Discover
Unusual
Hand-Crafted
Works

The Spin
Doctors:
Left to right,
Aaron Comess,
Chris Barron,
Mark White
and Eric
Schenkman.

April 19, MI 21, 2002

Novi Expo Center
Novi, MI

••• 350 fine artists and craft designers

I Craft demonstrations 1 Entertainment
I Specialty foods I All indoors 1 Free parking
Free shopping bags

Get discount admission coupons at:
your local Farmer Jack, on the web at
www.SugarloafCrafts.com, 1E:3
or call 800-210-9900
-

Sugarloaf

more than just instant memories of
the band's commercial successes.

Genesis Of A Band

The seeds of the Spin Doctors origi-
nated with Barron and Schenkman in
1988, while both were enrolled in
New York's New School jazz program.
(A pre-group formation as Trucking
Company also boasted vocalist and
blues harmonica player John Popper,
who left to form Blues Traveller.)
Once Comess and White, who is
black, were added to the Spin Doctors
lineup, they discovered the quartet
- had their own university of diversity.
Barron's favorite rock group was the
Who; Schenkman loved the deep soul
mastery of Al Green; Comess listened
to jazz saxophonist John Coltrane;
and White was a diehard fan of
Prince.
Melding their influences together,
the band began building a loyal fol-
lowing on the New York college cir-
cuit.
"It's always been my feeling that the
original Spin Doctors was the best
group we had," Comess insists.
"Basically, we were four diverse musi-
cians and we all had different styles
that, when we played together, made
one really great sound. I think that's
what really made us a unique band."
While Comess is most proud of the
fact that the Spin Doctors strove to be
different and have its "own voice,"
one might assume that the predomi-
nantly Jewish makeup of the band
was a uniting factor for the group.
Was it?
"Nobody in the band is particularly
religious and I don't think it made a

difference in the camaraderie, but it is
definitely kind of cool," Comess
observes.
"One time, around Passover, we
were playing Dallas, which is where
I'm from, and the whole band came
over for the seder. My family was
Conservative and kept kosher.
"I had a full-blown bar mitzvah. I
did the Torah, Haftorah and the
Shacharit. We had a great cantor and
he made me do the real hard trope for
the Haftorah, so it was a lot of work.
I hated it at the time, but it was really
a cool musical experience for me."
Beyond the upcoming tour — the
first by the original members in seven
years — Comess doesn't know if the
Spin Doctors will go back into the
studio and make another album. All
he thinks about is getting back to
playing the music the band made
together and sharing good times
again.
"I'm not thinking about what drew
us apart, " Comess admits. "The
chemistry between us is just a great
thing. We're all alive, everybody's
healthy and in top form.
"We're four serious musicians and
we have no choice but to play music.
It's in our blood. It's what we do." ❑

Art Fair

Fri. - Sun. 10-6

Daily Admission $6
Under 12 & Parking Free

Buy crafts online at
www.CraftsOnline.com

Located in the NW suburbs of Detroit, MI

Directions: Located on 1-96 northwest of
Detroit at Exit 162. Go south on Novi Road.
.-"Turn right onto Expo Center Drive.

HAERANN

Virg trrtnitit

• Healthy Diet
Dishes Available

MOTHERS DAY • SUNDAY, MAY 12th , 2002

MOMS EAT FOR
112
OFF ALL DAY!
Dine-in Only • Not good with any other offer

Coupon Lood only on May 12th, 2002

GIFT CERTIFICATES

LUNCH & DINNER

7 DAYS

The Spin Doctors (opening act
TBA) perform 8:30 p.m. (doors
open at 8) Tuesday, April 23, at
the Blind Pig, 208 S. Ashley, in
Ann Arbor. $15 advance and at
the door. To order in advance, call
Ticketmaster at (248) 645-6666.

.7/

/ / // / /0// /7 7 ,//.5W/A". / /1(/'

/AM'
.

Celebrating

OUT

26th year!

Coupons offered
good only at
Farmington Hills
location.

CARRY-OUT

& DINE-IN

Ara

(Of) Farmington Hills
FAX ORDERS
31005 Orchard Lake Road
Just West of 14 Mile
248-855-8429
248-855-4866

4/19
2002

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