Again, I had no idea what I was doing, but I had fun. As with Bessie, I maintain the attitude that girls everywhere should pick up an instrument if they feel like it and see what happens. So what if it is less than amazing or downright sucks. By the way Chris, I was never ever trying to be Kim Deal. It would have been a lot simpler if I had been. If I was trying to rip anyone off it was the chic from Dahlia Seed. Much more difficult to do—especially while playing an instrument that you don’t really know how to play. I still couldn’t sing in minor keys, but continued to write songs that required such skill. Oh well--my kids love "Gertrude Is a Dog," so I guess that’s something!
Unfortunately, our time together was so brief, there is not a lot to say. I, too, regret that we never covered "Bone Machine." I remember feeling bad for John and Ron for having to listen to Dean and myself bicker about the songs…sorry about that. That last Cole Estate show also taught me never ever to drink Osco vodka. Sorry again about your car Ron. Thanks Tracy for the Febreze. Anyway—good times.
- Amy
Just like everyone else, I don't remember the exact details of our genesis as a band. I was living in the Hive with Andy, and really took to playing the drums. Amy rocked the house in Bessie and since we ran into each other all the time in the Cushing-Fitzpatrick engineering building, we were bound by fate to form a band. I think Dean was just wrapping up his time in another band (or not?), so we started playing together, practicing in my basement. Since I didn't really know how to play the drums yet I was mostly stealing ideas from the other drummers in the scene (particularly Vinny and Doug), but it was a lot of fun. Dean noted that my playing was rather unorthodox, but he seemed to enjoy it.
I had a lot of fun playing in Cole Estate. IIRC, I flaked out of the band at some point, but I have some memory of being replaced by a grateful dead-esque drummer? Sorry for being flakey.
I probably won't ever forget the Osco Vodka night. It was really funny (probably not for Amy though). Special thanks go to Tracy for fixing plumbing problems in our little beat up house (which was otherwise pretty great for throwing shows) and cleaning up my car.
- Ron
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