
Memento
by Christina Fuoco
As bandmembers for rock artist V.A.S.T. (a pseudonym for musician Jon Crosby), Australian Justin Stewart Cotta and American Steve Clark were playing large clubs and traveling in a million-dollar tour bus when they decided to leave it behind. They spent three and a half years as full-time members of V.A.S.T.'s band -- playing on records, playing live shows -- but were unable to contribute creatively and be credited. "It was cool but that's exactly why we left. When you're a supposed hired guy, they don't ask you anything. They just pay you and you just play. But in V.A.S.T., I was being treated like a member when they needed me to be treated like a member. I helped write and I helped do all the interviews, I helped get him up in the morning to make sure he would do phoners (interviews). But I wouldn't be compensated as a real bandmember and I don't mean financially. No creative (credits), no respect," Clark said in an intervi...