Where did you guys get the Name Drunk Stuntmen

* Hyland Brewery Octoberfest Saturday 10/20 Holland, MA

* Hyland Brewery Octoberfest Sunday 10/21 Holland, MA

* Iron Horse Music Hall Halloween Show 10/27 Northampton, MA

* Joe Bomber's 11/2 Torrington, CT

* Rt. 63 Roadhouse Thanksgiving Bash 11/24 Millers Falls, MA

Occasionally this question comes up, as it did again while I was standing outside the Rodeo Bar in NYC. A smartly dressed older woman smoking a Nat Sherman cigarette posed the question "Where did they get the name Drunk Stuntmen? I saw the name on the bill and I just had to check them out."

She seemed like she had potential to be a patron of the arts and considered asking for her number, but I kept my honor. I did however relate the story as it was described to me many years ago in the Hippie Noodle Shop.

Back in the day, when the boys were in the transition period after the national tour which put Soup in the holding kettle, names for the band were being kicked around. Some may recall a gig or two by a band named the Polecats. Kinda skunky like an old Heineken, don't ya think?

So, Freddy was standing in the kitchen at Amber Waves, his dreadlocks flapping around as he enthusiastically recounted this tale.

I'm a little fuzzy on the facts since minutes earlier I had an encounter with The Weasel in the bathroom and was freaking out as I had to listen to the guy with tourette's go "huh, mnaaah. Whoop! It's 9:15 where the hell is he? Huh, Whoop maaaahhh!"

So Freddy was a welcome sight since he was no longer late, and was sure to provide some comic relief. He launches into this tale about how the Band had been to NYC. Maybe it was for the New Years Eve celebration or perhaps a Phish show at the Garden. Maybe it was a combination of the two since many a NYE were spent in MSG by Phish and their devoted fans.

The band was in Times Square when this incident occured. I don't want to destroy any preconceived notions you had of the band, but alcohol was a factor. They were stumbling around Times Square surfing through the crowd when Freddy miscalculated a curb and took a tumble. He hit the ground rolled over, he calls it a somersault, and landed upright. It may have been Bow Bow who declared this but Freddy claims he said, "Look at me, I'm a Drunk Stuntman!" The basic nuts and bolts of the tale are true, no names have been changed since they are all guilty of something, the least of which is performing blistering and energy breeding live shows. The shows are so electric they are gonna go off the grid one day.

So, Stuntman Steve and Freddy spent the week in Ireland with the Young At Heart Chorus. The shows in Dublin were well attended and the band received standing ovations. Both guys described Dublin as "kinda trashy." Ennis was much nicer.

This weekend it is off to the Hyland Brewery in Holland, MA, for the Brewery and Orchard's Octoberfest. Bring the family. There is apple and pumpkin picking, hayrides, animal petting areas and as Homer Simpson once described, the cause and solution to all of life's problems...Beer. Finely crafted Ales, Lagers and Stouts courtesy of brewmeisters Tim Daley and Todd Sullivan. The shows are both Saturday and Sunday from 1-5 PM.

Has everyone picked out their costume yet? Time is tricking away. The Halloween Spooktacular is happening at the Iron Horse Music Hall in Northampton, MA on Saturday October 27th. It is guaranteed to be a treat. Showtime is 10 PM. This is the 15th Anniversary Show for the Stuntmen as well as the Drunk Stuntmen/Young At Heart Chorus Back to Back DVD release party. The DVD documents the historic show performed by these two bands at Northampton's Academy of Music in November 2004. Come in Costume.

Things are going well with the mastering of "State Fair" the working title of the upcoming Drunk Stuntmen album. We have heard a few of the raw tracks, they are better than we had hoped. It looks like Bamm's favorites are not going to be on the album. We are going to have to hold Steve to his promise of releasing an EP of tracks which didn't make the final cut.

Don't forget to check out the new venue for the Drunk Stuntmen, Joe Bomber's in Torrington, CT. They will play there on November 2nd.

I was looking at the menu online for the Rt 63 Roadhouse. Make sure you check out the food. People have been giving it raves. Steve says Carol is back there doing all of the hard work, putting love into every morsel. Don't wait until the Drunk Stuntmen's post Thanksgiving Show on November 24th to check it out. If you can't get there until the 24th, don't fill up on open faced turkey sangweeches before you get there. That tryptifane will put you into a coma, anyway, Solamente No!

As Always, Do Your Own Stunts.

Paul Brown 10.18.07