That's one of my six guitars, baby; took the pick guard off, but the skull and the Motorhead stickers stay. Photo by me; art direction by the talented Randy Keener, also in the band!

We Come From the Land of the Ice & Snow …

A client at the ad agency saw my business partner’s Telecaster in his office and said, innocently enough, “Do you guys play guitar?” While my business partner and I had played in bands for years (he in Norway, I in the U.S.) we hadn’t played in years. But, at the prodding of the client, we played his software company’s summer party at an outdoor park on a stage. 100 people staring at us with their mouths open. And, we’ve been playing since, as an agency band.

In 2010 (thanks, Merrick), we won the Portland Ad Federation’s Battle of the Bands playing under the disingenuous name of Sterling Cooper (having never seen the show; I don’t watch TV, thanks). Winning a rock ‘n’ roll competition among advertising agencies is, as Mason Williams said of copping an Emmy, rather like getting kissed by a beauty queen with bad breath. The Portland Ad Fed is great association though. But, we’re not Led Zep. Anyway, we play now just to see the sparks flying up.

Our band is named Tommy Kathy. Named after a kind of extraterrestrial biological entity/idiot savant with whom I suffered the slings and arrows of attending American high school (in Florida!). Remind me some time, and I’ll do an imitation of him for you. You know, let me borrow your comb, vay-roam, fugga. See some videos of us getting down here.

The finale, doing "Enter Sandman"; and we won (2010 Battle of the Advertising Agency Bands). The most effective member of the band is Merrick Monroe: artist/provocateur. Photo by Juliana Tobon

On the reader board at the bar: right beside big-screen sports television and, what? An Irish band? Thank god for the Boss distortion stomp box and the Guiness.

I just came to read the meter, Luv. Photo by Noelle Brooks