Purpose: Money.

Other than a summer job, I had no income. This was a much better option than a real job. It might be fun too...

My only connection with was with the lead guitarist, whom I only just knew from a previous 'one gig only' band. The others had all been in 'proper' performing bands before. Not I; my experience was only from school bands, but I was often seen at a local bar on 'Jam night', when I used to sneak in underage...

Our first gig was played under the name of The Snobs, which we didn't like, and before our next gig we half-heartedly settled on the name Scarecrow, not that we thought it was much better. However, that name was here to stay.

It was while Scarecrow was on tour to Timaru (and later Geraldine) that I earned my esteemed title of 'Monster'. There were many other factors, but the following were of critical importance:

• A bad gig playing the wrong music to indifferent people at a crappy hotel
• A generous supply of alcoholic beverages
• One small, glass fronted refrigerator, suitable for housing alcoholic beverages, or..um... a Monster...
• Anything else which fired my imagination (there were many, I'm told)

Monster sells out...