Updated 18 March 2001 URL is http://our.tentativetimes.net/rab/misfit.html
Misfit Toys
An Indiana Band
Booking inquiries via Randy Spencer, email only, at [email protected]
Whoa! If there was ever a mis-named group, this is it. The name sounded like a punk band to me, but lo! Here are four of the most personable and harmonious fellows around.
Very poor picture of very grand band!
Misfit Toys sing smooth rocking harmonies to the accompaniment of three guitars and a drum set, sounding fresh on everything they do. We were at Legends Sports Bar on Thursday, April 23, on "college band" night. I don’t know what "college band" means. I kind of thought it meant a lot of people would be sick from drinking…. but no. It must mean that the customers don’t wear jeans and tees! They were all wearing sweaters or other kinds of dressier shirts, and many wore slacks. Another mystery solved.
The crowd was big, and all seemed delighted to be entertained by Misfit Toys. Tell-Mama’s eager to catch this band anywhere they appear. Misfit Toys is an A-Plus guarantee of a fun night.
Two of the Toys have known each other since Little League, the two Tims, Tim Manges and Tim Diss. The other two musicians, Gary Johnson and Randy Spencer didn’t grow up in Fort Wayne. It’s lucky that they’ve all gotten together though!
Legends wants its Thursday night bands to play original music. Misfit Toys has plenty of that, but I don’t know how to write about the technical side. Tell-Mama needs reviewers. I do know we loved all of it, including a couple of covers they sneaked in, "You Get What You Need" and "Will It Go Round in Circles." They played the instrumental parts instead of just cutting the songs off. I’m not saying that right. Sometimes a band will play a song and just run through the words, once, and quit. Misfit Toys doesn’t shortchange you like that.
Ready for the photos? Again, Otto was using the Sony Mavica.
Tim Diss in a Terry Ratliff shirt.
Tim Manges, guitar and vocals.
Randy Spencer, lead guitar and vocals. The Randster is newly married, summer of 1999. His wife is absolutely darling. Look for her when next they play.
Gary Johnson, guitar and trumpet. They were all much jollier than these photos indicate. If this band had been born earlier they might have become Crosby, Stills, and Nash.It’s interesting to watch the musicians in the crowd. They were intrigued by Misfit Toys and paid attention. Jill Brumbeloe, sitting with Joe McNeely (of James Bond Goes Surfing) was mesmerized. This is perhaps a perfect band: no pain, lots of high energy, and words you can actually make out…. pure gold. Bravo!Misfit Toys has a CD out. Randy wrote: "The CD ought to be out by the end of summer of ’98, at best. We’ve got rough mixes of six songs in the bag right now, and are anticipating a 12-song disc. We’re using Encore Studios in Woodburn and Matt Grunden as Engineer. Matt’s one hell of a good guy, and he’s been able to capture what we want to hear on tape as well as anyone around could."See all the Misfit Toys pages!Misfit Toys at Mad Anthony’s on 3-16-01
Misfit Toys at Legends, page 2
Misfit Toys at Dash-In page 1
Misfit Toys at Dash-In page 2
But if you have seen all 4 Misfit Toys pages,
try Tell-Mama’s index of music pagesLegends, (219) 484-2525, 4104 North Clinton, Fort Wayne INDash-In, (219) 423-3595, 814 South Calhoun, Fort Wayne IN (half a block south of the courthouse)The opinions expressed by the writers in Our Tentative Times do not represent the opinions of the sponsors, advertisers, publisher, man in the street, the peacock lobby, pundits, the Blue Moon Boys, researchers, Destination Detox, graduate students, tuna fishermen, The Red Ball Jets, drugstore cowboys, The Chronics, 8 Ball Grifter, or any governmental, educational. fraternal, patriotic or recreational organization. They are just the writers’ opinions.
Thanks for finding and for reading this!
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