"Life Of Luxury In Florida?" by Eddie Smith of Mad Margritt

About a year or so after the band was formed, we signed a deal with a production company out of Orlando Florida. In the contract it stated that we would be put on a weekly salary, our housing would be taken care of, all our bills would be paid, all expenses would be taken care of for stage clothes, instruments, recording costs, etc… Sounds to good to be true, huh?? It was!!

When we arrived in Orlando we were greeted by a member of the production company (We’ll call her “Stormy”). “Stormy” proceeded to take us to our new home. When we arrived at the house our jaws dropped to the ground. I wasn’t real sure what a crack house looked like but I knew it couldn’t look much worse then this place. There was no furniture, no electricity, no plumbing, no curtains on the windows or locks on the doors. “Stormy” informed us that this was just temporary, our real house would be ready soon! We decided to try and make the best of the situation so we settled in for the night, hoping that things would get better in the morning.

The next day we awoke to the sight of 30 or more people staring at us through the windows. Apparently the place we were staying at was an abandoned building located next to the state tag agency. Everyone got to watch us sleep on the floor like vagrants as they waited in line to get their auto tags.

Things then went from bad to worse. Over the next month we were shuffled around to several different places (including an airplane hanger) all the while, waiting patiently for the word that our new home was ready for us to move into. “Stormy” explained that the production company was waiting for their investors to come through with the money to finance everything. Once they got the money, everything would be taken care of. Eventually they did get the money from the investors......can you guess what happened next? “Stormy” and company split town, stealing all the money from the investors and leaving us high and dry in sunny Orlando Florida.

Just one of many fun adventures in my life as a “Rock &Roller”

Eddie Smith /Mad Margritt