Album Notes

In 1985 Black Friday was formed by high school friends, Andy Belt, Bryan Sharp, Brian Baker and Shawn Heming. The band’s name was found while flipping through the encyclopedia for something that sounded “cool”. They made it as far as the “B’s and settled on Black Friday.

The band practiced in drummer, Bryan Sharp’s basement and soon added guitarist Kurt Deemer, who left the band in 1987. Also in 1987, Black Friday added keyboardist, Kyle Hollingsworth, who left the band to move to Colorado in the early 1990’s, later becoming the keyboardist for String Cheese Incident.

The band’s first gig was in 1986 at the Eutaw Street Club House (aka “The Loft”). That year they also released their first cassette Just On A Trip. This rustic recording captured the bands early punk rock roots. In 1988 Black Friday released its second untitled cassette affectionately known as the White Tape due to the cheap white tapes that were used for duplication. In 1989 the band released a third untitled cassette recorded at the Commercial Refinery in Baltimore City. In 1990 the band teamed with Recording Engineer, John Suchy for their first CD release on Merkin Records, Can You Feel It? Black Friday and Suchy also corroborated on the 1993 Merkin release Ain’t Nobody and the 1996 Merkin Release, Tom’s Back, the bands first CD without Kyle Hollingsworth.

Four is Black Friday’s first release in 12 years. Kyle Hollingsworth has returned to lend his keys to three tracks, while Spencer Gordon and John Suchy lend additional keyboard support on the other tracks. Dave Finnell of All Mighty Senators fame, provides trumpet and lap steel as well. Black Friday, now in its 23rd year of existence, still plays with the tight chemistry that can only be accomplished by having played together since they were 16.