Mark Bernstein- Bernie to us – was a New Yorker who came to Philly to go to Penn and gravitated to the West Philly punk scene. He moved into the Stickmen house on Buckingham St., which, of course, was known as Buckingham Palace.
We started hanging out in 1981 and played music together, Bernie on drums and the two of us on guitar. As an unnamed unit we played at the great basement parties at the Buckingham Palace and at a few other West Philly houses. For one show at the Radio Church of God we transported all of our equipment in shopping carts.
Early punk rock was so seat of the pants. The three of us had such a good time in those days. Having plenty of free time (aka no jobs) we’d watch soap operas and Dr. Who, go for long, meandering walks in Fairmount Park, and go watch bands wherever they might play.
After leaving Penn, Bernie went back to New York. After the first official version of More Fiends broke-up Bernie returned and we started playing again. At a party in some spooky apartment in Germantown we jammed with his friend, Matt Forstater, on sax. The four of us became the new More Fiends. With a crazy new sound we did great shows at Abe’s Steaks, the Community Education Center (CEC), more basements, Penn frats. At a show in Atlantic City some bozo locked the car keys in the trunk and we were stuck there for hours. We drove to Athens, Ohio for one show! Bernie would stay with us in our apartment. Which was great (despite those stinky Converse sneakers).
With that classic crew cut and the stripped t- shirts, and the bright smile Bernie was a great band mate. We miss him. –Allen Fiend
01 – It’s All a Soap Opera
02 – Dedicated to Tim Dunn
03 – One Way Out
04 – Gidget Goes Insane
05 – Honey Mat
06 – Shakin’ On
07 – Time-Warp Bio-Feedback Amphetamine Nightmare
08 – Dharma Derby
09 – Lust
10 – The Anarchist
11 – Austral Plain Blues
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