Stephanie says: Thomas took this photo on one of his trips to Japan, this one as part of the band led by Kiyoto Fujiwara in blue. Below him in the photo is pianist Peter Madsen. Next to Peter is Allen Won, who also played sax with Thomas on the tour.
Now to the tale of SPANKY HOUSE. This tune is featured in the last CD release of Thomas Chapin music. NEVER LET ME GO is a 3-CD set featuring quartet music recorded at Flushing Town Hall in Queens and the old Knitting Factory in downtown Manhattan. The CD set received rave reviews, with one critic putting it on his top 10 list for 2012.
I found SPANKY HOUSE to be fun romp and used it in my trailer for my online fundraising campaign at Kickstarter.com. I am told that Thomas wrote this music based on an experience he and Kiyoto Fujiwara and band members had while traveling through Japan. They passed through a town with "Spanky House" signs. Turns out they are "love motels", places where couples go to for private sexual outings. Use your imagination, and enjoy SPANKY HOUSE.