1986 was a slow time for The Blanks. We were pretty much done as a band. Spike and I wanted to press on, but Ran was focused on other interests. One day, Spike, Christopher Araha Arohadej, and I were hanging out at Drum Room Studios and decided to re-record “Dead Tomato.” We probably didn't need another version of this song (at the time), but we did need to record something.
This stands as one of the most controversial Blanks recordings. It's the only one where you won't find Ran listed in the band line-up. I think all sides were to blame for the bad path we started down that day. Spike and I felt that Ran might be denouncing The Blanks the same way Jimmy had. And we had no business recording a Blanks song without him. Ironically, we enlisted help from guest Christopher Araha Arohadej – an ex-member that had also denounced the band on exit. Chris sang, Spike pounded the skins, and I played a bunch of different instruments. The frustration of the time comes through in the vocals and music.
Though controversial, this is an important recording. It marks the pit. The bottom. The low point in the band's history. Eventually, we put 1986 behind us and started rocking harder than ever. It was a necessary but ugly step on the way to the glories of Bean Monster Rituals, Sweet Love, Kind Fred, and countless others.
All baggage aside, it's a rockin' version of “Dead Tomato.”
![[to top]](../images/arrowup_gray.gif){kind=small}
Release Info
