Evan Graham (red T-shirt) befriended BTMI! by hosting them for a post-show sleepover (Photo Provided)
My ultimate fan boy dreams came true when I got to thank a promoter in Toronto for letting Bomb the Music Industry! (BTMI!), one of my favourite bands, play at Lee’s Palace.
On behalf of the band, I told the promoter that they would love to come back again sometime.
My friend Helen and I are huge fans of BTMI! and we see them any chance we can.
In November of our first year at Carleton, they were supposed to stop in Ottawa for a show but cancelled at the last minute, so Helen and I hopped on a bus to Montreal and tried to catch them there. Just our luck, the flyer had the wrong address and we actually walked passed them as they were loading the van after the show.
Our little hearts were crushed so we continued our quest to see them no matter what.
The following spring tour they were going to do a show in the basement of the Ottawa record store End Hits, and later a show at Babylon nightclub on Bank Street.
BTMI! arrived 45 minutes late to End Hits and could only play five or six songs, but as they were spray painting fans’ T-shirts outside and signing my records, Helen shouted, “Hey, you guys could come stay at our house if you wanted.”
Jeff said he might take us up on our offer and they drove off to open up for the Slackers at Babylon. I was 18 at the time and couldn’t get into the show so I went to another show then came home.
At about 11 p.m., a big white van pulled up and six guys piled into our house.
In an effort to be considerate to my neighbours, they said we should probably go to a bar somewhere because they had very loud indoor voices.
After sneaking into Babylon we hung around for a while and the bass player John bought everybody pitchers.
We didn’t have any furniture in our house at the time because we hadn’t really moved in yet, but that was fine since they mostly slept in their van anyways.
After one of the musicians cooked Huevos Rancheros for everyone, they hopped in their van heading for Toronto.
My friend Pat and I said we were going to go to their show in Toronto anyways so they offered us a ride in exchange for our hospitality.
Our first stop was in Guelph and after two of my very good friends couldn’t get in, a few of the band members picked up their instruments and played a private show for us in the parking lot.
On our final morning in Toronto, the trombonist Matt was feeling crummy, so he drank a litre of Jim Beam bourbon and threw up purple-popsicle-coloured puke. Pat continued on with them to London and after some giant hugs, they drove off.
I have remained good friends with the members of BTMI! and they continue to stay over when they come to Canada.