The Bad Examples Timeline, 1987-1998
March 87
Greg Balk. Terry Wathen. Ralph Covert.
May 87
MEAT released
September 87
Joe Douglas (Campagna) joins on lead guitar
March 88
Greg and Joe quit.
Tommy O’Brien joins on lead guitar.
Mark Malbouef, Jimmy Tommasello sub on bass
September 88
Pickles Piekarski joins on bass
November 88
4-track demos are recorded in Wicker Park in the apartment of soundman Rob Williams
December 88
Work begins on Bad Is Beautiful, Mike Freeman producing
Fall 89
AEMMP Records approaches band
Spring 90
Not Dead Yet 12’ single, b/w Little Disasters and Over My Shoulder released
Summer 90
CNR approaches band with European record deal
Mixing BIB, Waterdog Records is formed, with Jay Whitehouse running the label. Tommy O’Brien leaves due to inability to tour in support of
upcoming release, Styx announces intention to cover Not Dead Yet.
September 90
John Duich joins band.
October 90
Band buys “The Rig,” a 27 foot long used motorhome.
December 90
The “Take It On The Chin Tour” through the Southeast US. Ronald van der Meijden from CNR Records joins the band on the road for the last dates
of the tour – additional money for recording Not Dead Yet and Ragtime To Rags is released.
January-September 91
BIB released is delayed, band continues touring in US
September 91
BIB is released world-wide. Richard Milne plays Stranger Than Fiction on WXRT.
November 91
Cheap Beer Night is recorded at Beat Kitchen. “One Perfect Moment” is added on WXRT.
January 92
First European tour.
January-February 92
Playing packed shows in Chicago. Other radio stations join WXRT in playing One Perfect Moment, Not Dead Yet. Band leaves for West Coast tour.
March 92
The Rig dies in Albequerque. The band continues, jammed into a rented Dodge Caravan.
April-July 92
Continuing touring and gigging, including 31 shows in July alone. Ralph flies down to Albequerque and drives The Rig home.
August 92
Band returns to Holland to headline at Buitenpop Festival. We meet with Ronald to solidify European release of Cheap Beer Night, discuss future
European touring, and set up budget and schedule for new studio album.
October 92
Ronald’s staff at CNR is eliminated, as president of company embezzles proceeds of CNR and leaves the country for Curacao.
November 92
CNR goes out of business. Ralph is working on Eat At Godot’s. Morale within the band is very low, all band members are exhausted from touring
and disheartened by experiences with CNR.
January 93
Band continues touring. John’s parents become very sick, and he is taking care of them when in town and worrying while on the road.
Ralph continues work on Eat At Godot’s.
Spring 93
John’s parents die. Godot is finished. Ralph travels to Holland for a solo tour, and while there is able to secure a record deal for Eat At Godot’s.
September 93
John asks to leave, but agrees to continue with the band until a replacement is found.
Fall 93
MEAT is re-released in expanded form, on CD for the first time.
Eat At Godot’s is released in the US. WXRT adds Any Twisted Thing in advance of street date. Pre-sales for the album nationally are substantial.
January 94
Ralph and Jay are in Cannes, France for MIDEM (international licensing convention), and first learn the news of impending problems within
Landmark Distributors.
February 94
Steve Gerlach joins on lead guitar.
Winter-Spring 94
Landmark Distributors’ war with co-owner’s Profile Records causes the crash of the company.
Eat At Godot’s is a casualty of the feud, and Waterdog Records goes from profitable to in debt within weeks.
Summer 94
Adam McCarthy EP is released
September 94
Band begins work on Kisses 50¢. Ralph is also playing acoustic shows with Craig Miller and John Zdon.
November 94
Steve asks to leave band pending finding a replacement.
January 95
Kisses 50¢ is finished.
February-March 95
Ralph pursues management for The Bad Examples, culminating in a fruitless trip to LA in which he meets with about a dozen possible candidates.
Spring 95
Kisses 50¢ is released in the US, Eat At Godot’s in Europe on Crisis Records.
May 95
Birthday recording session takes place on Ralph’s birthday in producer/musician John Zdon’s basemen studio.
Ralph's trio with Craig and John is joined by other friends dropping by including Pickles.
Summer 95
Terry leaves the band, and is replaced by John Richardson. Steve Gerlach leaves the band, and is replaced by John Zdon on guitar/keyboards.
Fall 95
John Zdon leaves the band, Tommy O’Brien rejoining on lead guitar. Steve Wozny joins the band on keyboards.
December 95
Ralph spends 3 weeks in Europe touring and having meetings. He meets with Marcel Albers of Double T music to discuss the possibility of The
Bad Examples touring as an opening act for The Moondogs, and instead is introduced to bandleader Vincent Van Warmerdam. Ralph co-writes
and records The Black Rose Of Texas, and is asked to join The Moondogs as lead singer, replacing Kees Prinz, whose TV series Jiskefet has caused
him to leave the band. Ralph flies to London to meet and write with Jason Feddy . They appear together performing new songs on the BBC.
January 96
The Bad Examples continue to play around Chicago as Ralph plans his Spring European tour.
March 96
Ralph lives in Amsterdam for a month, tours solo (w/China Crisis?), tours and records with The Moondogs.
Kisses 50¢ is released in Europe on Crisis Records.
Summer 96
Popscape is released.
October 96
The Bad Examples European tour starts off terrible as Dutch promoter fails to deliver on promised shows.
Woz, Tommy, and John Richardson bail on the tour and fly home early as Pickles and Ralph continue on alone to complete Dutch shows, playing
Parisian shows, and play English leg of tour.
May 97
Birthday is released. Sawdust And Spangles premieres.
July 97
Billboard article is published.
September 97
Rob Newhouse joins the band on lead guitar.
October 97
Ralph tours Holland and England solo acoustic, including shows with Jason Feddy. Ralph and Jason play The Blue Bar in Harrogate.
January 98
John Duich dies from an unexpected heart attack.
March 98
Two Meter Sessions album is released. Demos are recorded for Double T.
April 98
Ralph tours in Europe.
March 87
Greg Balk. Terry Wathen. Ralph Covert.
May 87
MEAT released
September 87
Joe Douglas (Campagna) joins on lead guitar
March 88
Greg and Joe quit.
Tommy O’Brien joins on lead guitar.
Mark Malbouef, Jimmy Tommasello sub on bass
September 88
Pickles Piekarski joins on bass
November 88
4-track demos are recorded in Wicker Park in the apartment of soundman Rob Williams
December 88
Work begins on Bad Is Beautiful, Mike Freeman producing
Fall 89
AEMMP Records approaches band
Spring 90
Not Dead Yet 12’ single, b/w Little Disasters and Over My Shoulder released
Summer 90
CNR approaches band with European record deal
Mixing BIB, Waterdog Records is formed, with Jay Whitehouse running the label. Tommy O’Brien leaves due to inability to tour in support of
upcoming release, Styx announces intention to cover Not Dead Yet.
September 90
John Duich joins band.
October 90
Band buys “The Rig,” a 27 foot long used motorhome.
December 90
The “Take It On The Chin Tour” through the Southeast US. Ronald van der Meijden from CNR Records joins the band on the road for the last dates
of the tour – additional money for recording Not Dead Yet and Ragtime To Rags is released.
January-September 91
BIB released is delayed, band continues touring in US
September 91
BIB is released world-wide. Richard Milne plays Stranger Than Fiction on WXRT.
November 91
Cheap Beer Night is recorded at Beat Kitchen. “One Perfect Moment” is added on WXRT.
January 92
First European tour.
January-February 92
Playing packed shows in Chicago. Other radio stations join WXRT in playing One Perfect Moment, Not Dead Yet. Band leaves for West Coast tour.
March 92
The Rig dies in Albequerque. The band continues, jammed into a rented Dodge Caravan.
April-July 92
Continuing touring and gigging, including 31 shows in July alone. Ralph flies down to Albequerque and drives The Rig home.
August 92
Band returns to Holland to headline at Buitenpop Festival. We meet with Ronald to solidify European release of Cheap Beer Night, discuss future
European touring, and set up budget and schedule for new studio album.
October 92
Ronald’s staff at CNR is eliminated, as president of company embezzles proceeds of CNR and leaves the country for Curacao.
November 92
CNR goes out of business. Ralph is working on Eat At Godot’s. Morale within the band is very low, all band members are exhausted from touring
and disheartened by experiences with CNR.
January 93
Band continues touring. John’s parents become very sick, and he is taking care of them when in town and worrying while on the road.
Ralph continues work on Eat At Godot’s.
Spring 93
John’s parents die. Godot is finished. Ralph travels to Holland for a solo tour, and while there is able to secure a record deal for Eat At Godot’s.
September 93
John asks to leave, but agrees to continue with the band until a replacement is found.
Fall 93
MEAT is re-released in expanded form, on CD for the first time.
Eat At Godot’s is released in the US. WXRT adds Any Twisted Thing in advance of street date. Pre-sales for the album nationally are substantial.
January 94
Ralph and Jay are in Cannes, France for MIDEM (international licensing convention), and first learn the news of impending problems within
Landmark Distributors.
February 94
Steve Gerlach joins on lead guitar.
Winter-Spring 94
Landmark Distributors’ war with co-owner’s Profile Records causes the crash of the company.
Eat At Godot’s is a casualty of the feud, and Waterdog Records goes from profitable to in debt within weeks.
Summer 94
Adam McCarthy EP is released
September 94
Band begins work on Kisses 50¢. Ralph is also playing acoustic shows with Craig Miller and John Zdon.
November 94
Steve asks to leave band pending finding a replacement.
January 95
Kisses 50¢ is finished.
February-March 95
Ralph pursues management for The Bad Examples, culminating in a fruitless trip to LA in which he meets with about a dozen possible candidates.
Spring 95
Kisses 50¢ is released in the US, Eat At Godot’s in Europe on Crisis Records.
May 95
Birthday recording session takes place on Ralph’s birthday in producer/musician John Zdon’s basemen studio.
Ralph's trio with Craig and John is joined by other friends dropping by including Pickles.
Summer 95
Terry leaves the band, and is replaced by John Richardson. Steve Gerlach leaves the band, and is replaced by John Zdon on guitar/keyboards.
Fall 95
John Zdon leaves the band, Tommy O’Brien rejoining on lead guitar. Steve Wozny joins the band on keyboards.
December 95
Ralph spends 3 weeks in Europe touring and having meetings. He meets with Marcel Albers of Double T music to discuss the possibility of The
Bad Examples touring as an opening act for The Moondogs, and instead is introduced to bandleader Vincent Van Warmerdam. Ralph co-writes
and records The Black Rose Of Texas, and is asked to join The Moondogs as lead singer, replacing Kees Prinz, whose TV series Jiskefet has caused
him to leave the band. Ralph flies to London to meet and write with Jason Feddy . They appear together performing new songs on the BBC.
January 96
The Bad Examples continue to play around Chicago as Ralph plans his Spring European tour.
March 96
Ralph lives in Amsterdam for a month, tours solo (w/China Crisis?), tours and records with The Moondogs.
Kisses 50¢ is released in Europe on Crisis Records.
Summer 96
Popscape is released.
October 96
The Bad Examples European tour starts off terrible as Dutch promoter fails to deliver on promised shows.
Woz, Tommy, and John Richardson bail on the tour and fly home early as Pickles and Ralph continue on alone to complete Dutch shows, playing
Parisian shows, and play English leg of tour.
May 97
Birthday is released. Sawdust And Spangles premieres.
July 97
Billboard article is published.
September 97
Rob Newhouse joins the band on lead guitar.
October 97
Ralph tours Holland and England solo acoustic, including shows with Jason Feddy. Ralph and Jason play The Blue Bar in Harrogate.
January 98
John Duich dies from an unexpected heart attack.
March 98
Two Meter Sessions album is released. Demos are recorded for Double T.
April 98
Ralph tours in Europe.