Re: Treat Her Right

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> Jim Fitting was indeed the harp player for Treat Her Right. I liked his
> playing plenty, very Chicago style, worked well within the band's rough,
> dark, minimalist roots-rock sound.  There was no bass guitar in the
> band; bass lines were played by a guitar run through an octave divider.
> The drummer used a very stripped-down kit too.  Jimmy also sang lead on
> their biggest hit, "I Think She Likes Me."
> When the band broke up (after 2 records on RCA, as I recall, and a
> followup indie release), the lead singer formed the even wierder, darker
> band "Morphine," whose instrumentation consisted of 2-string slide bass,
> baritone sax, and drums.  They sounded like nothing else, and they
> rocked very hard.  The singer (David Champagne, I think?) died of a
> heart attack during a performance a few years ago, so there will be no
> more Morphine.  Their records are well worth hearing for players who are
> interested in making big rock sounds without keyboards or guitar.

Actually, the follow-up band "Morphine" was a trio consisting of Mark
Sandman (lead vocals and two-string slide bass), Dana Colley (Baritone
saxes) and Billy Conway (drums). Mark Sandman died on-stage in 1999. They
were indeed a great band, and I particularly recommend the first two albums,
"Good" and "Cure for Pain".
(http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&uid=UIDMISS70311152002520988&sql=B
0i3zefqkhgf2)

As for Jim Fitting, he's still active on the Boston scene, fronting a rock
band called The Coots. They have (AFAIK), released one album called "Message
from the Seventh Dimension" which is pretty cool. The Coots is a guitar-less
band sometimes reminiscent of The Doors. I think there's a second album in
the works. Well worth a listen.

Ben FELTEN, Editor
www.planetharmonica.com