The 2003 Baby Steps CD, "Kiss Me Stupid" is available on iTunes!
Click here to puchase "Kiss Me, Stupid" on iTunes
Joe McGinty is a composer, keyboardist and arranger who was born in Atlantic City, NJ, and got his first professional experience playing in the lounge act "Franco and Mary Jane." Franco and Mary Jane played Atlantic City, Vegas, Tahoe, Reno, West Palm Beach and many points in between.
After a brief stint with Robert Hazard in Philadelphia, he moved to NYC to join the Psychedelic Furs. He was with them for 5 years, playing on the last two records, "Book of Days" and "World Outside". He's also worked with Ryan Adams, The Ramones, Nada Surf, Kevin Ayers, Martha Wainwright, Devendra Banhart, Ronnie Spector, Jesse Malin, Amy Rigby, Space Hog and many others.
In the 90s he led the orchestral pop ensemble Baby Steps, who released an self titled ep produced by Kurt Ralske, and a full lenght CD, "Kiss Me Stupid", produced by Bryce Goggin. Baby Steps songs are now available on iTunes.
McGinty is the founder and music director of the popular Loser's Lounge tribute series, where local talent pays homage to the pop icons of the past. Loser's Lounge made its debut in 1993 with a Burt Bacharach tribute at Fez, and has played to consistenly sold-out rooms ever since.
Now based at Joe's Pub, the Loser's Lounge has also performed at the Allen Room at Lincoln Center, Celebrate Brooklyn, Westbeth Theater Center, The Knitting Factory, Makor and the Jewish Museum.
An avid keyboard collector, McGinty runs a vintage keyboard studio where you'll find a Rhodes, Wurlitzer, a few Moogs and Arps, a Clavinet, Farfisa, and a Hammond & Leslie, and lots of other fun toys (www.carouselrecording.com). Recent acquisitions include a bizarre Hammond synthesizer and yet another Casio. Clients include Nada Surf, Fulton Lights, Amy Rigby and many others.
He has produced music for the Daily Show and composed music for independant films and TV shows, including HBO's "G String Divas". Theater credits as music director include "People Are Wrong" at the Vineyard Theater and "Bright Lights, Big City" at the New York Theater Workshop.
Recently he produced the new Padre Pio ep, and is currently working on a Unicornicopia CD.
And, every Monday night he's behind the piano at "Keyboard Karaoke" at the Lucky Cat (www.theluckycat.com). Come on by and say hello, and why don't you sing a song while you're at it? There's literally hundreds of songs to choose from, and it's good fun!
He keeps a blog about his musical activities, and promises to update it more often. You can check it out here .
Joe McGinty and the Loser's Lounge band recently backed up Moby for Comedy Central's recent "Night Of Too Many Stars" benefit for autism education. In 2005 he was the band leader for the short-lived ABC game show "My Kind Of Town"
He recently debuted his new band, Circuit Parade, which features Mike McGinnis on woodwinds, Julia Kent on cello, and Leon Dewan on melody gin and swarmatron.
