Ups Take The Airways

UPS TAKE THE AIRWAYS

August 16, Jackson Michigan.

History was written in the skies of southern Michigan late last night as the Up rock and roll band seized radio station WIBM and made on the air demands for the release of John Sinclair, now serving a ten year sentence for violation of state narcotics laws.

Upsters Bob and Gary Rassmussen, Scott Bailey, Franklin Back, and Dave Sinclair performed the coup shortly after finishing an engagement at the Jackson Sports Arena, Friday night. Making their way into the station through a back door opened by a bufuddled engineer, the unremitting rock and rollers immediately took charge of programming. On duty disk jocky Ron Hively at the first break crowded the broadcast booth with grinning Upsters, explaining the situation and naming the revolutionary musicians for the listening audience.

"I declare this station free territory!" Franklin Bach said snatching up the microphone. The Upsters then proceeded to run it down giving accounts of their recent performance, information about future gigs, facts about their upcoming single, BE MY TOOTSIE ROLL/HASSAN I SABBA, and other pertinent shit.

Members of the band scoured the station in search of music appropriate to the occasion. Just before the airing of JAILHOUSE ROCK, Dave Sinclair commanded, "FREE JOHN SINCLAIR!" and the Upsters shouted their approval.

"We're beset over the lackluster response the kiddies gave us at the Sports Arena, and that's one reason we came to the station," Scott Bailey told the listeners. "I mean, aw shucks, half the place was empty by the last set, like everybody has to be in bed by eleven or something." Upster disappointment was apparently unallayed by reports that Jackson fans were never seen to be as enthusiastic. The Up had the normally lifeless crowd on its' feet, dancing, clapping, and carrying on. Well received was JEB-RU, the new composition about lead singer Frank Bach's and wife Bonnie's unborn baby.

"We no sooner fell off the stage half naked, dripping with seat, and up comes the manager to tell us we broke the rules by takin our shirts off," Upster bassist Gary Rassmussen added. "The old man was real nice, but seemed to think the corruption of youth started when a rock and roll singer split his pants. He was afraid that his club would run into the ground if the kids started following the band and exposing their titties. He searched one of our chicks purses saying, 'It's the girls that always sneak the bottles in to the bands.' He was pretty far out!"

Control of the radio station was returned to its owners at approximately 1:00 Saturday morning as the tired and hungry Upsters made it back to Ann Arbor for SOME'O THAT GOOD OLD NATURAL HOME COOKING.

The Up play at Detroit's Grande Ballroom Sunday, August 24 and at the Canterbury House in Ann Arbor Tuesday, August 26. August 31, Sunday afternoon, finds the Upsters at a free in-the-park concert in Benton Harbor, Michigan.