THE SILLIES: KURSE-TEN'S STORY
"I joined the Sillies because I saw them at a show of theirs on the University of Detroit campus in April of 1978 and I was so totally terrified of them that I knew I had to get over my phobia and just join them.
"I remember Michael Profane with one eye off to the side, Tommy Killowatt
looking pretty wacked-out
on amphetamines, Chip Sercombe appearing somewhat comatose between songs and
beers, Gloria Love blowing smoke rings into frenzied crowd of punks and derelicts,
and Ben Waugh coming close to a nervous breakdown onstage, swinging from ceiling
rafters and attacking photographers. I knew that this was "my" band.
"I also knew that I could continue my substance abuse without detection
in such chaotic company.
"I don't remember much about the whole time I played with the Sillies...I
can remember crossing the
Canadian border and when everyone was asked what their citizenship was, we all
answered
appropriately...except for Profane. He was in a comatose sleep and snored quite
loudly in response to
the border guard's query. He remarked that Profane was "obviously an American"
and let us go through.
"Other highlights in my memory included burning roaches in hotels with
cigarettes, and I didn't even smoke, so I guess I was pretty bored.
"I remember taking Profane into the hospital for the D.T.s, and the next day I was admitted to the same hospital after drinking while on Antabuse.
"I remember getting socked by Gloria Love after I yelled at her for tipping her Kalhua and cream into my keyboards, she had a mean left uppercut.
"I remember Johnny Thunders tyring to get me to do heroin because I had "good veins" and I declined because I said I wanted to be different.
"I remember taking my clothes off in a topless bar on a drunk and hearing someone in the audience saying "Is that KIRSTEN up there???!!!", only to see half of the Sillies in the crowd. Out of all the bars they could have picked up chicks in, they had to pick the bar where I'd be at my finest hour of drinking. Somehow I managed to stay partially sober while performing so I could hit some notes that were part of the set.
"OK...a cardiac arrest and a dozen rehabs later, I am clean and somewhat coherent. So I expect to remember what the Sillies are like from now on. Give me a break. Jeez." - Kirsten Rogoff