The Generics
Tom Miller - Guitar, Vocals
Mark Vocca - Guitar, Vocals
Bob Richey - Drums
Tom Hamilton - Bass
These guys were great. One of the fastest bands in Cleveland at the time or any other time. And tight to boot. Plus they were all cool people. Through these guys I met my good ol' buddy Bob Richey. He was 15 and I was around 21. We later started the Pink Holes, and later 2 Bobs.
My Generics story is, one day I popped by Mike Crossen's studio because these guys were working there. I was there just to check things out and get high. Well, Mark Vocca suggests that I do the solo on M-16 (one hell of a thumpin' punkin' song). I was all for it but the look on Tom Miller's face was "What the fuck Vocca, what are you saying!" This may have been Tom’s first time recording in a studio. But Mark pulled rank and had me do it.
I remember doing two takes, I really liked the first one but some technical problem had me do it over. All in all it came off really nice. And that was it. I never heard that song again for another 18 years.
Then Bob Richey called me and told me he had recently spoken to Mark and that Mark had sent him an MP3 of M-16. It was such a blast to hear it again after so much time had passed. But the best part of doing that string bending was that Vocca told me he got laid in San Antonio by telling some chick that it was him on the solo. Oh yeah!!! The Ladies Man!
Bob Sablack
The thing I've remembered most about recording "M-16" has nothing to do with the actual song.
Like you Bob, I've never owned a copy of the tape. A few weeks ago I was visiting my parents and finally did hear it after twenty years. What the hell, it's a pretty fuckin' cool punk tune! I'm also pretty positive that had I done the solo, Vocca never would have gotten laid by claiming to have played it!
Anyway, what I'll never forget is our friend Tim Kelly tagging along for the session and swilling a bottle of cheap booze. Before too long he was drunk as hell, but no one payed much attention--I guess we were too busy with our song. During the mixing stage however, young Tim suddenly leaned over in his chair and projected a virtual lake of vomit all over Crossen's studio floor! Truly a definative PUNK ROCK move!
To his credit, Mike didn't appear too fazed by it. He just brought out a mop and we cleaned it up and went on with our business.
Tom Miller
