Shari Vari

In 1981, high schoolers Paul Lesley and Sterling Jones decided to finalize their long-brewing plans to form a music group. Inspired by Capriccio, the posh and clique-ish party club that they belonged to (one of many at that time in Detroit), the duo recorded "Sharevari" during the summer of the group's year of formation with the help of several others.

While Lesley contributed the lead vocals and bass synth and Jones wrote the lyrics, the song was arranged by Judson Powell and Robert Taylor. Taylor also provided the vocals on the chorus, which were mutated by synth effects. Roderick Simpson, who also received a songwriting credit, played the main melody. Sheila Wheaton and Ira Cash provided the backup vocals that followed the chorus in a quasi-call-and-response manner.

"Sharevari," as a song title, was a play on the name of another Detroit party club, Charivari. Named after a popular clothing store in New York City and canonized in Dan Sicko’s Techno Rebels, Charivari was a brand of high-school social club that preempted the formation of techno in early-'80s Detroit.

Possessing marketing savvy beyond their years and casting a wider promotional net than their rivals, the Charivari brand was one of the more successful social clubs of the pre-techno era. The parties mostly took place in backyards, or spaces like the Y.W.C.A., the Park Avenue Club and the Rooster Tail. Averaging 400 to 500 kids at their parties, Johnson describes it as something out of a Charlie Brown episode, mixed with the mischief of Little Rascals.

They took an unfinished version of the song into one of the Charivari parties, had it played by DJ Darryl Shannon, and judging from the crowd's reaction, discovered that they had something big on their hands. Legendary radio jock the Electrifying Mojo was in attendance at the party and invited the unnamed group that was responsible for the song to WGPR to join him in the booth for one of his shows. The group obliged, and while they were in the studio with Mojo, they talked about not knowing what to call themselves. Mojo suggested A Number of Names. The moniker stuck.

After the final version of "Sharevari" was completed, the group had 12" singles pressed up (with "Skitso" as the B-side) and released it on their own label, dubbed Capriccio. Not ones to miss the opportunity for a good reference, the group assigned the catalog number 928 to the release, 928 being the model of Porsche driven by the protagonist in "Sharevari."

The Porsche 928 is a luxury grand tourer car produced by Porsche from 1978 to 1995. Originally intended to replace the company's iconic 911, the 928 combined the power, poise, and handling of a sports car with the refinement, comfort, and equipment of a luxury saloon. The 928 has the distinction of being the company's first production V8 powered model and the only coupé powered by a front-mounted V8 engine.

In 2002 “Sharevari” was re-released under the name “Shari Vari” on PuzzleBox Records. Included on the release were some Detroit electro/techno/bass artist to do remixes: DJ Godfather, Eddie "FLASHIN" Fowlkes, Sean Deason, ADULT, Mike Grant, STRAND, ECTOMORPH, SCAN-7, Marty Bonds and DJ K1.

Vintage denim jackets: Levi, Lee or Wrangler brand
All measurements taken flat