The Lost Days
An Unofficial history.
Garth Forsythe is a strange Pennsylvania backwoods musical icon. Eschewing a career in basketball for the role of a iconoclastic folk hero, Garth can be found entertaining in pubs and bars in and around southeastern Pennsylvania.
Garth's musical influences can be heard in his song writing. Shades of Tom Waits, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Syd Barret, and Fairport Convention pepper his extensive writing efforts. Garth strikes an strong visual impression as well.The stooped gaunt figure of a large man hammering on an acoustic guitar with long arms and big hands. Standing at around 6'5", Garth is a big guy, but he is a notoriously gentle giant.
His disturbing lyrics when combined with his physical performance create a lasting impression.
Garth was seminal founder of the band Poor Luther's Bones. P.L.B. started practicing and playing in the Lehigh Valley and Philadelphia areas around 1992. Other members at the time included bassist Leo Scott, drummer Dave Roberts, and guitarist Dave Keller. Some folks simply loved "the Bones" oddly timed loose limbed and woozy sound, others just didn't get it. The music was something completely new to many people. Demented circus waltzes, and frantic tango timing was alien to most people who would witness a live show. The club goers were used to cheesy cover bands, or popular "clones", who looked sounded just like the newest and "coolest" top 40 alternative bands. The Bones played mostly all original compositions written mainly by Mr.Forsythe, but all members would have their hand in the final song's crafting. It was this approach that would both bring the bones some small measure of success, and eventually doom the expiriment to failure.
Guitarist David Keller was mild mannered and strongly religious young man. The other members of the band, and indeed most of their friends would relax, drink beers and smoke ciggerttes as a way of being social. Keller wanted none of this. He made it clear that the music was what he was in the band for. This made things hard going at times. Forsythe and Keller started as friends, and ended in bitter dispute over who paid the most dues for the band. Keller fussed and complained about the equipment, most of which was his. Garth fretted and worried about getting the band gigs, and ran up huge long distance phone bills (much to his wife's dismay), trying to court prospective booking agents. This placed stress on the band as a whole. Eventually the band members went their separate ways, each taking with them the stories and memories of times good and bad.
Poor Luther's Bones was not finished, however. Years later, Forsythe would help to resurect the band for another go at the brass ring. This time Keller was out. Garth had made alot of friends along the bumpy roads, and kept in touch with the music scenes in Bethlehem and Philadelphia. Pete Young was an extremely talented and creative guitarist, and impressed Garth with his frenzied guitar playing for the popular Crack Babies. Pete left the babies due to personal differences with the baby-ish Andy Crack. Pete and Garth aligned themselves, and began jamming and recording together. Soon drummer Dave Roberts, and Guitarist John Greenleaf would join the foray. Roberts had recently moved back to the lehigh Valley, and was playing drums and guitar with whoever would join in. He took over the stickman position for Mortimer Smedly for a short stint. Greenleaf and Roberts lived on a somewhat remote farmhouse with several other proffessional drunks. The Farmhouse became the next Poor Luther's Bones practice compound. Bassist Leo Scott returned from Rochester New York to play with the band once more. Greenleaf quit the bones,...or was forced out depending on who tells the tale, but no hard feeling remain between them.
The Bones played and practiced, and recorded when time allowed., but things never completely coalesced for the new bones. Pete Young was a knowlegdeble and accomplished musician, and a great guy. His fresh imput and qualified remarks gave the band something to rally behind. Yet all seemed doomed to fail again. The band had a hard time schedualing practices, and all members were busy with their lives. Garth had new duties as a father to his son Alexander, and was pursuing a professional teaching degree as well. Leo scott was living and working in reading and found it hard to escape for much needed practices. Roberts left once for five weeks to travel the country with his girlfriend, and was becoming disillusioned with the bands efforts. He returned from his trip to find Greenleaf out of the band, and everyone blameing each other for things being bad.
Still the band played on, recording a CD full of new material that never would see the light of day on an actual record. All through this Garth wrote songs, and worked on his solo efforts. Some tension in the band was aimed at garth for not focusing on the band more, but knowone could really blame another for lack of dedication, they all had been guilty of loosing focus. Roberts left the band, and moved to New Orleans to pursue a professional career, again, with no ill feelings from the other band members. Rumours being what they are, it is said that the bones might one day return,...is this true? Only Garth can say for sure.
There will soon be links dedicated to Pennsylvania backwoods bands and weirdos.
