Timeline
In The Beginning...(1989-1991)
When the two school-chums, Vince and Jimmy, first heard "the Clash," music became a big part of their lives. Spiked hair cuts and army jackets were in the future, as well as a new record collection, the saving of lunch money for up and coming shows by their favorite bands, and the acquisition of guitars and basses. What does this have to do with 99 Tales? Well... this is the only reason WHY and HOW the band formed. A friendship between two people... and the passion to create music together.
The band's first steps in forming were done by your typical "musicians wanted" flyer. From this flyer, Vince eventually met up with drummer Dave Hays. To make a long story short..... Vince brought his best pal, Jimmy, along to play bass. Practicing in an old church that was turned into a skateboard repair shop, the band's sound started to form right away: The twangy and intense sound of Vince's hollow-body guitar and plaintive voice, Jimmy's moody and thudding bass lines, Dave's perpetual drive on floor tom and snare, infectious melodies, and words that flooded the mind with imagery.
The band did their first show with San Francisco's, Harm Farm, at Sacramento's now defunct Cattle Club. The band was soon asked back to open for the UK band, Havana 3am. This was a thrill to the trio, because on bass for Havana 3am was the legendary Paul Simonon, the CLASH's bassist!
99 Tales eventually released a self-titled 5-song demo tape, and found themselves playing with bands such as, the Reverend Horton Heat, and the Knitters. The Knitter show was very memorable due to the fact that members of X and the Blasters were in this band..... more music heroes of the young trio. (This show will eventually be very important to the future events of 99 Tales.)
Cursed By the Wave.......... (1991-1994)
During this time, 99 Tales found themselves to be playing many shows. Frequenting many of these shows was Sean Schroeder, who ran a local record label called "Rusty Nail Records." Sean took a liking to the band... and he and Vince would soon begin talking about a possible release of the 5-song demo. It is difficult to remember how these talks went, and what were the results. The important thing is Vince and Sean began to talk more and more, and Sean's ears were pleased with what he heard in 99 Tales. And... the two were starting to become friends.
At practices, like all bands, much of the music was starting to grow. Vince started bringing up the idea of a second guitarist to Jim and Dave. Eventually, this idea became exciting, and all three members were starting to entertain the idea of auditioning guitarists.
A beautiful thing about 99 Tales was that it was a family. A total friendship. Vince and Jimmy lived together in a beat-up bungalow on 23rd and J street in Sacramento. And Dave, the "big brother" of the band, was always visiting them before practices... bringing them old clothes of his, tv sets, shmabes, and making sure things were good. Too many stories can be told pertaining these days....good ones, hillarious ones, sad ones, and very scary ones...... and many of them have to do with decisions, outcomes, creations, and the growing of 99 Tales.
Getting back to Sean Schroeder. Hopefully stated..... there existed a strong bond in 99Tales... and I don't think anyone could have just waltzed in and joined the quest. What eventually happened was, Sean ended up working right next door to Vince. The two worked for Tower. Vince was at peace in the video store..... every night at 10pm he and his buddies were planning "what horror film" to watch....... while poor Sean... He was deep in the 9th circle of Hades... slinging records... and being prodded by horrible demons called "shift managers."