Good question and there's really no great answer. Back in the days of yore, before the internet
became popular and mp3's hadn't been thought of yet, there were some fellows from Marietta, Ohio
in a band called Knot 2 Shabby. Knot 2 Shabby played the local scene: The Barge Inn, Judd's Tavern,
The Becky Thatcher, the Towne House, etc. They were a three piece band that played a little bit of
country, a little bit of folk, and a little bit of bluegrass with a whole lot of harmonies.
They did well together, but through time, people change and so do the line up of local bands.
In the summer of 1991, Knot 2 Shabby was playing but looking for a new direction to take. Two
members of the band, John Goettge (vocals, guitar, banjo, mandolin, etc) and Chip Schwartz (vocals,
guitar, percussion, etc.) met up with Ken Sisco a guitar player that was new to the area. After a little
bit of jammin' and a lot of discussion, Knot 2 Shabby evolved Live Bait, with Ernest Wince picking up the
part of vocalist and bass player. The line up looked something like this:
Pictured is the Showboat Becky Thatcher where Live Bait played many gigs during
the fall of 1991 and through 1992. The Becky has a small lounge where they played, yet they always managed
to draw a large crowd.
John Goettge:
vocals
rhythm acoustic guitar
banjo
mandolin
Chip Schwartz:
vocals
percussion
extra acoustic guitar
Ken Sisco:
acoustic guitar
occassional vocals
Ernest Wince:
vocals
electric bass guitar
At the right is a newspaper clipping advertising bands that would be playing to
raise funds to build the Incredible Community Playground. Live Bait played from 5-5:30 pm. The
Incredible Community Playground was built and is located at Phillips School.
Rumor has it that the band picked the name Live Bait, because Chip always thought that would be
a great name for a band - the band would be advertised everywhere that live bait was sold. The
band even did a promo shot in front of a bait shop in Reno, OH, using the shop's live bait sign
in the background. Live Bait continued where Knot 2 Shabby left off in the same Marietta bars.
The band had a fairly decent and loyal following in Marietta among the twenty and thirty-somethings.
They were good at what they played and sounded good playing it. Their repetoir consisted of old
seventies folk pieces and some classic rock and roll as well. They also performed some original
material.
After a while, as is normal among fledgling bands, the lineup of the band changed. Kyle Moore
joined up to take John's place as rhythm guitar player, and Colin Williams entered the scene as
the kit drum player. This lineup performed at the same places as the original lineup as well as
adding the Dick & Rosie's Maple Cafe to the list of venues. This lineup played at Marietta's
Indian Summer Arts & Crafts Fair at the Washington County Fairgrounds on September 26, 1992. They
performed such favorites as Witchy Ti Ti and Sink or Swim/Women Are Smarter.
During 1992, Live Bait continued with business as usual, but by the summer of 1993 Live Bait found
itself in a lull and took a break from performing. This proved to be the end of Live Bait's career, but
the story doesn't end there. In the summer of 1993, with a new drummer and a new name, Live Bait became
Universal Luv Mud.
