NEW
YORK (www.audiofictionband.com) - Mark O'Toole, Irish drummer &
lyricist for upcoming New York rock band Audio Fiction is an unwitting
star of the series premiere of HBO's Emmy- award winning show Taxicab
Confessions: New York:
America Undercover. O'Toole and a friend hopped
into one of the show's rigged cabs on the way home from a party. None
of the passengers were aware that their conversations were being
captured with hidden lipstick cameras and microphones until the ride
was over. During the ride from Avenue C to Manhattan's Upper West Side,
O'Toole and his friend Kim discussed topics such as a failed sex romp
during the New York City blackout and their crazy mothers.
"The
whole ride was surreal. The cab driver was attractive and took an
unusual interest in talking to me. How could I not respond to that?"
mused O'Toole. "When she told us we were on Taxicab Confessions at the
end of the ride, I thought "Oh Christ! What exactly did I do and say?"
I was horrified. I realized I told her personal details about dating,
that I casually slagged off my mother while declaring my love for an
ex-girlfriend I don't love anymore."
The driver encouraged them
to keep talking, prompted by the directors who were following in a van
behind the cab. They could see and hear everything that was going on
inside the car. They were taped for about forty minutes driving around
Manhattan as the taxi driver kept making wrong turns to keep them in
the cab. O'Toole remembers the taxi driver being surprised that they
were single.
"I recall my responding that us going into a bar
is like two blind men going into a porn store, trying to pick out the
best video. Just as hopeless at dating. Maybe it's an Irish thing."
It's not like volunteering to be on a show like
Survivor or The
Bachelor. You don't get to prepare beforehand. "I felt a huge sense of
complete paranoia that lasted for days after I got out of that taxi.
The old adage of 'what you say in the cab stays in the cab' didn't
apply here. I even wondered was there a hidden camera behind the
newsstand and in my bedroom."
The producers have said their
ride is hilarious. "Mark told us several compelling stories from his
true life experience. He is so funny and charismatic, we couldn't
resist putting him on the show." said Joe Gantz, co creator and
director of the show. O'Toole added, "Believe me, with some of the crap
that came out of my mouth I'm seriously thinking of getting out of town
the week the show airs". O'Toole negotiated with the producers to come
down and film his band, Audio Fiction, which they did. "If I was going
to make a fool of myself on national television, I could at least point
out that it keeps with the image of the crazy rock drummer."
Audio
Fiction has been described as a cross between
Blondie and
No Doubt with
a touch of The Pretenders. Audio Fiction releases their debut EP Songs
in the key of
Orange Alert on April 4th, in addition to a radio
promotion organized by The Planetary Group. They plan a short tour of
the Northeast from April 2005 on. Early reviews have raved about the
record. The record's title, Songs in the key of
Orange Alert, is
inspired by the New York "terror alert" status under which the songs
were written. Mark O'Toole has also worked as a filmmaker, writer and
theatre producer. Audio Fiction plays Arlene's Grocery, New York City
Feb 10th.
www.audiofictionband.com;
Taxicab
Confessions returns to its roots in New York City, with the 2005
premiere of Taxicab Confessions: New York, New York. Outrageous stories
of life, love and loss are highlighted in this 11th installment of the
popular late-night HBO
America Undercover franchise, directed by Joe
& Harry Gantz. The show has previously featured one of the Goo Goo
Dolls and Guinevere Turner. The show airs Saturday February 5th, 2005
at 10.30pm & repeats thereafter the rest of February.
