‘LITTLE CRIES’
The summer of the Fashion Jungle’s 40th anniversary year continues on Songs with the first number I wrote for the band — a hard charger marked by vitriolic lyrics about bedroom dishonesty and by extremely restless chords.
Both characteristics seem more clever than meaningful now, which explains the absence of the piece from the standing playlists on the Songs site. But “Little Cries” is another entry from the original FJ that stayed with the band throughout its eight years.
It was exciting onstage, where the brittle lyrics got some protective cover from decibels and Ken Reynolds’ hot-yet-precise drumming kept hearts and hormones pumping. And that’s the case in this recording from April 1, 1983.
Our second performance with keyboardist Kathren Torraca took place at a Portland, Maine, nightspot called It’s Magic at the corner of Market and Middle streets. (That was the fourth of my five gigs in that building, but the businesses were different nearly every time and so were my bands. Such is Portland nightlife.)
We were a ways down the billing order, which I think was headed by Lou Miami and The Kozmetix — I’d like to think it was them, anyway, because Kozmetix and Fashion, no? The mix comes off the soundboard and is quite good — I wish I knew whom to credit for it. Personnel: Steve Chapman, bass and backing vocal; Doug Hubley, 12-string guitar and vocal; Ken Reynolds, drums and backing vocal; Kathren Torraca, keyboards. (Photos: The Fashion Jungle at the 1984 Maine Festival in Brunswick, Maine. Courtesy of Rhonda Farnham/Sweet Potato magazine)
“Little Cries” copyright © 1981 by Douglas L. Hubley. All rights reserved. Hear it below, buy it on Bandcamp !