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Havertown's Own Rude Boys
A crash course in local band FYI's history goes something like this. In December of 1993, guitar player John Abercrombie, bass player Andrew Pudimott, and drummer Chris Kelly, all current seniors, decided to start a band. After some thought, the band decided to play ska music. They soon recruited Sam Kessler on the saxophone, Andrew Fleming on the trombone and trumpet player John-Paul Jones, current juniors. Not long after, they requisitioned a second trombonist, Matt Barlow, and singer Pat O'Brien. Chris Kelly left and FYI experienced a wave of about four drummers before settling on junior Tim Farrington. Pudimott left and Barlow switched to bass. Fleming left and suddenly FYI changed from four horns to two and achieved their current line up. Among the FYI family is sophomore Pat Brennan who helps out the band in many ways and often plays bass live so that Barlow may play trombone.
Throughout the years, FYI has recorded two tapes, the first of which the band "really doesn't like to talk about," says Barlow. "We advocate the disposal of the first tape, or at least give it to the band when you purchase the new one," which, incidentally is very good. They have played with such bands as Public Service, Bim Skala Bim, Ruder Than You, and Mephiskapheles. Band politics are almost non existent; for the most part, they are a "bunch of suburbanites just playing music."
FYI's future promises some turbulence with the departure of the only remaining founding member, Abercrombie, in the fall. Guitarist John Pell will replace Abercrombie in the following school year and, as any musician knows, a new guitarist with a new style will most definitely provide for some sort of change in the music itself. Feel free to contact FYI on the internet at http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~johna/FYI (Note that the web page is not there anymore!) or Barlow at MattyBNYC@aol.com.