About Me
Welcome to the official Tin Pan Alley MySpace Page. This page is maintained by some of the original members who want to honor the memories of the early days of the band. We hope some old friends and fans stop by to enjoy it.
Please feel free to add these songs to your page. Download them and save ’em! Trade ’em, Burn ’em, Pass ’em on to your friends, neighbors, The more who listen, the better!
Here’s the story...
Childhood friends Dave Dullea and Lance Anderson were out scouting Boston nightclubs for a lead singer. It was 1988 and they were forming a new band out of the Basement of a Chelsea Hair Salon owned by Dave’s Aunt. Working hard night after night writing material along with Bass player Chris Dahlstedt of Somerville they were only a frontman away from their complete line-up. One night in Kenmore Square’s
Narcissus, the singer of local band The Pact impressed them both. Never having a chance to talk with him, they continued their search...
A few months later, having a few beers in Allston’s Bunnrattys, Dave and Lance spotted that singer again and asked if he was still in that band. Jim Marr said "no" and the core of the band began to take shape. They
now found their frontman and the foursome were finally a band. Dave, Chris, Lance and Jim all got together in the basement of that hair salon, in Chelsea Massachusetts, and began writing songs together. Shortly after they began a 4 track demo with several songs. During this time it became obvious that Bass player Chris Dahlstedt was not happy with the direction the Band began to take and decided to move on. He later formed another popular Boston band
Rat Alley The remaining 3 stayed close friends with Dahlstadt but began their search for a new Bass player. They searched for several months with no luck.
In the meantime, Jim had been hanging out with a guitar player by the name of Roy Porter, who was in a band named
Damager. Jim suggested a second guitar player for a few weeks but Dullea wasn’t thrilled about that idea. The three continued to write songs and search for the perfect bass player.
Hanging out on Revere Beach one summer night, Dullea said to Marr, "Roy is a real nice guy and a great guitar player, not to mention he’s a madman on stage. I think we should swipe him from
Damager before someone else does!"
Now an incomplete five-piece, the band was still seeking that elusive bass player. They auditioned well over a dozen but nobody seemed to be right. UNTIL...one rainy night in a dirty Chelsea Strip club. Mike Tyson just lost his first fight on the big screen as they ran into one Anthony Giordano. Tony had been in and out of several local bands over the years and was looking for something serious.
Let the fun begin!
Over the next four years, TPA worked their way from just another local band to a popular live act in the New England hard rock/heavy metal scene. With the help of Manager Ron Tams, they packed in the crowds and earned a loyal fan base. As they began to open for national acts, such as,
Mass (one of TPA’s personal favorites) Kix, Enuff-z-nuff, Extreme, Armored Saint, and
Loudness just to name a few. They had hoped and tried for that big record deal, but like so many other talented bands it just never came.
With the gradual departure of the original members, the band went through several line-up changes between 1992-93. The tragic death of founder David Dullea on May 21, 1994 put to rest any hopes that the band’s original line-up would ever play together again.
Often misunderstood, Dullea was not only one of Bostons brightest young guitar players but the heart and soul of
Tin Pan Alley. It was David’s drive and vision that kept Tin Pan Alley focused and made them work harder and harder night after night to be better songwriters and more intense performers. "Entertainment" he called it, it’s what they came to see and it’s what they should be given! ....... He is loved by all and will be missed a great deal. "Ya like that, don’t ya Boy"
In the words of Robert DE Niro, "There’s nothing worse than wasted talent" Think that’s cheesy? Oh fucking well!
