WE STARTED TAKING TONS OF UPPERS, SPEED, AND COKE.  EVERYONE THAT JUST WANTED TO HANG OUT WITH NEW YORKERS WOULD TURN US ON.  WITH NOT MUCH MONEY, WE WOULD ALL BE SLEEPING IN ONE HOTEL ROOM, AND EATING KENTUCKY FRIED CHICKEN BEFORE THE SHOW.  NOW I KNOW WHY THE BASS PLAYER AND DRUMMER WOULD ALWAYS QUIT! AFTER A SHOW IN NEW ENGLAND, ON THE DRIVE BACK TO NY, I FELT LIKE SHIT AND COULDN’T BREATH.  WHEN I GOT HOME IN THE MORNING I WENT TO THE DOCTOR BECAUSE I KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG.  HE TOLD ME THAT I HAD COLLAPSED MY LUNGS AND WAS HAVING IRREGULAR HEART PALPITATIONS.  I WAS PUT INTO THE HOSPITAL AND HAD ONE-INCH TUBES SHOVED THROUGH MY RIBS INTO MY LUNGS TO PUMP THEM BACK UP FOR TWO WEEKS STRAIGHT.  I NEVER DID DRUGS AGAIN AFTER THAT.  THIS WAS 1981.

Describe the transition into the second album.

BACK IN NY, IN BETWEEN SHOWS, WE WENT INTO AN 8 TRACK STUDIO, AND RECORDED THE “LEATHER BOYS FROM THE ASPHALT JUNGLE” LP LIVE WITH SOME OVERDUBS.  THE PHOTO ON THE FRONT IS MIKI AND I CLONED TO MAKE IT LOOK LIKE FOUR GUYS.  DIDN’T HAVE STEADY MEMBERS.  WE RELEASED IT ON RECCA.

Describe the transition into electronica.

MIKI AND I HATED FINDING NEW GUYS TO COME ON TOUR.  BY THEN, WE WERE GETTING INTO THE NEW BRITISH SOUND OF SOFT CELL, DEPECHE MODE, AND SO ON.  THEY DIDN’T HAVE DRUMMERS.  GREAT!  THEY DIDN’T EVEN HAVE GUITARS. WE WENT INTO A FRIEND’S STUDIO, AND TAPED ELECTRONIC BASS AND DRUMS OF OUR LIVE SET.  WE GOT A KEYBOARD PLAYER, AND STARTED TO DO SHOWS AS A 3 PIECE.  WE LOVED IT AND SO DID THE PEOPLE.  ONE THING LED TO ANOTHER AND WE GOT RID OF THE KEYBOARD PLAYER AND BECAME A DUO, FROM THEN ON.  WE RECORDED MOONTAN, AND LOVE IS LIKE AN ITCHING IN MY HEART, AS A 45 ON RECCA.  AT THIS TIME, ARMAND HAD HIS BAND OZONE. MIKI AND I WERE DOING SHOWS IN THE NY AREA ONLY, FOR THE FIRST TIME IN YEARS.  WE FOUND THAT WE HAD A SOUND AND LOOK THAT GOT US IN TO SOME COOL CLUBS IN TOWN.  WE WANTED TO CONTINUE IN THE DIRECTION OF ELECTRONIC POP LIKE THE MUSIC THAT WAS COMING OUT OF THE UK (AS ALWAYS, OUR MAIN INFLUENCE).  WE HAD LOVED DANCE MUSIC AND DISCO FOR YEARS (LIKE OTHER NEW YORK GROUPS, BLONDIE AND TALKING HEADS) AND WANTED TO ENHANCE OUR POP WITH A BEAT.  WE ALWAYS TRIED TO HAVE A DANCABLE BEAT WITH ALL OF THE FAST’S MUSIC.  WE NOTICED OUR OLD FRIEND BOBBY O, WHO WORKED WITH THE FAST IN ’75 FOR HIS FIRST PRODUCTIONS (THE BOYS WILL BE BOYS SESSIONS), WAS HAVING SUCCESS WITH THE FLIRTS, DIVINE, AND THE PET SHOP BOYS.  WE CALLED HIM UP, AND WENT RIGHT OVER TO HIS STUDIO, AND WITHIN A MONTH, RCORDED 3 SONGS, AT THE GYM, UNISEX HAIRCUT, AND MALE STRIPPER.  THE MALE STRIPPER TRACK WAS AN EARLY VERSION DEMO, ON THE ORDER OF NUMBERS, AND PLANET ROCK.  BOBBY WAS A MYSTERY MAN, WHO CAN NEVER GIVE A STRAIGHT ANSWER.  HE LEFT US IN THE DARK ON RELEASING, AS WELL AS FINISHING THE TRACKS.  WE MET BOBBY O’S PROMOTIONAL MANAGER (FOR HIS LABEL) DENNY O’CONNOR.  HE STARTED TO MANGE US.  HE WAS VERY MUCH INVOLVED WITH THE GAY DISCO SCENE IN NY.  HE WAS ALSO A DJ, AND KNEW EVERY GAY DJ IN THE COUNTRY, FROM WORKING PROMOTION FOR O RECORDS.  WE STARTED TO PLAN OUR FUTURE IN DANCE MUSIC.  WAITING A FEW MONTHS FOR BOBBY TO RELEASE OUR RECORDINGS WAS GETTING TO US, SO DENNY, WHO ALSO HAD CONNECTIONS WITH A BIG RECORDING STUDIO (MEDIA SOUND), INTRODUCED US TO THE OWNER.  HE LIKED US AND GAVE US A JOB WORKING AS IN HOUSE DEMO MAKERS FOR THE ACTS THAT HE WOULD SIGN TO HIS PRODUCTION COMPANY.  WE GOT PAID AS WELL AS FREE STUDIO TIME ON OFF-HOURS.  THIS GAVE US THE TIME TO START AND MOLD OUR SOUND TO A MORE DANCE DISCO FLAVOR.  WITH DENNY THERE TO GUIDE US ALONG WITH WHAT WOULD WORK IN CLUBS AND LETTING HIS FRIEND HEAR OUR STUFF, WE WERE GETTING ON THE RIGHT TRACK.