albums
Sessions
1989 Master Practice 1
1989 The Party
1990 Master Practice 2
1990 Master Practice 3
1990 Master Practice 4
1991 Dead Practice 1
1992 Dead Practice 2
1992 Dead Practice 3
1992 Dead Practice 4
1992 The Floor Gig
1993 Stand Up Anchovies
1994 Super Studs Session
Compilations
1994 Complete Anchovies
2012 Anchovy Picks
View printable CD cover for album: Master Practice 4 Click on the thumbnail to view a printable cd sleeve.
  • Title: Master Practice 4
  • Artist: Anchovies
  • Timespan: Spring/Summer 1990
  • Theme: fourth and final Master Anchovies practice
  • Length: 25:45
  • Tracks: 7
  • Lyrics: 2
  • MP3s: 7 play all locally
  • Rating: rate this album

Track List

# title lyrics time download listen started recorded rating
1 Qwerty (2) - 4:19 download listen locally - 1990-0?-??
2 All Blues (2) - 3:08 download listen locally - 1990-0?-??
3 Anchovy Rock (3) - 3:24 download listen locally - 1990-0?-??
4 How Ya Is'n (3) lyrics 3:40 download listen locally - 1990-0?-??
5 Fish Time (4) lyrics 3:06 download listen locally - 1990-0?-??
6 Canon (4) - 3:45 download listen locally - 1990-0?-??
7 Christmas in Cancun (3) - 4:23 download listen locally - 1990-0?-??
Total 25:45 play all locally album rating:

Notes

We felt like we were at our peak. I wanted to play more parties. Some of us (well, at least one of us) were seriously considering playing in the next Battle of the Bands. I started to push us to record videos (and I think Anand still has one for "How Ya Is'n").

But then all of a sudden Jon quit the group. He said he was "holding us back". This was a polite but transparent joke, since Jon was by far our best musician and undoubtedly felt that we were holding him back. Within a couple of weeks he informed us he had joined a "real" band that sight-read jazz standards and played gigs around town.

This was our last recorded practice with Jon. It captured the Master Anchovies in top form (which isn't saying much, to be honest). Our playing was very tight compared to the early days. Our solos, while not rock-solid, were memorable. Also, the mix is pretty good. We recorded in stereo, which gives a sense of being there in the room with us.

Since this last practice was halfway decent, it wasn't too terrible an end for the Master Anchovies.

Songs

Qwerty (2)

I like Luke's sound, which provides a distant rumble. The drums sound decent too. But my keyboard is too loud.

I'm pretty sure Anand played drums on this song. I don't know what Allen was playing (if anything), though; I only hear one sax.

All Blues (2)

This is my favorite rendition of "All Blues". The solos were decent. Luke's playing was very tight.

I hear two saxes. Unless Jon overdubbed a second part (which I highly doubt), this means all five of us were here. Between Anand and Allen, I'm not sure who played what; they both played drums and sax at times.

I played mellophone the whole time, which kept me off the keyboard. This means no direct line-in, which helps keep the mix from being jarring. Nice version.

Anchovy Rock (3)

Wow, what energy! We rocket through our theme song. The only clunky part is the bridge, which was hard to play.

I mic'ed my keyboard, which helped preserve the live feeling of the mix. My vibe solo sounds distorted and cheesy, though. Can't win them all.

I only hear one sax. Where was Allen?

How Ya Is'n (3)

Yet another version of "How Ya Is'n". My voice was hoarse and my keyboard sounds annoying, but otherwise the sound is pretty decent.

The tempo drags a little bit, so I kept clapping to keep us in time.

Lyrics to "How Ya Is'n (3)":

INTRO:
  and it goes a little something like this
  hit it!

VERSE 1:
  cruisin' down the street i got to the place
  where the weirdos hang out and I got my mace ready
  for an incident 'cause you never know
  what a blind quadroplegic morphodite might show you

  i kept my distance from the darkest alley
  where the schitzofrentic ninjas were having a rally
  i heard a noise and i turned around
  i said: who had made that sound?

CHORUS:
  oh, i said:
  hey jon, how ya is'n?
  hey jon, how ya is'n?

VERSE 2:
  suddenly i saw what i really had feared
  worse than kleptomaniacs, he really was weird
  behind him was a trail of arms and legs
  he stuck out his tongue to show his underarms

  he said "you got a nice tan but I got a nice blue
  that's right, i'm a leper, you can be a leper too"
  i said, "god you're slimy" and walked my own way
  the guy was gross enough to finish my day

CHORUS:
  i said:
  hey jon, oh!
  hey jon, how ya is'n?

VERSE 3:
  i kept on walking to find my friend jon
  the leper had disappeared; i hoped he was gone
  i went to jon's place and he was waiting for me
  i was glad to be there, with a capital "e"

  i said, "hey jon, what's shaking?"
  "cooling.  what's up?"
  i said "girlies!"
  "oh, i guess i better get ready, huh huh huh!"

CHORUS:
  i said:
  hey, how ya is'n?
  hey jon, how ya is'n?
  take a solo

SOLOS

CHORUS:
  hey jon, how ya is'n?
  hey jon, how ya is'n?

VERSE 4:
  i saw an ant by the side of the road
  beside him was a rabbit and a big fat toad
  i asked him to my house and see if he did
  he came instead with some friends of his

CHORUS:
  hey jon

JON:
  fade out
(c) 1990 Anchovies

Fish Time (4)

Decent version. I like the "mysterious" chords I played on my keyboard at the beginning. But then the keyboard gets annoying. Too loud!

The most interesting bit about this version is the end, where Anand's mom asks us to be quiet.

Lyrics to "Fish Time (4)":

ANAND'S MOM:
  can y'all hold on for just a few seconds while maya and steve...

JON:
  ok
(c) 1990 Anchovies

Canon (4)

Ugh, my least favorite song. At least this time I didn't completely sabotage it with annoying keyboard solos (see "Canon (3)").

Still, my keyboard was way too loud! Why oh why must I be so loud on a song I hate playing? Meanwhile, you can never hear Jon, and Jon's the one who liked this song so much.

Christmas in Cancun (3)

This is a so-so version of my favorite song.

These were our last recorded moments with Jon. Soon after, he left to join a "real" band. Sniff.