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The REAL Peter Tork (Official)

19 hrs ·

#TorkTales. Many years ago, before we had such things as cell phones (*gasp*), #PeterTorkAndShoeSuedeBlues were on a 2-week tour of the Northeast. We had 2 vans and one car to transport everyone, luggage, and equipment from gig to gig. Even with the best laid plans including binders with maps, directions and multiple levels of contact information, the band and the team often got separated.

On one such incident, the team arrived at the hotel well before the band. Upon arrival, there was a delivery waiting for us – the (then) new CD, Saved By the Blues! How exciting! One catch… the distributor sent the CDs completely disassembled. What to do??? No band meant no extra hands to help. Just then, we heard a gaggle of boisterous fans coming up the elevator. The same group of fans that had been following us from show to show along the way. So…. we put them to work assembling all the CDs while sitting in the lobby of the hotel (side note: a couple of these fans went on to become beloved team members themselves!).

While the CDs were being worked on, the team was becoming more & more nervous – where was the band?!?! Finally, the team manager called the venue to let the owner know why there was a delay. “What do you mean a delay? The band has been here for 2 hours rehearsing!” First, a sigh of relief, then several days of road tensions kicked in & the team furiously drove to the venue, intent on scolding the band for not communicating with them ONCE AGAIN.

As the team entered the venue, Peter said to the band – here they are, PLAY IT! And with that, the band launched into the first official performance of the song, Dress Sexy for Me, which they practiced as a surprise for the team! Of course, by that time, the team was so keyed up with emotions, the team manager just brushed right past the band, straight to the venue owner’s office to take care of all the paperwork while just one of the team members stayed behind to listen to the new song.

After the team manager came out of the office, Peter came up like a kid who knew he had forgotten to “call home” one more time. “Didn’t you like our surprise? We wanted to do it for you guys first!” He asked with a face of mixed emotions – excitement/regret/uncertainty. Well, how do you stay mad at someone like that? Of COURSE we loved it, and loved/forgave the guys again for gifting us with it.

Such was life on the road and beyond in the music world. Everyone wanting to make everything so right for everyone else always seems to lead to tensions and tempers, but the moment it all comes together, there is a camaraderie and such a sense of accomplishment that you forget all that went before.

For years, Peter would bring up this story time & time again. “Remember that time we tried to surprise you? We should have thought it out more, but it was fun, wasn’t it?” One thing about Peter… he remembered things. And if he had been in the wrong about something, it stayed with him, and he tried to be better afterwards. Of course, he also always saw the comedy in each situation, too. And that is something the team is so grateful for having learned from him. Always remember the Ying to the Yang. Thanks, Peter! <3~ptfb team #ShineOn #PeaceLoveAndTork #TorkTorch

https://petertork.bandcamp.com/track/dress-sexy-for-me