Tokyo

# 1983-1985

### 1983 Formation

John Martin who had previously sang for the band Sabotage, meets Mike Gebhardt and they record a cassette demo of original songs over the summer in Gebhardt's basement bedroom he converts into a temporary recording studio which they finish in early August of 1983.

After completing the demo Martin and Gebhardt build an upper level rehearsal studio above the office of Gebhardt's father's machine shop. Although the rehearsal space is sound proofed, being in an industrial area of southeast Portland the band could rehearse evenings without disturbing any neighbors. Gebhardt installs a BiAmp 1682 mixer and a Realistic 909 Reel-to-Reel tape deck. Martin installs a power amp, monitor speaker and cassette deck. They record a live rehearsal as a duo of 3 tracks which includes the earliest recording of what will become the Tokyo song Rock Rock-N-Roll.

They place an advertisement for a lead guitar player and bass player in Portland's Nickel Ads newspaper. Larry Haynes (Guitar) and Fred Volz (Bass) join the band and begin rehearsals. Martin and Haynes work together to write the initial set of Tokyo songs and the band records their first 3 song rehearsal demo on reel-to-reel tape for a demo cassette to shop to potential club owners and booking agents. The demo has the earliest recorded version of the Tokyo song Victim which became the closer/finale of their live shows. The song Not Foolin' was never formally recorded in studio but was featured on their set lists and appears on their only live recording. Dynamite In Denim might be the very first Tokyo original written by Martin and Haynes. This is the only recording of that song and it was dropped from the band's set lists and repertoire early in the bands performing history by request of Martin. It's unclear if any live gigs were played before 1984.

### 1984

Tokyo first got the attention of the owner of The Rock Palace a movie theater converted to underage concert venue and played their first show there. Later the band would often appear at shows opening or participating in Heavy Metal showcases at the Starry Night venue in Portland. They did at least play one bar gig during this time.

Performances (partial list)

April 29, 1984 The Rock Palace: METAL WARZ with Iscariot, Tokyo, Savage Ways, Banshee

May 12, 1984 The Rock Palace: Iscariot with Tokyo (Live Recording)

June 3, 1984 Starry Night: ROCK WARZ with Iscariot, Tokyo, Dionysys, Monarch, Diamond Ruff, Haven, Triaxx

June 23, 1984 The Rock Palace: Tokyo with Alibi, Roxx

August 11, 1984 Starry Night: Haven with Tokyo

August 25, 1984 Starry Night: Glacier and Tokyo

December 30, 1984 Satyricon: Manchild, Tokyo, Cloudz

The logo for the band was designed by Martin and incorporated a distinctive original font in front of a rising sun. The original font first appeared on self-produced flyers for the band's first appearance at the Rock Palace Metal Warz performance on April 29, 1984. The full logo incorporating the rising sun was completed by the band's headliner performance at The Rock Palace on June 23, 1984 appearing on flyers and a large white sheet/cloth banner painted with the logo in red and hung as a backdrop behind the band for the show. The banner was eventually destroyed in a fire in Los Angeles sometime in 1985. The band also created and sold at their shows a red t-shirt with the official Tokyo logo and Grab What You Can printed on the front in a stenciled font.

In July of 1984 as their original song list grew, Tokyo released a self-produced 4 song demo cassette EP titled "Grab What You Can" which featured releases of the songs: This Much Love, Are You Runnin', Rock Rock-N-Roll and Victim. Songwriting is credited solely to JL Martin except Are You Runnin' which is credited to Martin, Haynes and Gebhardt. The recording was made at Red Carpet Treatment Studio in southwest Portland. Graphics on the cassette were laid out and printed by Martin but doesn't feature the band's official logo/font but instead has a different rising sun graphic and rough, handwritten lettering.

On November 28, 1984 Martin appeared live on the Portland Cable Access show For Promotion Only a music and variety show hosted by Diane Crowell and directed by Dan Halvorson with newly added band manager Bill DiBacco of Brown Bear Productions. The band had pre-recorded a 3 song music video set that debuted during the live show and featured the songs: This Much Love, Are You Runnin' and Victim from their self-produced demo cassette EP. Manager DiBacco (who was also the bass player in the band No Ties) was the stand in on bass for the previously departed Fred Volz during the shooting of the music videos. It's believed that KGON rock DJ Iris Harrison directed these prerecorded music videos. During the course of the interview program Martin takes a phone call from a viewer.

Toward the end of 1984 Ryan Allred replaced Fred Volz on bass and the band rehearses to integrate Allred's precision bass style into their music.

### 1985 & Demise

With manager DiBacco, Tokyo gets the attention of local booking agency Pacific Talent and lands the well-paying (for a metal band in Portland) after hours time-slot gig at the legendary southeast Portland New Copper Penny night club owned by Saki Tzantarmas. Other offbeat type bookings continued. One such gig being an upstairs bar in a Chinese restaurant in Vancouver, Washington where patrons of the family establishment would have to endure the earthquake-like vibrations of loud Heavy Metal music upstairs while trying to just quietly enjoy their Hot and Sour Soup. Despite Heavy Metal's continued popularity nationwide and on MTV, the live Heavy Metal scene began to decline in Portland. Seeing former local group Black'n Blue get signed to a lucrative record deal with Geffen in 1982, Portland bands began an exodus to Los Angeles where it was perceived that the LA Metal scene was friendlier and prosperous. At the same time the need for a second demo recording of new songs that represented the sound of the band after adding Allred was pressuring Tokyo to get back into a studio and record again. Feeling this pressure and also wanting to acquire more recording capabilities, Gebhardt purchased a used TEAC 3340-S 4 track reel-to-reel tape deck for the rehearsal studio.

During late January 1985, Tokyo started recording a second self-produced demo in their rehearsal studio. The track list again features a 4 song demo EP featuring: You Tonight, Blackheart, Children Like To Rock and Fight Like Dogs. The final mix was completed in early February. The second demo EP represented a much tighter Tokyo sound with strong musicianship and songwriting. It was well received among fans who heard the new recording and during live shows the audience would shout out requests for Tokyo songs over the cover songs in the set.

Although Tokyo had a new demo and made inroads into booking agents, the stress of the declining Heavy Metal scene in Portland weighed heavy on Martin and he decided to relocate with other local Portland bands to Los Angeles. Haynes decided to relocate but Gebhardt and Allred ultimately did not make the trip and that simply was the end of the Portland band Tokyo.

Before relocating to Los Angeles, Haynes recorded some tracks for new demos that Gebhardt was writing at the time. After returning to Portland, Haynes joined former Tokyo bassist Volz in the band Grand Vision.

Gebhardt and Allred joined Dave Martinson on guitar in the studio for some demo recordings. Martinson had been Haynes roommate and a former member of Portland bands Crysys and AC/DC tribute band High Voltage.  Allred later joined Crysys and Gebhardt and Martinson continued to record through the remainder of the decade.

In Los Angeles, Martin teamed up with former Glacier bassist Tim Procter to form Calamity Jane. The band recorded a demo cassette EP which included a new version of the Tokyo song Children Like To Rock.

##### REFERENCES

Tokyo Archives - Flyers: Keith Flax (Haven), Michael Podrybau (Glacier) via Rusted Metal

Rusted Metal: A Guide To Heavy Metal And Hard Rock Music In The Pacific Northwest (1970 - 1995)