THOSE FANCY COLOR BUSINESS CARDS

 

When it came to commercial printing and fancy business cards, The Intruders had "connections". Mike Collins was dating Maryjean MacIntosh, and her father owned Snell Printing in Schenectady. Bob MacIntosh used letterpress, or traditional handset metal type and engraved logos and photographs etched from metal with acid. He sometimes donated tickets or other printed materials for school dances or events that involved our band, and I was able to "hire" rock groups for multiple "battle of the bands extravaganzas" by trading them a set of deluxe business cards similar to ours in exchange for their participation in these fund raising events. Most of these dances were sponsored by the Art Club in which Mark Hecker and I were both very active, but the club's financial success eventually spawned trouble.

Near the end of the school year, a weekend dance date became available after the original club (9th grade class or some such needy group) auditioned several bands (bring in your gear, set up, play some songs for free while we sit there and "judge" your talent) and then had to cancel the date because they couldn't raise $40 to pay the band to play. As soon as I found out the date was available I requested that the Art Club sponsor a dance on that night. Because there was some conflict with the main gym where dances were usually held (decorating for the Senior Prom), I had to choose either the smaller second gym or the cafeteria. Either? Or? Why not BOTH!!! How about 6 bands... 3 in each room. Rock and Roll!

Arranging double the usual number of chaperones was surprisingly easy when teachers heard about the plan... curiosity factor probably. I bartered or hired six groups with business card orders or their usual fees, and we had a "mother of all battle of the bands" and made too much money. Way too much money. Monday morning I was called in to the office to explain how the Art Club could afford to hire 6 bands when other clubs couldn't afford to hire even one.... bad management perhaps? The Art Club finished the year with surplus funds in 1966, and the adminstration passed some "rules" on entertaiment budget limits (I believe they call that price fixing today). In any event...

Bob MacIntosh's one-man printing business still operates today in the same tiny building at 1002 Albany Street, Schenectady, New York, and Bob is still printing letterpress! He handsets custom wedding invitations and the like on the same equipment he aquired when he purchased the business when he was just 18 years old. I visited him recently, and other than his hair having turned pure white, he looked just about the same as he did back in the '60's when he was Maryjean's letterpressing dad. He likens himself to a blacksmith... the only guy for 500 miles that still practices his craft and trade just like the old days nearly forty years ago. Quality ages well.