My Music

The Only One in the Room

Here’s my latest project….Photo credits are here.

Only One in the Room

Older Recordings

I recently crossed off one of my oldest “to-do” items: I got all my old original recordings digitized, from LPs and cassettes. It was a big project. If you have one-of-a-kind analog recordings and need to save them from the analog graveyard, I recommend King Tet Productions, who did a prompt and excellent job at a reasonable price.

Some of this is my original material. As I went through it all, I was surprised at how many songs I have written. Also that I could listen to most of it without cringing too much. I think the best song I ever wrote was Snowfall or Just Can’t Say It, but neither is particularly representative of my writing style. Also, a couple of the better ones — Snow White to You and Cry Once — have never been recorded, and I hope to remedy that someday soon.

It was fun, but time consuming, going through all these old recordings. There were some I had entirely forgotten about. It’s like looking at a past life. Making music is a lot of work, but it’s also a joy. All artists try to create something out of nothing. A musician literally makes art out of air. It’s great to remember that at one time, I had the audacity to think I could do that.

For Amy. In 1990 I made this album, all my original material. Great cover art by my friend Susan Jamele. I sang lead and backup on this one. Eric Bohr on guitar, Curt Willis on guitar, Dave Sprock on drums, Devin Grissom on bass. Look at that 1980s hairdo!

Feather Bed With Cardboard Seams; I Hear Voices; For Amy; Jangle ; I Don’t Know

Don’t Spend the Night; Ghost Town; Snowfall; Sparkle Sparkle; Some Other Time

Below are a few more of my songs from about 1991. I don’t have the information on who played these tracks, likely mostly the same crew as the album, but Dan Jamele, the sound engineer at the studio, did the piano solo on Just Can’t Say It and Tom did the guitar solo on Easy for Me (with me yelling, “only one note, only one note!” — he played two notes, but one was an octave of the other, so I guess that counts as one.)

Paradise Club; Just Can’t Say It; Four Friends; Easy for Me; Falling; If You Didn’t Love Me

A headshot from those days. I thought I was ugly; now I would probably sell my soul to look like that.

Doppel Gang

I was in the band Doppel Gang (aka the Catch or Culprit) that did an EP and a single. This was in the mid-late 1980s. The music was pop style. We had three good singers in the band, and we did a lot of harmonies and shared singing lead. This band was also a successful working band, playing covers in the clubs in LA.

A Place in My Heart; Visual Stimulant; You Are My Everything; Physical Thing

I played drums in this group, sang backup, and and wrote/sang Physical Thing.

Dave Perry on guitar/vocals, Steve Tarnowsky on guitar/vocals, Mike Phillips on bass. Mark Wolinsky played keyboards in this group but I’m not sure if he played on any of these recordings. Mark and I were also in a Doors tribute band (drums and keyboard only!) but I have no recordings of that.

Just Infatuation

If You Knew Me

That’s the Hyperion treatment plant in the background.

Doppel Gang Live

These are live recordings of the band at the Blue Lagune (yes, that is how they spelled it). These are all originals, mostly written and sung by Dave and Steve. This was a cassette recording so it’s pretty rough.

All in Your Mind

Au Revoir

Ballad

Be a Man

Beach Life

If You Knew Me

Just Infatuation

One of Those Things

Space Patrol

Terrorist Rock

Philly Cheese Steaks Blues Band

In the late 1980s was in a working band called the Philly Cheese Steaks Blues Band. We had a great logo but all the copies I had are lost. The recordings below were a demo, from about 1988, that we used to get gigs. I sang lead and, believe it or not, played saxophone in that band. Ken played drums, Gary on bass, Mark on guitar, and probably others I can’t recall. It was great fun and we got a decent amount of work. We played all sorts of blues and a few of my original songs.

Come See About Me

Fine, Fine, Fine

Get Rhythm

I Got You

Full Time Lover

You Can’t Do That

Slavic Folk Music

Born to Drone. In the late 2000s I was in a singing group called Born to Drone–folk music from all over the world, but mostly Slavic. The personnel changed over time, but the regulars other than me were Jeanne, Barbara, Nettie, Leslie and Mary. I sang the middle part. These songs are from an album we recorded.

Aamulla Varhain

imitro Sino Dimitro

Benias Mravalzhamier Aslanuri

Los Bilbilicos

Lepi Juro Dobri Denek

Oj Jovane

Snoshti Sum Minal

Dodi Li

Izvor Voda Dzhaman

Shen Khar Venakhi

Subrali Sa Sa

Igrejala Jansa Zvezda

Tek Saulite Tecedama

Perkhuli

Kak Po Moriu

Mene Me Izgore

Rozhnovske Hodiny

Po Polju

Stujan No Oran Otiva

Shope Shope

Yale Slavic Chorus III LP from 1979. I sang alto in this group. The album is out of print. I was in the YSC during my last year of college, and not only was it the highlight of my college experience, it taught me a lifelong love of Slavic folk music. Cover illustration is for Shto Mi e Milo. I also have the first YSC record — any Slavs who want access should email me. Erica Weiss was the excellent director of YSC the year I participated.

Dragana i Slaveya; Maika Rada; Yove Malai Mome; Bela Boya; Byla Mene Maty; Gujho Ynace Gujgo; Zelen Buren; Pridi Mi Suhjko; Letyat Utki; Shto Ti Se Maika; Vgradinka li si Niknala; Poved Kolo; Lyulka; I-Dumai Zlato; Polegala Trava Detela; Dve Nevesti; Yaninka Maloi Devoice Janam (Hey, that’s me on the solo!); Zaspala e Fida; Shto Mi e Milo (the anthem of YSC).

Pacific Music Camp

This was a great summer music camp for children at University of the Pacific. I have included only a few selected songs that I remember with particular fondness. I sang second soprano in those choruses, when I was 10 and 12.

A Rose Touched by the Sun’s Warm Rays; Achieved is the Glorious Work; Kyrie Elieison; Onward Ye Peoples; Make a Joyful Noise; While We’re Young; If I Ruled the World; Rubber Ducky; The Heavens are Telling; Ride the Chariot