If lately you've been seeing suspicious rock star types ducking behind bushes or sliding around corners in dark alleys, do not be alarmed. It’s likely a member of Hit Gone Bad, a local three piece surf band that has emerged from hiding to release their self-titled CD of secret agent surf.

Hit Gone Bad is composed of guitarist Dick Hit, bassist Tom Bad and new drummer The Plumber, all members using aliases to protect their identities.

According to their CD insert, "In 1972, a group of three highly trained, governmentally licensed hit men took to the streets"

To their dismay, their assassination assignments went horribly wrong. And to protect themselves from groups unknown (and yet dangerous) the three agents had to take cover in an instrumental surf band and tour central Illinois.

Putting them in great jeopardy. Dick Hit and The Plumber were able to meet for an interview at an undisclosed location. Unfortunately as Tom Bad's protected status is contingent on his participation in governmental medical experiments, he was able to offer only one comment, "There's an alien in my stomach."

Original drummer Harry Gone was recently replaced in September 2000 by The Plumber.
Also seeking government protection. The Plumber was employed by the government as an associate principal deputy assistant secretary, but he had to go underground because of his involvement in the Watergate scandal.

As guitarist Dick Hit said, "We found out [Harry Gone] was an informant for the Mafia. We couldn't play for a while because we ... uh ... had to get rid of him. “The Plumber elaborated on the status of his predecessor, stating cryptically, "We had to take time to tie up loose ends with Harry Gone because he was gone."

Risking life and limb from those who wish to keep them quiet, these minstrels of mystery have managed to conceal their real identities long enough to record a ten song CD on Ohon Records. They began to record in early January 2001, but until now the album's contents have been classified. As The Plumber said, "The materials had to go through a screening process before they could be released." The album is composed of re-recordings that were previously included on a “Declassified EP" tape released in 1999.

In addition to these tracks, the CD includes four never before-released tracks: "B", "Cerio Carpens" "Old Gold" and "Charlie Can't Surf".

Though in concert Hit Gone Bad regales its audience with selected instrumental surf renditions of songs by artists ranging from Black Sabbath to Bob Marley, the only cover on their new CD is "Paint it Black," made famous by the Rolling Stones. As The Plumber and Dick Hit explained, "Paint It Black" is a great Stones tune, but is lesser known as the theme song for the late 1990's TV war drama, "China Beach."

The Plumber said, "We play that song in tribute to our fellow erstwhile secret agent colleagues." The members explained that while Hit Gone Bad plays covert concerts, other unlucky secret agents of maligned missions had to hide under the auspices of being really bad actors on "China Beach."

Hit Gone Bad cannot choose their concert dates as freely as most bands, as the C.I.A. monitors their every move for fear they might blow their cover, As Dick Hit confessed, "We are entirely at the mercy of the federal government."

Hit Gone Bad will also be soon surfing the radio waves at WEIU. They will next surface from their clandestine underground bunker to promote their CD.

Their CD can be purchased for $5 at any of their shows or by contacting their liaisons on the outside, Eastern students Phil Manning, Scott Ducar, and Dave Gierhahn.

One day, Tom Bad, Dick Hit, and The Plumber hope to be able to walk the streets without fearing for their lives. However, until that day, the members of Hit Gone Bad will continue to periodically emerge from obscurity to put the "mental" back into government surf.