The Make

The Make, another powerhouse Boston band, was conceived in 1979 by Mark and Erika Zamcheck, Fritz Drayton, Betty Silberman, Jim Treacy, and Dean Casell. They came together in a basement on a hill in Newton, Massachusetts, and six months later they were off and running.

This dynamic group was one big family, literally. Erika and Mark were brother and sister, Mark and Betty were married, and Fritz and Erika were a couple. The girls gave a powerfully sexy vocal performance on stage, and all four of the founding members were very strong songwriters.

The band’s only album was Democracy.  In the summer of 1982 it was ranked for eight consecutive weeks on WBCN‘s Most Played Local Music, and also achieved Most Sold Local Album status at The Harvard Coop. Released on Andy Gordon’s Bosstown Records, the album received national airplay with their breakout song “Amy’s Home Tonight”. And, with Andy’s college radio connections, received massive college airplay.

Unfortunately, but not unpredictably, the inevitable break-up of both of the couples made it very difficult for the band to continue. Some in the industry would later refer to them as “Fleetwood Make” because of the obvious parallels in their personal lives.

Add a significant family trauma that proved unbearable for the siblings, and the group came apart after only four years. But The Make had a heady and exciting run during a fertile period of Boston’s 1980’s music scene, leaving a legacy of many nostalgic fans.

(by Michael Smith)