86 • UNCUT• JULY 2019
I
PhotobyM asayoshisu kita
TIN MACHINE
A
t first,theclienteleinanunassumingdowntownbarin
theBahamiancapitalofNassaumightnothavepaidmuch
attentiontothemusicianswhotooktothestageonenight
inMay1989.Theycertainlywouldn’thaverecognisedthe
band’sname.“We’reTinMachineandwe’vebeingwriting
a lotofsongs,”saysthebeardedsinger,bywayofan
introduction.“We’regonnaroadtesta handfulofnewones.”
Asit transpired,thefreshlymintedTinMachinearefinishingtheirdebut
albumatCompassStudios,justdowntheroad,andhavedecidedtoroadtest
a handfulofnewsongs.“Wejustliterallystoletheequipmentfromsome
Americancoversbandandwent,‘We’vegotDavidBowiehere,’”recallsrhythm
guitaristKevinArmstrong.“Thenweplayedtoa roomofdumbfounded
Americantourists.”
Spaceis ata premium.There’ssolittleroomthatproducerTimPalmer,
wedgedbetweenBowieandleadguitaristReevesGabrels,hastomixthelive
soundfromthestage.BassistTonySales,whoformedtherhythmsectionwith
hisbrother,Hunt,remembersit as“arealsmallplace,reallytiny.Therewere
maybe 25 peoplethere,nomorethan30.Youcouldseepeoplenudgingeach
other:‘IsthatDavidBowie?’”“
I
u !”