1984: The Admiral's Keg

Two Slyme gigs were played in rapid succession: Jan 7 at the Admirals Keg and Jan 12 with Der Campfire Plague (the folk unit), The Reaction (last gig?) - reformed for the show. The January 12 show was a benefit for the local Ploughshares group. The show on the 7th was recorded at 3 and 3/4 IPS on a four track tape recorder and subsequently re-mixed in 1997 for CD.

The big Xmas toy hit that year had been the cabbage patch kids, a ridiculously overpriced doll that some idiots had spent hours in lineups to procure so their spoiled brats would not be disappointed after Santa's annual visit. (The 'Furby' of 1983.) One of the features of the Jan 7 gig was the shredding of a Cabbage Head Kid. A head of cabbage had been affixed to the decapitated torso of a doll. "Today's cabbage head kid is tomorrow's coleslaw", said Snotty as he grated the cabbage onto the floor. The result was a slippery mess, but as had been a common saying at Slyme gigs, if there's no rubble you haven't played.

As was our habit the gig was recorded. This recording later became the basis for The 20 Year Scam

Der Campfire Plague returned to the Keg on Jan 13 and 14 /84. Those were the last acoustic shows. The next weekend, on the 21st, Wallace,Terry, Mike and Mark were at the Admirals Keg with electric instruments as the new Bubonic Plague. Again performances took place at the same venue on Jan 27 & 28. Attendance was abysmal at these acoustic and electric shows. The club itself closed a short time later. (It was reopened later that spring for one night to feature DOA, which was brought in by Bob Average, a local promoter). In the mean time Justin's drum kit was thrown to the garbage by an uncomprehending janitor: "they were all beaten up so I thought they were junk:!! Justin had left them there after Da Slyme gig and in the meantime ended up in hospital. They would have been moved out with the Plague's gear except for the fact that it was snowing and the only transport was a pickup truck. It was deemed better to leave them... an error in retrospect...

The next Plague show was around this time at the Brand E location. No poster can be found but it was most likely on the bill with others such as the Riot for some kind of benefit. In the interim, time was found to produce the first of what would become a Vikki Beat institution: The folk Tape. It was called HOLY FOLK or DON'T QUIT YER DAY JOB, containing such classics as TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE and THE GUITAR THAT ATE CHICAGO.

The march 84 issue of a local magazine called THICK published some Plague Lyrics. In the meantime a new bubonic plague tape was recorded in Heald's basement. The bed tracks were recorded in 2 days and the over dubs recorded in two weeks at Craig's house on Victoria St. The tape called SMILE: THINK POSITIVE, was released in April 84. Economics were tough enough that all members of the Plague had resolved to head for greener pastures in Toronto, and over the course of the next several months, this was accomplished.