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The VIEW (Tonya Terry, Patman, John Hager, Rick Hines)
rock at Johnny's Bistro, Orlando, August 5, 1993.

AN INNOVATIVE ROCK & ROLL BAND CUTTING TOMORROW'S EDGE TODAY!

So screamed the headlines around Florida in the early 1990's! The VIEW's "anything is possible" attitude led to a refreshing variety of noise described (favorably) by one newspaper critic as "angry, mind-sucking, pop/punk music." Unlike most original bands limited to a single musical style, The VIEW thrived on variety. With influences as diverse as the Ramones, Rush and Charlie Daniels, you never knew what was up next: a tight pop tune or a psychedelic adventure. Setting the mood with their own lights and fog machine, The VIEW delivered an explosive live show. Rick lashed out with slash-and-burn guitar over John's intense, manic drumming; Tonya wove thunderous bass lines under the musical fabric; while Patman spiced the mix with "sinewy synths, gritty guitar, psychotic sax," bass, or anything that made noise. Cementing the diverse musical elements together were intense energy and perceptive lyrics touching on romance, politics, humor, the cosmos, infinity, and more.

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Patman, Rick and John in an October 27, 1991 publicity photo. This is outside the rehearsal studio in Orlando, Florida.

Vocalist, keyboardist, composer, and general music theorist Patman first conceived of The VIEW in Nashville, Tennessee, in the mid-80's. There, a short-lived prototype group developed new songs, some of which were played by the band right up to the end.

Soon transplanted to Sarasota, Florida, by his family, Patman began to reassemble The VIEW in 1987. He put a rhythm section together from local musicians. His roommate, Rick Truman, a pizza deliverer, was put on bass, while friend Mike Wood assumed the drum seat. Via one of Rick Truman's pizza deliveries, Patman met Rick Hines, a long-time solo artist and a recent arrival from Indiana. Rick's punk-influenced guitar work and experimental songwriting gave the band a harder, more progressive sound. This second incarnation produced two albums in two years (1989's Blackmail and 1990's Play It Loud!)

Unfortunately there were few places in the area that allowed bands to play highly original, incredibly loud, take-no-prisoners rock 'n' roll. So, when Rick moved to Orlando, Florida, to get a job and there found a thriving underground music scene, it wasn't long before Patman followed along. The idea was to get a house for the whole band, install a practice room/recording studio, and get down to some serious live playing.

There they recruited a new drummer through a newspaper ad. John Hager was a surfer from the Space Coast with a variety of musical experience. His open-minded attitude and muscular playing style enhanced the group's exploratory musical concept, while his sci-fi-oriented songwriting was a welcome additon to the band's catalog of originals.

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Magazine advertisement for album release party, Jan. 9, 1993, featuring the cassette cover art.

After recording a third album (1992's 3=4) with Patman on bass, they discovered yet another untamed spirit lurked in Tonya Terry, John's girlfriend. She was added as bassist in time for the 3=4 cassette release show, allowing the band greater creative flexibility as a four-piece. Patman was unleashed from bass player duties and began to play more keyboards and other instruments. The band played many shows all around central Florida at this time.

Looking for a hotter market place to jump start their music career brought The VIEW to Atlanta, Georgia, in 1993. There the band played a handful of shows and recorded their final tape release, 1995's Out of Our Minds. That release served as a fitting epitaph for the band, featuring three new compositions, one each by all the main composers, John, Rick and Patman, as well as a major slab of improvisation culled from the entire band's collective efforts.

Unfortunately, internal matters came to a head and caused the band to call it a day. The tight living quarters, very different personalities, unrealized professional expectations, grind of playing low-paying shows, mounting debt, broken down equipment, Atlanta's tightly knit music scene--all these things and more put the pressure on. While no single item broke up this creative musical outfit, they all added to the overall stress level. But all the musicians involved with the band at one time or another would agree they played some incredible music, partied like there was no tomorrow, met some great friends and fellow musicians, and have great memories that will last a lifetime.


The VIEW salute all you people who listened to their music, spent money on their shows, tapes and T-shirts, jammed with the band, and gave them support through the years.

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All work displayed on these pages © Rick Hines & The VIEW.
Material may not be used without the artist's written permission.