‘Mean’ Dean EMPREY.
This is a re-collection from Belt of Orion’s Manager, Adrian Last.
“I’d like to relay an account of the time when Dean Emprey was introduced to the Band and earned his Moniker nick-name”.
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“I was with the Band was on a Small Tour of Ontario and we were just wrapping up a Gig at a Hall in the Suburbs south of Metro Toronto when I received some very alarming news that the Hotel I had arranged we were to be staying at suffered a Fire and was to be evacuated. This was understandably a situation beyond our control. I told the Band and thinking fast on his feet Band Member Mike Parris recalled an old friend of his called Dean, ( who could Play Guitar & Sing) and also remembered him being “as Cheap as Nails!”, lived close by . Better still, Mike had his Phone number and he would try and contact him to see if it would be possible to crash overnight at his Place? I had also had heard of Dean (Emprey) through the Music business networks and knew of him as being a good, solid Guitarist.
So It did not take long before Mike Parris was able to connect with his friend Dean, who was a little hesitant to host a Rock Band overnight, but agreed as if they were in a Band with Parris, they could not be so bad a set of people, and really in a bind. Which was the case as I agreed while arranging this with Dean. Dean lived a few Miles distance from the now-burning Hotel, and was understandable to their plight.
So we arrived at Dean’s House close to Midnight, the Band and I set about introducing ourselves , while Mike Parris thanked his old friend and then the Band secured our Gear in Dean’s Garage for safe-keeping, showing all our gratitude towards our erstwhile Host. However, it soon became quickly apparent that there was a set of Renters living downstairs at Dean’s place—whom he was sick of and was engaged in some sort of a dispute with. There were three Renters in total , two Brothers and a Girlfriend of one of the Brothers. They were apparently very noisy at the best of times, always late with their Rent and liked to throw surprise Parties. They were engaged in a Legal action with Dean—who just wanted them…GONE!!
These Renters had the protection afforded to them by a well-meaning System of Rules against bad Landlords. But if a Tenant wished to make life a living Hell for their Landlord, they could take advantage of the System, exploit these same Rules and do so--leaving their Landlords with little in the way of protection of their own Rights. Not an ideal situation while under the same Roof. So, in Dean’s thinking, he was engaged in a Campaign to drive them out. And he had been making life most difficult for them.
After making up sleeping arrangements for us, his Guests, Dean cracked open a few Beers and explained his predicament to us all. He explained that had been keeping the Heat to the lowest possible levels—hence the additional Blankets everyone had been given—and tampering with the Fuse Box to give them intermittent Power and services. Petty stuff really.
Dean had made certain that the Renters ‘went Cold’, had no use of a serviceable Clothes Dryer, had Light Bulb Problems , as he unscrewed them in common areas, and spotty Power to their portion of the House. He joked that he was actually saving himself some Money in doing this. We were surprised to see that he had his own Clothing suspended on a Clothesline from one end of the upstairs Living-Room to the other, thus solidifying his Illusion of the faulty Electrical Hook-ups on site. It was a ridiculous situation, but seemed to be working its Magic below. Dean said that he could hear them arguing about whether to move out?... or not?.. late into the nights, as this has been an ongoing crisis for three Months now. —His Renters were 4 Months behind in Rent.
After a late night of chats, Music Talk and some new ideas being shared. We all had agreed for the Band to Perform a Gig of their own in Dean’s Garden by way of thanks for his hosting us. Thus , the hope was that this ‘Impromptu’ Gig would help drive the Renters from their slumber and tip them towards a Balance of Probabilities to re-locate sooner than later.
So in the A.M, with Dean restoring FULL POWER to his House and providing the necessary Wattage to generate the Band’s needs for Electrical requirements to power their gear, the Loudest Gig that the Neighbourhood ever heard.... took place. It did the trick. That afternoon as the Band and I left for a short break in our Tour, Dean’s Tenants began vacating the premises.
Thus Dean was Named ‘MEAN Dean Emprey—I had a chat with the Band as they were eager to accept him to join them as a Member after a ‘Try-out’ on this Garden Gig had greatly impressed them. Thus ‘Mean’ Dean Joined BofO.”