"I was once introduced to someone, and they said, 'Oh, wait. You're Jenny Thompson from Spanking Venus,'" Thompson says. "That was great."
Jenea M. Boshart '95 denies being a crazed fan but says she has "been labelled as a groupie by many." She and her friend Erica D. Sherman '95 memorized all of the songs on The Press's first album and asked members to autograph a copy of the recording.""
"They call us number 1 and number 2, because we are their top two fans," says Boshart, who adds that her attraction to the members was based "strictly on music."
Members say they love the attention.
"We thought it was great," says Ronald A. Fein '94, bassist for The Press. "We love them."
Whether it's nudity or homogeneity that turns the fans on, members say they have their own styles.
"There is a rumor to the fact that I take off a lot of clothing on stage," Demay says. "I really get into it. We like to flail our arms, hit each other, hit audience members, throw things, jump into the crowd. There are no rules."
The Press was once known for its crisp look of white shirts and ties. "We used to wear white shirts, ties, and pants," Snow says. "It was an image that people would remember. They would say, "Oh yeah, they're the band with the ties and shirts."
Breaking Up is Hard to Do
But despite the relative success, many of the bands have encountered, very few members expect rock and roll to become their professional career.
"I would love to pursue a singing career, but I really don't know," Thompson says. "I'm not going to wipe tables in New York for two years and do it that way. I'm not trying to seek a recording contract."
Pitt says he refused to search for gigs in Boston because of time constraints.
"We are not doing this to further our careers," Pitt says.
Graduation means the dissolution of the band for most students.
"The hardest part of these bands is staying together," says Tallon who, since coming to the Black Rose 16 months ago, says he has watched countless bands split up. "People go to Harvard to graduate and go on in life. Music is an aside," he says.
Pitt says the members of Hot Spanky Porpoise have decided not to continue the band once they graduate. But for many fans, that is a disappointment.
"That is a real shame," says William W. Minton '95, who follows the band closely. "They should give it a second thought."
'I would love to be Mick Jagger. Man, he's 50 years old and he's still playing.'
OLLIVER P. STRAUCH '93-'94