I Thought It Was a Fig

Fun SBG Fact:

Relief came in the person of Tom "The Butcher" Holliston, a former trip-wire salesman with the history of the Big Beat tattooed on the back of his left hand. The new material he brought to the group inspired the others, and John Wright was brought on board to produce and drum on what everyone involved was sure would be "The Big One". The mood in the studio was joyous and enthusiastic. "The Butcher" would often lead the band through takes rocking back and forth on his heels, snapping his fingers or beating on the back of an acoustic guitar shouting "Yeah!" or "Go!" or "Alright now!" or "Moiety!" Sometimes he would smile and hum along with his eyes shut. Clarinetist David P. Smith credited the easy-going feel of the sessions with ceasing the nocturnal teeth-grinding that had plagued him since childhood, and making his feet grow two shoe sizes. Sadly, it was to be the last record with vocalist Ford Pier, who, alone amongst The Show Business Giants didn't have a good time. "That Holliston's all wet," he was heard to carp, and, "Why do they call him 'The Butcher?' He's not a real butcher!" His departure shocked close associates who knew him to be wholly devoted to the band, and had everyone wondering what he would do with his time, as he had been in the group since the age of nine and had no other skills or interests. Generally, it was agreed that his own bumptiousness was to blame: The Butcher's natural avuncularity had made him feel patronized and he felt inadequate faced with the older man's vastly superior songwriting talent. Consumed with jealousy, he slunk off into the night, never to be seen by anybody anywhere ever again...