Broadside Electric : Interview : Page 7

As it turned out, Tom stayed in Philadelphia after all, and stayed in the band. This produced the current quintet line-up of the band, which for the first time incorporated a drumkit, as well as full-time woodwind presence. Perhaps needless to say, it has been the biggest Broadside Electric sound to date. The summer of 1997 was spent preparing for the previously scheduled performances. Due to vacation schedules, the first few shows did not include all five members.

Rehearsing for the Philadelphia Folk Festival:

Tom:	So, yeah, then we rehearsed for the Folk Festival.
Ashley:	Yes. Talk about transcendental.
Tom:	That was a week of really hard work.
Jim:	It was a cram session.
Ashley:	It was extremely hard work, but it was really enjoyable hard work.
Helene:	Actually that was really amazing how someone would wish something and you'd just do it. And you'd do it forever. You were like an on switch.
Ashley:	What are you talking about?
Jim:	We were all thinking: "Ashley, could you put a little more of the 'umph' on this note?" And you would be "Oh yeah, oh yeah."
Tom:	"Can you follow this rhythm?"
Helene:	Or it would be: "Well, I feel like it should feel … you know what I mean?" You'd say: "Yeah!"
Ashley:	You know, I credit Ray Ashley 'cause throughout college he would keep sending me demo tape after demo tape and I'd have to somehow read his mind and figure everything out.
Helene:	Actually, that's funny because I was telling him how great you were and he said: "Oh yeah, I taught him everything he knows." [laughter]
Jim:	I remember that first rehearsal we had for the Folk Festival. I think the first thing we did was "Babylon" and the first time you were playing on that it just clicked: "yyyeahhh!". And now whenever I listen to More Bad News and neither you or Amy are there it's: "Jeez. What's with this?"