NOTE: This is being made available by me, Bernard Maiezza, and I am an Autistic musician/composer/producer currently struggling on Disability Supports. ODSP will allow me to use 100% of the income I am able to generate here towards "living expenses" by stating that all proceeds earned are viewed as a donation. Thank You very much for your support.

Let me start from the beginning, begin the beguine so to speak.
In the beginning (bible ref), before A Neon Rome, there was -Jesus & His Mutants, and that's where the story begins.

I first saw Jesus & His Mutants, at the Beverley Tavern, when I walked in one night and my pal Wesley Thoro (later the owner of the Bovine, when it was cool), was doing sound for them. It was the first of a 2 night run for the band. He asked if I could mix them the next night as he had a previous engagement. I jumped at the chance as I loved what I saw & heard. That was the beginning of a wonderful (for most of the time -not so great others) relationship that blossomed from there. I loved the band -especially Neal Arbic, the singer, who was clearly insane and a great frontman and, I became their soundman for the last 4-5 death throe gigs of the band -the last one opening for Alien Sex Fiend, in St. Catherines, when I was sound tech for ASF’s first N.American tour. Needless to say,the band folded shortly thereafter, and, in its ashes, arose -A Neon Rome, the first incarnation being started as a 2 piece -Neal Arbic with Kevin Nizol on guitar. Very minimal guitar (think slow bummer cure-y sounding verging on junky) and Neal singing crazy ass shit like -"julie left the suburbs...to become a lezbi ya han''. -I fucking LOVED this -and I gave them many slots at The Beverley Tavern on Elvis Mondays, and soon they began adding other players to the line up -Ian Blurton, on drums -John Borra, on bass,replacing Ian with Kenny -who was actually their first drummer...its complicated) ( Ken Burchell) , on drums and adding Bernard, ex Slightly Damaged,(another band I mixed back then) on keys/synths. Now, this happened over time in increments and when the final 5 were together the sound/songs grew to the point they had a happening sound/stage act. I began booking them into The Bev, on a regular basis and other clubs and their fanbase grew -til they could fill The Bev, for a weekend. I also got them on support bills for The 2 Garys. The band rarely, if ever , paid me -most bands didn't back then save Sturm Group.
Neal Arbic made all their posters and soon began throwing the word 'heroin' or -’new heroin’ on his posters to freak people out. -That was MY idea (the heroin thing) and sprayed w/florescent orange paint (neals thing), -you couldn't miss them.

Then shit went south.
The band became very well known and were packing clubs and I was their sound tech.
UNTIL -they got a fucking manager.
His name was (insert name here) and he brought them into the studio where they recorded their debut lp.
Then their asshole manager fired me and NONE of the band stuck up for me despite how far I brought them, total prickshot move. Cowboy Junkies FUCKED me the same way --same story as A Neon Rome -(gave them their very first gig -built them up and FUCKED as soon as they signed to BMG). Now, to be fair -the band members have apologized to me for that, and I hold no grudges, and were all still friends to this day, and to this day A Neon Rome, remain one of my all time fave bands from that era, so when Bernard asked me to do these liner notes, I jumped at the chance...what you're about to hear is my mix, live at Larry's Hideaway...enjoy motherfuckers -its awesome...DIG.
-m dent [2019]

and yes...I was their soundman for this recording
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This is of the first of several planned live recordings by Toronto Ontario's A Neon Rome and the show was recorded on a Teac portastudio 244 4 track at Larry's Hideaway in Toronto on March 27, 1985. It was about 8 weeks or so after Ian Blurton and myself joined the band and we are still very much "working out" a few of the songs that would be featured on our New Heroin album that would be recorded just a couple months after this show. I believe we are playing what would become "magical summer of '85" for the first time. A Neon Rome was the first band on that night of a 3 band lineup that also included Gospel Shop and headlined by Slightly Damaged, which was a band that Ian and I had with guitarist Crawford Teasdale who would join A Neon Rome in 1987 as Kevin Nizel's replacement. All in all , it is kind of a subdued show by the band's standards but is noticeable for featuring 2 songs [The Love Song and The Birds] that were never recorded and would be soon dropped from the band's setlist. - Bernard Maiezza [2019] You can read more at my blog: WTF? (is wrong with you)