100th Post! Freemasonry Live Recordings and Rejection Letters

Here are the live recordings for download:

Freemasonry Live at WREK 1995-05

Freemasonry Live on WRAS 1995-03-18

Freemasonry Live on WSBF 1994

Freemasonry Live 1994-02-12

Of course, you can download everything by Freemasonry here.

I would like to thank Kip Thomas, of course, for all the great Freemasonry tapes he loaned me from his collection. As you might know, they were my favorite of our "friend bands" during the mid 1990's, and thankfully they actually turned on a tape recorder and put down some of this music for us to enjoy later on. The first show posted is from their last Live at WREK session, and includes two songs that were never otherwise recorded or released. One was called "OK to Forget", as announced by Sarge, but the other one is a mystery. It is funny that they were in a different style from the Sparring with the Varmit stuff, with Bruce also singing dual vocals with Sarge. For a minute, I didn't even know it was Freemasonry when I listened to the tape. Soon after this recording, Sarge was out to be replaced by Rick Moore and they continued as Galanas:Cerdd, but more on them later.

The Live on WRAS (Album 88) recording is also good late-period Freemasonry from the Georgia Music Show. Kip told me that in his opinion this was the best time they recorded on the air. Too bad the set was so short! I remember back then on Album 88, they used to have you play a song or two, and then do some interviewing, which was completely awkward, and then go back to playing some songs. The Live on WSBF in Clemson recording is not so good in quality, but my favorite era of Freemasonry to have a recording, so I had to include it. Lastly, the live show recording from February 12, 1994 is very early, but does include Bruce on second guitar. It must of been one of their first appearances with him. They actually play "Poolhall" from the first demo, which is a nice surprise. Can anyone tell me where this show took place?

And now on to the rejection letters. These were saved in Kip's files, and included postcards and letters from various labels that received copies of the Pool Hall demo tape in 1993.

Slap A Ham Records - Chris Dodge tells them that he is "not your passport out of demoland". Brilliant.



Shredder Records - Mel tells Kip that Freemasonry is too generic and unoriginal. I've never heard of Shredder records before - what non-generic, original music did they put out? I'll give them Jawbreaker, but that's about it.

No Idea Records - Var avoids the whole issue of whether or not to put out a Freemasonry record by trying to book a show instead with his band Bombshell. I love that guy!

Lookout Records - Patrick calls Kip, Chris and Marcus "Freemasons". Actually all of these letters refer to the guys in strange ways. That's what happens when you call your band Freemasonry.

Jade Tree Records - Tim tells the guys to put more money into recording and not packaging. Remember the days when having a professional looking demo was a detriment? There is also a Railhed shoutout in the letter as well. Classic Jade Tree. This might have been the best label for them overall, but unfortunately it was not to be. They did like Snowden 15 years later!

By the way - here is that great Freemasonry first demo package:

Allied Recordings - I guess this is John Yates' signature, but it was definitely during the time that Kip's old band, Fiddlehead, were having singles put out on this label.

So that is all for now. Supposedly Kip has some letters from Freemasons to him about his band, but that will have to be included another time.

Thanks for 100 great posts!