The Now People profile picture

The Now People

Power To The Now People

About Me

If you haven't already heard, there is a new sound emerging from Los Angeles. It is a sound that is itself indefinable and yet at the same time the very definition of all things relevant, of all things current, of all things now. And the world, it seems, is eager to listen.
To everything there is a season, and the season of The Now People is upon us. The Now People is a vocal and instrumental quartet consisting of Steve Stanley (guitar, keyboards and leading vocals), Alan "Ruby" Rubens (keyboards, bass and vocals), Probyn Gregory (horns and other exotic instruments, also in the Brian Wilson band, Wondermints) and Nelson Bragg (drums and percussion) also in the Brian Wilson band. Together, these four gentlemen are carving out a unique sound that has been described as "sonically balanced, totally integrated pop," marked by 60s-flavored melodic hooks and memorable choruses with a contemporary perspective. Although the band traces much of its influence to the late monophonic era, their captivating harmonies and inventive arrangements, punctuated by an expansive use of major-seventh chords and smooth, hook-laden lyrics are totally state of the art. Stanley, Rubens, Gregory and Bragg are too knowing, too modern, to give in to lame retreads of the past.
So what does that leave you with? Four chaps with a penchant for stacking memories against melodies while never overstaying their welcome. Not a bad deal, if you think about it. But watch yourself. These guys would love nothing better than to insinuate themselves into your deepest romances and your worst heartaches. For in the final analysis, these are our most basic common links. Stand easy children, there is beauty to be found everyday, and now you have today's.

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 9/27/2005
Band Website: thenowpeople.com
Band Members: Steve Stanley
Guitar, Lead Vocals, Keyboards
Alan "Ruby" Rubens
Harpsichord, Keyboards,
Bkg Vocals, Bass
Nelson Bragg
Drums, Percussion, Bkg Vocals
Probyn Gregory
Horns, Banjo, Other exotic things

with:
Julia Wolff
Keyboards, Bkg Vocals
Carolyn Edwards
Keyboards, Bkg Vocals
Jorge Barba
Percussion, Bkg Vocals

Influences: The Now People dig:
Phil Spector
Curt Boettcher
Tandyn Almer
Gary Zekley
Bergen White
Roger Nichols and the
Small Circle of Friends
Peppermint Trolley Co.
The Beatles
The Beach Boys
The 5th Dimension
Scott Walker
Bobby Jameson
Elvis Presley
Emitt Rhodes
Paul McCartney
John Lennon
George Harrison
Ringo Starr
Pete Best
Brian Wilson
Burt Bacharach
The Byrds
The Monkees
Brill Building
Mann & Weil
Goffin & King
Barry & Greenwich
Price & Walsh
Harry Nilsson
The Family Tree
The Left Banke
Margo Guryan
Wondermints
REdivider
Burt Bacharach
The Forum
Nancy Priddy
Dana Gillespie
Rev-Ola Records
The Collage
Michael Z. Gordon
The Fun and Games
Chris Lucey
The Blades of Grass
Mark Eric Malmborg
Jimmy Webb
The Association
Lesley Gore
Carolyn Edwards
Spindle
late sixties/early seventies psychedelic soft pop
Gene Clark
The Free Design
Sandy Salisbury
Lee Mallory
The Cowsills
Crosby, Stills & Nash
Tandyn Almer
Tommy LiPuma
Nick De Caro
Curtis Mayfield
Glen Campbell
Randy Newman
Mort Garson
The Association
Al De Lory
Elliott Smith
Judee Sill
The Millennium
Jobim
The Ballroom
Jim Bell
Bobby Fuller Four
Beauchemins
Gene Pitney
Paul Williams
The Kinks
The Zombies
Eternity's Children
Sagittarius
Glenn Miller
Bob Dylan
Elton John
Tony Rugalo
Pete Rugalo
A&M Records
The Sandpipers
Claudine Longet
Brasil '66
Joy Division
The Carpenters
Mamas and the Papas
Robyn Hitchcock
Herb Alpert
Love
Van Dyke Parks
Simon and Garfunkel
Gary Usher
American Spring
Ruthann Friedman
Serge Gainsbourg
Carol Kaye
Hal Blaine
Mike Randle
Baby Lemonade
Francoise Hardy
The Who
Harpers Bizarre
Jan and Dean
Belle & Sebastian
The Ladybug Transistor
Dusty Springfield
Linus Of Hollywood
Beachwood Sparks
Teenage Fanclub
Kings Of Convenience
Super Furry Animals
Siesta Records
The Negro Problem
Majestic
The Four Freshmen
The Garden Club
Boyce & Hart
Brute Force
The Canterbury Music Festival
The Carnival
Bones Howe
Duncan Browne
XTC
The Oracle
Keith Colley
Liz Damon
The Deep Six
The Everpresent Fullness
The Feminine Complex
Thomas & Richard Frost
The Grass Roots
The Hard Times
David Hemmings ('Happens'-era)
Horses
Tony Rivers
Harmony Grass
The Jazz Butcher
Joe & Bing
Little Richard
Claudine Longet
The Love Generation
Frank Sinatra
REM
The Merry-Go-Round
The Moon
Fred Neil
Nino & April
October Country
Keane
Concretes
The Jesus & Mary Chain
Stone Roses
The Smiths
California Navels
The Cake
Bread
Taco
Grapefruit
Chamaeleon Church
Chuck & Mary Perrin
The Poor
Evie Sands
The Sunshine Company
The Third Rail
The Tokens
Triste Janero
Twin Engine
Mark Wirtz
A Teenage Opera
The Groop
Murray MacLeod
The Parade
The Rain Parade
Smokey Roberds
Eric Carmen
The Raspberries
The Raspberry Pirates
The Gordian Knot
Bob Crewe
The Glitterhouse
Laura Nyro
Del Shannon
KRLA
OLDIES AM 1260 (RIP)
Colours
The Strimbling Blimbles
and a few others
Sounds Like: The Now People dig:
Phil Spector
Curt Boettcher
Gary Zekley
Bergen White
Roger Nichols & the
Small Circle of Friends
Peppermint Trolley Co.
The Beatles
The Beach Boys
The 5th Dimension
Scott Walker
Bobby Jameson
Verrill Keene
Bob Keane
Elvis Presley
Emitt Rhodes
Paul McCartney
John Lennon
George Harrison
Ringo Starr
Pete Best
Brian Wilson
Burt Bacharach
The Byrds
The Monkees
Brill Building
Mann and Weil
Goffin and King
Barry and Greenwich
Price and Walsh
Harry Nilsson
The Family Tree
The Left Banke
Margo Guryan
Wondermints
REdivider
Burt Bacharach
The Forum
Nancy Priddy
Dana Gillespie
Rev-Ola Records
The Collage
Michael Z. Gordon
The Fun and Games
Chris Lucey
The Blades of Grass
Mark Eric Malmborg
Jimmy Webb
The Association
Lesley Gore
Carolyn Edwards
Spindle
late sixties/early seventies psychedelic soft pop
Gene Clark
The Free Design
Sandy Salisbury
Lee Mallory
The Cowsills
Crosby, Stills and Nash
Tandyn Almer
Tommy LiPuma
Nick De Caro
Curtis Mayfield
Glen Campbell
Randy Newman
Mort Garson
The Association
Al De Lory
Elliott Smith
Judee Sill
The Millennium
Jobim
The Ballroom
Jim Bell
Bobby Fuller Four
Beauchemins
Gene Pitney
Paul Williams
The Kinks
The Zombies
Eternity's Children
Sagittarius
Glenn Miller
Bob Dylan
Elton John
Tony Rugalo
Pete Rugalo
A&M Records
The Sandpipers
Claudine Longet
Brasil '66
Joy Division
The Carpenters
Mamas & the Papas
Robyn Hitchcock
Herb Alpert
Love
Van Dyke Parks
Simon and Garfunkel
Gary Usher
American Spring
Ruthann Friedman
Serge Gainsbourg
Carol Kaye
Hal Blaine
Mike Randle
Baby Lemonade
Francoise Hardy
The Who
Harpers Bizarre
Jan and Dean
Belle & Sebastian
The Ladybug Transistor
Dusty Springfield
Linus Of Hollywood
Beachwood Sparks
Teenage Fanclub
Kings Of Convenience
Super Furry Animals
Siesta Records
The Negro Problem
Majestic
The Four Freshmen
The Garden Club
Boyce & Hart
Brute Force
The Canterbury Music Festival
The Carnival
Bones Howe
Duncan Browne
XTC
The Oracle
Keith Colley
Liz Damon
The Deep Six
The Everpresent Fullness
The Feminine Complex
Thomas and Richard Frost
The Grass Roots
The Hard Times
David Hemmings ('Happens'-era)
Horses
Tony Rivers
Harmony Grass
The Jazz Butcher
Joe & Bing
Little Richard
Claudine Longet
The Love Generation
Frank Sinatra
REM
The Merry-Go-Round
The Moon
Fred Neil
Nino & April
October Country
Keane
Concretes
The Jesus and Mary Chain
Stone Roses
The Smiths
California Navels
The Cake
Bread
Grapefruit
Chamaeleon Church
Chuck and Mary Perrin
The Poor
Evie Sands
The Sunshine Company
The Third Rail
The Tokens
Triste Janero
Twin Engine
Mark Wirtz
A Teenage Opera
The Groop
Murray MacLeod
The Parade
The Rain Parade
Smokey Roberds
Eric Carmen
The Raspberries
The Raspberry Pirates
The Gordian Knot
Bob Crewe
The Glitterhouse
Laura Nyro
Del Shannon
KRLA
OLDIES AM 1260 (RIP)
Colours
The Strimbling Blimbles
and a few others...

Record Label: Birdsong/Parasol Records
Type of Label: Indie

My Blog

NOW PEOPLE song in "Randy And The Mob" film and original soundtrack CD.

The Now People's good-timey, jug-band anthem, "Old and Gray" (retitled "All The Things You Are" for the film) is featured in the Capricorn Pictures release, Randy And The Mob. The soundtrack CD, relea...
Posted by The Now People on Wed, 31 Oct 2007 01:09:00 PST

Now People CD Review in DAILY-ROCK (Switzerland) !!

Not sure if the Swiss-to-English translator website did justice to Robert Pally's review:Click here to read the review on the Daily-Rock site."Chroniques Medias"Steven Stanley is gifted from various p...
Posted by The Now People on Thu, 15 Mar 2007 01:39:00 PST

Now People CD Review in CABIN ESSENCE!

Just now noticed this review from a couple of months ago.Click here to read the review on the Cabin Essence site.Now (People) That's What I Call (Real) MusicOk, time for my first album recommend on th...
Posted by The Now People on Wed, 07 Feb 2007 11:26:00 PST

Now People CD review in SHINDIG MAGAZINE!

Read the review on the Shindig website here:THE NOW PEOPLEThe Last Great 20th Century Love Affair (Bird Song; CD)Now here is a treat. I didn't know they still made albums like this! A beautiful, melod...
Posted by The Now People on Tue, 06 Feb 2007 08:53:00 PST

"Looking For Zally"

Having spent a weekend (basically) in self-imposed solitary confinement, I was looking forward to emerging from my cluttered, cave-like Sherman Oaks apartment. Yes, it was early Sunday afternoon and i...
Posted by The Now People on Mon, 29 Jan 2007 05:21:00 PST

Now People CD in KPFK (Barry Smolin's "The Music Never Stops") Top Ten for 2006

We're honored to be in Barry's Top Ten!Click here to see the link on Mr. Smolin's page.The Music Never Stops Top Ten Albums of 20061. Ys--Joanna Newsom2. Shadow of the Noose--50 Cent Haircut3. Moody G...
Posted by The Now People on Sat, 20 Jan 2007 12:39:00 PST

Now People CD on Bullz-Eye (Will Harris's) Top Ten for 2006!

The Now People are honored to be on Will's Top Ten!Click here to see the link on Bullz-Eye's site!Top 10 Albums I reviewed for Bullz-Eye1. Robyn Hitchcock and the Venus 3: Ole! Tarantula (Yep Roc)That...
Posted by The Now People on Sat, 20 Jan 2007 12:50:00 PST

THE NOW PEOPLE Tuesday Dec. 12 @ SPACELAND--Record Release Show!

At the eleventh hour (and 59th minute) in the lifespan of the compact disc, The Now People officially celebrate the release of their debut CD.To commemorate the release of said CD, THE NOW PEOPLE perf...
Posted by The Now People on Tue, 05 Dec 2006 02:00:00 PST

CD review in Bullz-Eye!

Click here to read the review on Bullz-Eye's website.In 2006, when you're a band who takes their musical cues from folks like the 5th Dimension, Curt Boettcher, Paul Williams, and Emmit Rhodes, you're...
Posted by The Now People on Wed, 22 Nov 2006 02:03:00 PST

Now People CD review in Indiana University College Paper!

IUSB's Andy Hostetter's review for IUSB's Preface:Click here to see the reviewCalifornia New Great:The Now PeoplePosted by iusbpreface on November 3rd, 2006Andy HostetterEntertainment EditorIn the sun...
Posted by The Now People on Wed, 08 Nov 2006 07:42:00 PST