Harvest Rock Syndicate article

Another rare photo of the band has turned up in the Harvest Rock Syndicate (also available for viewing in the Gallery) from January 1992.

The article itself is more centered around Karen's personality and songwriting than any of the other band members, but it's an interesting read.

1986 Pennsylania Musician Magazine - Part 4

In the final part of our Musician Magazine feature, we reprint two live photos taken at the Metron in 1986.

1986 Pennsylania Musician Magazine - Part 3

In part three of our Musician Magazine feature, we reprint the second half of the article, Originality Isn't A Four Letter Word which was written by John Lewis in December of 1986.

One particularly interesting note from the article, the song "Giants" which had been included on pre-debut album setlist is actually, "Giants and Windmills". If anyone
runs across a recording of this song, please let us know.

Next week's final update will include several photos from the magazine. Below is the December issue cover.

"Freelancing: a tough gig"

Lancaster Online recently published an article that may be of interest to Innocence Mission fans.

Mike Bitts was interviewed and had a few interesting things to say about freelancing. Be sure to read the article.

Source: Lancaster Online, Photo: Richard Hertzler/New Era.

1986 Pennsylania Musician Magazine - Part 2

In part two of our Musician Magazine feature, we reprint the first half of the article, Originality Isn't A Four Letter Word which was written by John Lewis in December of 1986.

Next week, we'll feature part two of that article.

Also below is the same photo used on the Tending The Rose Garden EP minus the pink squiggly lines, but of course in black and white.

1986 Pennsylania Musician Magazine - Part 1

Over the next month, we'll be publishing several updates in regardings to a purchase I recently made of a 1986 issue of Pennsylvania Musician Magazine.

The first update includes a tour schedule advert using the same photography used on the Tending The Rose Garden album cover.

Visit the Photos gallery for the full size version.

Relevant Magazine interview

Relevant Magazine interviews The Innocence Mission in their latest issue (#27).

Vintage articles reveal much

First of all, I'd like to thank everyone for your contributions to the site: news, information, art, photos and financial donations. Those contributions help make this site all the better. For a small purchase, I discovered (via Google's new search engine for archived news) several pre-1989 articles. The two articles by the Philadelphia Daily News and Inquirer revealed quite a bit of information.

Here are a few bits and pieces which I've summarized:

Source: Philadelphia Inquirer / December 17, 1987
"INNOCENCE MISSION IS CATCHING ON" by Steven Rea, Inquirer Staff Writer

The band formed in 1982 at Lancaster Catholic High (from their 1989 bio). In 1983 and 1984, the Innocence Mission was known as Masquerade. They were a Top 40 cover band and performed in school, at dance halls, lounges and Holiday Inns.

Quote from Don: "Those were days of learning, of supporting ourselves through school with odd jobs. It was serious enough that we all kept doing it, but the level of seriousness changed when we started doing our own material. And that's when things really began, and that was about two years ago. 1985, early '86."

They frequently played at Chestnut Cabaret, 23 East, Ambler and J. C. Dobbs.

Hooters bassist Andy King and WMMR's Cyndi Drue recorded pitches on the band's four-song demo tape (although, I'm not exactly sure which of the many demos were on that tape).

Karen is older than Don by a year, and Don is older than Mike by a year and Steve was the same age as Don at the time of the article.

Quote from Patrick Clifford (A&M exec): "They put a big smile on my face. I got the demo tape just as I was getting on a plane to go to Stockholm. So I flew over to Stockholm and I put this tape on, and when I got off the plane I was so crazy about what I'd heard I was thinking, 'I have to find out more about them!' I ran to a pay phone and immediately called New York to talk to their attorney. Only problem: It was still like 4 o'clock in the morning there."

Source: Philadelphia Daily News / December 8, 1987
"CHARM, TALENT MAKE THIS MISSION POSSIBLE NEW GROUP HAS BIG FUTURE" by Jonathan Takiff, Daily News Staff Writer

Cabaret nightclub owner and manager of the Hooters, Steve Mountain and Concert Company boss Stephen Starr made unsuccessful bids to manage the band.

A&M signed the band for a minimum of two albums. Geffen and Capitol Records were also in the running.

Daniel Lenois listened to two sets of an IM show at 23 East and was being considered as a producer.

They opened for 10,000 Maniacs at the Chestnut Cabaret on December 16, 1987.

Jack Dillman article in Lancaster Online

Denison Witmer isn't Don's only student trying to make a name for himself. Head to Lancaster Online to read the article, and go to Jack's Myspace page for more.

Personally Speaking Interview

Personally Speaking with Msgr. Jim Lisante features a new interview with Karen in which she "reveals how several personal losses inspired the group's new album."

Steve Brown news

Steve Brown has recently become the owner of Lily's on Main, a restaurant in Ephrata, PA. He has been the head chef since 1998.

Stephen Brown buys Lily's on Main

Intelligencer Journal
June 20, 2006
By Patrick Burns


"The collection of top-rated restaurants owned by The Keares Restaurant Group just got a bit smaller.

Longtime Lily's on Main chef Stephen D. Brown this month signed a purchase agreement with the Keares family, adding owner to his manager title.

Lily's is located in the Brossman Business Complex, 124 E. Main St., Ephrata. Details of the deal were not disclosed.

"It's been my dream to own a restaurant since I was a kid," said Brown, a 1982 graduate of Lancaster Catholic High School.

While it may have been a dream of Brown's, business ownership didn't dominate his life immediately after high school. Brown is a highly skilled chef but has no formal training. He spent many years recording, touring and playing drums in the Lancaster-based band Innocence Mission.

"I learned the business in the school of hard knocks," Brown said.

After beginning his culinary career as a 17-year-old assistant manager at the former Gino's restaurant on Lititz Pike, Brown honed his skills at Miller's Smorgasbord, J-M Bistro and the Log Cabin Inn Restaurant.

While working at the former J-M Bistro on James Street, Brown had an arrangement with bistro owner Jean-Maurice Juge who allowed him to tour, record and cook. But Brown left the band and devoted his time exclusively to running the business when Lily's was established, Brown said.

Lily's originally opened in 1994 as Checkers but changed the name to Lily's in 1998 when Brown arrived.

"Lily is actually the name of my 9-year-old daughter," Brown said.

During his time spent touring with Innocence Mission opening for high-profile acts such as Don Henley, and Natalie Merchant Brown got an education on the inventive food styles he incorporates at Lily's.

"I've toured the country about 15 times with Innocence Mission," Brown said. "I went to restaurants everywhere I could, picking up recipe ideas in Seattle, New York, Los Angeles Boston and New Orleans."

It was in New Orleans, where Innocence Mission stayed for three months in 1995, that Brown developed the idea for Lily's signature dish -- grilled meatloaf. The ground beef, pork, veal and mushroom dish is stacked high with two thick meatloaf slices served with garlic mashed potatoes and roasted onion-tomato gravy.

"The dish is supposed to replicate the Brossman building, the tallest in Ephrata," Brown said.

The 90-seat restaurant, including 10 seats at the full-service bar, has a sophistication to it that food critics say resembles upscale establishments in Philadelphia and New York.

The building also houses the Ephrata Main movie theater, which the Denver and Ephrata Telephone Co. purchased and restored in 1990. D&E made the downtown building sparkle, even adding gold-plated elevators, and a waterfall behind the two-flight brass and glass stairway that leads to Lily's.

"It's our mini-Trump Towers, Brown said.

Brown is now the official owner of Lily's, but it's always been his show.

Harry Keares gave him free reign, from the menu, presentation and even the art-deco decor (courtesy of Zap & Co. on North Queen Street in Lancaster).

Still, Brown is quick to praise those who gave him opportunities in the local restaurant industry.

"I owe so much to Harry (Keares) and Charles DiSantis, owner of The Log Cabin, and its executive manager Robert Fenninger. They taught me structure," Brown said.

Describing Lily's cuisine, Brown's wife Karen coined the tagline "American fare with flair."

The favorites on the menu include raspberry chicken with Brie and almonds, macaroni and cheese with lobster, and horseradish-crusted Atlantic salmon.

You can also dine on lighter fare, such as a panini sandwich or Lily's special salad with fresh greens and vegetables.

The Keares Group continues to operate three Doc Holiday's restaurants, Gibraltar, Lily's on James and Bubba & Louie's in Hanover."