Something About Tomorrow - Featuring Matt Skirpan

During Summer 1988 when The Secret Society (Rev 2) was recording songs for their debut release at Horse and Buggy Highway Studios, we recorded tracks with various guitarists.  The other day I unearthed an unreleased recording with Dirk Frey.  Today's find is an unreleased version of Something About Tomorrow with Matt "Scrap Pap" Skirpan on guitar.  Enjoy!

Ttam Troll · The Secret Society - Something About Tomorrow (MS Gtr Mix)

How Do Rocks Multiply? (Solution IV) - Featuring Dirk Frey

During Summer 1988 when The Secret Society (Rev 2) was recording songs for their debut release at Horse and Buggy Highway Studios, we recorded tracks with various guitarists.  One such guitarist was Dirk Frey from The Secret Society (Rev 1).  This mix of How Do Rocks Multiply (Solution IV) features a recently unearthed recording with Dirk Frey on guitar.  

Ttam Troll · The Secret Society - How Do Rocks Multiply? (Solution IV) (DF Gtr Mix)

P.S. The photo is taken from The Secret Society (Rev 1) performance in early 1987 during Winter Carnival at Shippensburg Area Senior High School.

Floundering In A Sea Of Digital Waves

In early Summer 1988, I went to Ocean City, MD with the Ocker family for a fun and relaxing trip. Late at night, I took the opportunity to stroll along the beach alone. Sometimes listening to the waves and sometimes listening to my Walkman, it was during these strolls that I first had the idea for writing a song that would sonically capture the sound of a listless ocean along with the power and elegance of the waves as they crashed upon the shore. This was not a novel idea but for an 18yr kid (excuse me, man) it provided enough stimulus for a creative spark to be ignited.

It took about a year before I fully realized this idea but here I present to you the initial demo version of Floundering In A Sea of Digital Waves as I recorded it in the Summer of 1989.

P.S. Thank you to Tonya Ocker for capturing this picture of me with "Bedhead".

This Mistress - Don’t Change

Requested by one of our long time fans, Douglas Shields, here is another This Mistress track saved from oblivion from a long lost tape.  It’s our cover version of INXS - Don’t Change.  The quality of this boom box recording from early 1988 is very sub par.  It also sounds as if we were still learning the song or should I say, I was still learning the song.  Enjoy!



P.S. This photo was taken at Long Pine Run Dam in Chambersburg, PA in early 1988 and features the original line up of This Mistress (from L to R) Tim Harrell, Kevin "Bart the Fart" Wilson, Matt "Scrap Pap" Skirpan, Matt Norcross, Brad Shaeffer, and Scott McConnell.

This Mistress - Moonlight In Samosa

After the live debut of Dungeon Aire on New Year’s Eve 12/31/87, we rolled into 1988 by adding an additional guitar player, Kevin "Bart The Fart” Wilson, and changing our band name to This Mistress.  There was nothing to stop us.  

In order to help us get some gigs, we recorded a “cassette calling card”.  In true DIY fashion, we set up a boom box with a built-in mic and hit record.  Here is our cover version of Robert Plant - Moonlight In Samosa.  Saved from oblivion from a long lost tape.  The quality of this recording is very sub par but it highlights a more subtle and nuanced side of the band.  I hope you enjoy it!



P.S. This photo was taken at Long Pine Run Dam in Chambersburg, PA in early 1988 and features the original line up of This Mistress (from L to R) Tim Harrell, Kevin "Bart the Fart" Wilson, Matt "Scrap Pap" Skirpan, Scott McConnell, Brad Shaeffer, and Matt Norcross. 

Dungeon Aire Rehearsal

This is a rare video of Dungeon Aire during a rehearsal with some of it's members on January 2nd, 1988.  Unfortunately, Scott and I are both missing from this rehearsal.  I'm not sure why we were not there since we were the ones that always (except this time) lined up rehearsals.  I guess we had something better to do.

To set the record straight, we were still called Dungeon Aire at this time.  We would not become This Mistress until Kevin "Bart the Fart" Wilson joined the band on guitar.

Thanks to Steve Olsen for uploading this video and for all of his support over the years.  A large part of our video history was recorded through his lens.

Remembering Dan Ebeling

Today's a bit of a sad day.  It would have been my friend's birthday.

I only knew Dan for a very short time.  During my first (and only) year at IUP, Dan asked me to join him playing bass in 10 O'Clock Jazz Band.  I wasn't very accomplished at that age (18) compared to others in the band but I think Dan saw the potential I had and wanted to help me grow as a musician.  Thanks to him and many others at IUP, grow I did during that year.  At the end of the school year, Dan asked me to perform beside him during his Master's Recital.  I remember being very honored that he asked me.  Dan was a great musician and, to me, and even better friend.  He is missed.

This Mistress - Music For Tents Part 3

We end This Mistress week with another recently discovered photo from the This Mistress performance at Wynn Ruffin's "Music for Tents" birthday party in Summer 1988. This line up included (from L to R) Matt Norcross - Bass, Scott McConnell - Synthesizer, Kevin "Bart the Fart" Wilson - Guitar, Tim Harrell - Drums (hidden), Ken Chandler - Vocals, and Matt "Scrap Pap" Skirpan - Guitar.

Behind the scenes with This Mistress

It's turning into a This Mistress week on the blog. Here's another behind the scenes photo from the This Mistress gig at Wynn Ruffin's "Music For Tents" birthday party during Summer 1988. Some pictured are (from L to R) Jackey McConnell (pink shirt), Kevin "Bart the Fart" Wilson (red shirt and two beers), Doug "Drug" Shields (red hat), Robby Wilson (red bandana), Tim Harrell ('fro and mirror shades), and Jim "Aaaarrrrhhhh" Dewey (holding cigarette).

This Mistress and "The Van"

This behind the scenes photo of members from This Mistress was shot at Wynn Ruffin's "Music For Tents" birthday party during Summer 1988. Pictured are (from L to R) Scott McConnell, Matt Norcross (in purple shades mostly hidden behind Matt Skirpan), Matt Skirpan (in "short shorts"), and Ken Chandler.

This happens to also be the only picture of "The Van" that I would occasionally get to borrow from my parents. The Dodge Van 200 customized by Marshall Van Inc was the main form of transportation during the sports playing days of my youth and the scene of many roving "parties" later as I began to drive. Many innocent and not-so-innocent fun times transpired around its whereabouts.

This Mistress at Long Pine Run Dam

Here's the third long lost This Mistress photo which I uncovered while sifting through a stack of negatives. Highlights (or some may say low lights) include Matt Skirpan in Moon Boots, Kevin Wilson wearing pants instead of his cut off jean shorts, and another cheesy mustachioed smile by me. Tim Harrell provides some comic relief while Brad Shaeffer gets "serious" and Scott McConnell wonders "What in the hell have I done? Why did I want to form this band?"

This photo was taken at Long Pine Run Dam in Chambersburg, PA in early 1988 and features the original line up of This Mistress (from L to R) Tim Harrell, Kevin "Bart the Fart" Wilson, Matt "Scrap Pap" Skirpan, Matt Norcross, Brad Shaeffer, and Scott McConnell.

Gil James and his Sounds of the Decades Part 6

Another costume change for the Gil James and his Sound of the Decades gig in April 1988. I can't believe that I'm posting this!

How Do Rocks Multiply (Solution IV)

Here's another live in the studio track unearthed from the FFS Vaults. This version of How Do Rocks Multiply (Solution IV) was recorded at Horse and Buggy Highway Studios in Shippensburg, PA during the recording sessions for The Secret Society debut release in Summer 1988.

As in yesterday's post, this performance was recorded in between the "serious" recordings for the release and features the line up of M Scott McConnell (Synthesizers), Matt Norcross (Bass), Tim Harrell ("Live" Drum Machine), Ken Chandler (Vocals), and birthday boy, Kevin "Bart the Fart" Wilson (Guitar).

The occasion for this recording was Kevin "Bart the Fart" Wilson's birthday. Though none of his guitar work made it onto The Secret Society official release, we celebrated his birthday with a day (and night) music making and partying. Though by listening to this and the other recordings from this day, you may wonder which we did more of but, suffice it to say, we made sure that we did plenty of both.

Without further digression, I present to you the dueling guitar work of Kevin "Bart the Fart" Wilson.

P.S. The photo was taken at the This Mistress performance in Scotland, PA in the Summer of 1988. Pictured (L to R) are Kevin "Bart the Fart" Wilson (Guitar), Matt Norcross (Bass), M Scott McConnell (Synthesizers), and Ken Chandler (Vocals).

Progressions

During the sweltering Summer of 1988, The Secret Society convened at Horse and Buggy Highway Studios in Shippensburg, PA to record songs for their debut release. This rev (Rev 2) of The Secret Society was comprised of members from This Mistress and concentrated on recording original songs written by M Scott McConnell and Matt Norcross.

When we weren't sweating to death (there were no air conditioners in the studio) or doing "serious" recording, we would sometimes roll tape and record some live versions of the songs with whoever happened to be visiting the studio at that time. This recording of Progressions is one such recording. It features M Scott McConnell (Synthesizers), Matt Norcross (Bass), Tim Harrell ("Live" Drum Machine), Ken Chandler (Vocals), and Kevin "Bart the Fart" Wilson (Guitar). It was recorded direct to a Fostex X-15 cassette 4-Track. It's distorted and sonically poor but still a fun listen. I hope you enjoy it.

P.S. This photo was taken at the This Mistress performance at Wynn Ruffin's Birthday Party in Summer 1988. Pictured (L to R) is the line up featured on the recording. Matt Norcross (Bass), Kevin "Bart the Fart" Wilson (Guitar), M Scott McConnell (Synthesizers), Tim Harrell (Drums), and Ken Chandler (Vocals).

Hmmm...

What have you boys been up to???

P.S. Pictured (L to R) are Matt Norcross and M Scott McConnell. This photo was taken in Jackey Dickey's (later McConnell) Penn St off campus (Shippensburg University) house in Spring 1988.

Before Ttam Troll, there was Tan Troll

Yes, before the arrival of Ttam Troll, first mutant to ascend from the plasma pool after the Cy-Tech Wars in 1989, there was Tan Troll.  This photo was taken in the wilds of Ocean City, MD during the Summer of 1988.  Pencils should have been optional!

This Mistress - Live at SASHS Part 2

I mentioned in my previous post about this performance that I was hopeful to resurrect some of the very poor quality video footage from the show. Here you have it... This Mistress performing Led Zeppelin's Misty Mountain Hop sans lead singer (Brad "Chicken Strut" Shaeffer) during a soundcheck at Shippensburg Area Senior High School on 03/12/88.

The line up for this Winter Carnival show included Brad Shaeffer - Vocals, Matt "Scrap Pap" Skirpan - Guitar, Kevin "Bart the Fart" Wilson - Guitar, Scott McConnell - Synthesizer, Matt Norcross - Bass, and Tim Harrell - Drums.

This Mistress - Back In The Carport

In this video, This Mistress performs Get It On by Kingdom Come. It's another "classic" carport performance captured during our outdoor concert in Scotland, PA during the Summer of 1988.

Not to be deterred by the lack of attention paid to us by the partygoers who were busy either swimming, playing volleyball, or feasting on BBQ, we worked through our eclectic set of originals, classic rock, alternative, and metal songs.

This line up of the band included Ken Chandler - Vocals, Matt "Scrap Pap" Skirpan - Guitar, Kevin "Bart the Fart" Wilson - Guitar, Scott McConnell - Synthesizer, Matt Norcross - Bass, and Tim Harrell - Drums.

This performance was shot and edited by our longtime videographer Steve Olsen and, if you watch closely near the beginning of the video, you'll see a young, feathered hair and toe tapping Jackey Dickey (later McConnell) sitting off to the side of the band enjoying the music.

Another long lost This Mistress photo found!

Here's another long lost This Mistress photo which I uncovered while sifting through a stack of negatives.  If it weren't for my cheesy smile, this would be a really good photo.  Especially classic is Kevin's peek at the camera over Tim's shoulder and Scott's manly chest hair.

This photo was taken at Long Pine Run Dam in Chambersburg, PA in early 1988 and features the original line up of This Mistress (from L to R) Tim Harrell, Kevin "Bart the Fart" Wilson, Matt "Scrap Pap" Skirpan, Scott McConnell, Brad Shaeffer, and Matt Norcross.

Gil James and his Sounds of the Decades Part 5

Fourth of July 1988 + Gil James and his Sounds of the Decades = Matt in another bad outfit. Is there no end to my embarrassment?