The clams were playing again. Not often, and not to audition, but for themselves, when they had somehing to show. Headlining the Brighton, Playing CBGB on Richie's fiftieth birthday, opening for the wildflowers at the Fast Lane, teaching the Del Fuegos about underestimating the local talent in Asbury, They were the older wiser much bigger and fatter pet clams from outer space again.

And they were writing again. The first Applegate/Anderson songs in a decade began to work into the repertoire. Damian needed more work than the Clams could provide, (he had his own band) so Brian Buckelew from Magpie came on as drummer.

They even added a girl singer, Terri Thatcher,in their continuing quest for harmony.

With Mario And Mike, this made up the band that Gary And Damian took into the studio to record "My True Story"

It was not a easy few months work, Terri and Mike left the band without explanation in the middle of the sessions. Gary had to convert back to bass for most of the overdub work. Mario brought in a couple of female vocalists to replace Terri, but it was time consuming work teaching them Terri's parts. Still the results were better than anyone could of hoped for. Both Damian and Gary knew what could be done with this material, but I'm not sure the others appreciate to this day how well they did. Since most of "My True Story" is being posted here, listen for yourself.

Finished in 1995, it represents the last major work by the band. They continued to play locally through 1998, notably at the memorial for Margeret Potter (of the Upstage club) at the Stone Pony, talk about full circle. Dave came up with an arrangement of "in my Life" for that one. They finally were a good cover band.

Richie recently wrote a broadway type musical with noted science fiction writer F.Paul Wilson called "Wordplay". The clams backed up Richie and the singers on the demos. One of the singers was Yorke Calabro's daughter Debbie. (Yorke had actually sang back up as far back as blue rock, and again on "the story of my life").

I've heard a rumor that Gary actually lobbied Gelbstein for Wilson to replace Al Spero in the early eighties (this would be before "The Keep" came out as a film.) Wilson, like Applegate, is a Byrds fan.

Out of this came a swing/rockabilly band Dave put together, using Mario, Gary, and Brian, to back up Debbie Calabro. It was in this bastardized Clams (without Gelb) that Dave and Gary played their last gig New Years eve 1999. No project since, not "oldest living punk band" (for which Gary has written a half a dozen songs) or anything else Dave or Richie has come up with has gotten them moving. But Richie is calling CBGB, maybe they can get an audition...