THE HISTORY
Spring 1974:
I got a call from Dan Volenec (the bass player from Symphonic Reaction) that a new band was being formed. Yet unnamed, it was going to consist of three members of Symphonic Reaction, Dan, guitarist Brian Hungerford and drummer Steve Larson. The new addition was going to be a true lead singer, the late Steve Sater, with the idea being a four piece group along the lines of Led Zeppelin covering hard rock tunes. Dan was asking if I would be interested in doing lights for them. After thinking about it for about one second I agreed and the game was on.
From the first meeting I could tell that this was going to be different. It was going to be run like a business, not a garage band. They were forming a partnership with me as a full partner, paid the same as any other band member. My van would be used in the beginning for equipment transport but it was seen early on that this would not be big enough and plans were formalized to buy a retired school bus and convert it to a band vehicle with bunks in the front and the back half set up for equipment storage. The name Visage (vi-zij, noun: the face, countenance, or appearance of a person or sometimes an animal) was chosen (I voted for the name Second Wind but was voted down) and plans were made for promotional material and the means of getting signed by a booking agency. The fact that is was going to be a true business venture was emphasized. No smoking, drinking or fooling around with women while performing or on the bus. All of the band members were joining the musician's union and a formal practice space was going to be secured. The partnership even took out a loan in order to purchase a suitable sound system.
Bands were still covering songs during this time, although the writing of original material was highly encouraged. And the band was very much willing to promote the fact that a professional light show was going to be part of the act. This was something to really get excited about.
The initial promotional photo shoot was done with me as the photographer. It was really just something to show booking agents. What really needed to happen was to have a gig to invite agents to so that they could see what we had going.
Within a few weeks the opportunity came. Not a gig that booking agents would come to but a chance to play in front of people. It was for a farmer near where Brian lived who was having a pig roast, out in a field, and wanted a band to play. No money but a chance to see how a show would come together and at least a free roast pork dinner. The location was one of the farmer's fields and the stage was a hay wagon. Power would come from an ancient farm generator running off of a tractor PTO. Since it would be taking place outside during the day there would be no need for the light show so I took the opportunity to film the event with a Super 8 movie camera that I borrowed from where I was working at the time (Brown Photo). Sadly the film has no sound with it but it is a very early glimpse of what Visage was at the outset.
(I still have that Super 8 movie and I hope to someday get it converted and added to this site.)
I got a call from Dan Volenec (the bass player from Symphonic Reaction) that a new band was being formed. Yet unnamed, it was going to consist of three members of Symphonic Reaction, Dan, guitarist Brian Hungerford and drummer Steve Larson. The new addition was going to be a true lead singer, the late Steve Sater, with the idea being a four piece group along the lines of Led Zeppelin covering hard rock tunes. Dan was asking if I would be interested in doing lights for them. After thinking about it for about one second I agreed and the game was on.
From the first meeting I could tell that this was going to be different. It was going to be run like a business, not a garage band. They were forming a partnership with me as a full partner, paid the same as any other band member. My van would be used in the beginning for equipment transport but it was seen early on that this would not be big enough and plans were formalized to buy a retired school bus and convert it to a band vehicle with bunks in the front and the back half set up for equipment storage. The name Visage (vi-zij, noun: the face, countenance, or appearance of a person or sometimes an animal) was chosen (I voted for the name Second Wind but was voted down) and plans were made for promotional material and the means of getting signed by a booking agency. The fact that is was going to be a true business venture was emphasized. No smoking, drinking or fooling around with women while performing or on the bus. All of the band members were joining the musician's union and a formal practice space was going to be secured. The partnership even took out a loan in order to purchase a suitable sound system.
Bands were still covering songs during this time, although the writing of original material was highly encouraged. And the band was very much willing to promote the fact that a professional light show was going to be part of the act. This was something to really get excited about.
The initial promotional photo shoot was done with me as the photographer. It was really just something to show booking agents. What really needed to happen was to have a gig to invite agents to so that they could see what we had going.
Within a few weeks the opportunity came. Not a gig that booking agents would come to but a chance to play in front of people. It was for a farmer near where Brian lived who was having a pig roast, out in a field, and wanted a band to play. No money but a chance to see how a show would come together and at least a free roast pork dinner. The location was one of the farmer's fields and the stage was a hay wagon. Power would come from an ancient farm generator running off of a tractor PTO. Since it would be taking place outside during the day there would be no need for the light show so I took the opportunity to film the event with a Super 8 movie camera that I borrowed from where I was working at the time (Brown Photo). Sadly the film has no sound with it but it is a very early glimpse of what Visage was at the outset.
(I still have that Super 8 movie and I hope to someday get it converted and added to this site.)