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Stories and Stuff! There are more things than you will EVER need to know about Free Beer on this page. Go ahead. Click something and make my day!
Where We Play Boulders in Plymouth The
Lakepointe Yacht Club in Livonia Who Are We? Free Beer is:
The Replacements Paul was replaced by Marty Beem who worked with Kurt and filled in when Paul could not make some shows. Unfortunately after only two gigs, Marty decided to get married (we found the marriage over band choice curious, but it was what Marty wanted to do!). The next bass installment was Tom Conway . He works with Kurt at Daimler Chrysler and overheard the "bass player" discussion and introduced himself. But he tired quickly of Free Beer's extensive touring schedule and he called it quits.
So now on to Bass Player #4, Jeff
Brookmyer . TJ found him, so that's a pretty good
recommendation right there! When he first tried out for the
band, we asked him for his home phone number, but since he wasn't
really living anywhere he didn't have one. He works at Roush
Racing and drives a pretty cool Mustang, but when he carries his
equipment, it leaves nowhere to pick up chicks. Not a big
problem with Free Beer! He has a place so now if he could
just get the chicks home .... Bass Player #5. Duane Larkin answered the impromptu ad for a bass player in the article written in the Detroit News by Neil Rubin. He's a lefty, and (Jeff says) one of the best bass players around. How does he fit in with us? Let's find out!! Drummers Kevin was replaced by John Monpetit who moved in next door to Scott and was trying to sneak his drums in. He was busted, and recruited as drummer 2 for Free Beer. John was replaced in 1998 by Mitch Kozera who was part owner of Lemon Jellow studios where Free Beer recorded its only album "Nutcracker". He became drummer 3. In 1999 he decided to concentrate on his other band, named Safe As Milk at the time, now called Sugar Daddy . That's when we found T.J. Collica (or he found us) through an ad in the Metro Times! T.J. fit right in and was the organizational force behind the band for two and a half years. As a matter of fact, we think the lack of organization might have gotten to him a little bit, so to ensure that he was organized, he left us to start his own band, the Granddaddies, and that brings us to drummer #5. Thanks to Jeff's great memory, he recalled a really great drummer he had once gigged with ... he only knew him as Big Bad Bob. (Funny thing, he's not that big. I've heard him play, he is certainly not bad. Being named Robert does qualify him as a Bob, 1 outta 3 ain't bad Jeff!). Big Bad Bob is Robert Espinoza. His background is jazz, but he certainly likes to rock. He has been semi retired as a drummer, playing only once a year with a full-on Tower of Power type band with Horns and all. They call him up like the Blues Brothers, on a mission from god, and get the band back together every 12 months. He was glad to help us out and was a quick study of the Free Beer set list. (If you know the set list, you realize this is not that difficult, but we are still proud of Bob's accomplishment). Unfortunately, the story does not end there. Bob could not work our extensive touring schedule into his family schedule. This required us to dig DEEP into our memories. Jim and Scott recalled a drummer from a funk band who also played along on some of the radio stations gig back at WRIF in the early eighties. The legend of Perry Stockbridge was etched in the memories of Motor City rock fans, alot like Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, the first Police gig at Bookies in 1977 when 7 people attended, but over 1000 people I have spoken to claim to have been there. Everyone has heard of him, no one knew where he was now. One thing for sure, he had not been on stage since about 1985. We put the word out that we were looking for him. "We're on a mission from god" we said. Then one day, like a miracle Perry Stockbridge shows up with a snare, some sticks and a high hat. Within a few moments we were showing him the beats of the Elvises (Presley and Costello), he was bustin' our chops with Tower Of Power and James Brown. Somewhere between the two, you will find the latest incarnation of Free Beer. That's why he is now drummer Number 6. There are no musical qualifications to speak of. So we won't. If you have questions or comments about our page, let us know here . Copyright 1999-2006 Free Beer |
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