Hmm. We'll start with the fact that I'm a massive insomniac (I HATE sleeping- I might miss something:-) I'm writer by trade and a musician because I cant do anything else:-) In the past, amongst other things, I worked at two of the greatest record stores ever, Licorice Pizza and Off the Record. I also spent 11 years working for Capitol Records (yes, the big round building in Los Angeles and I moonlighted for Chrysalis, Angel, Enigma, EMI, Rhino, SBK...) As a scribe, I've penned liners and bios for many groups and albums in the U.S., Europe and Japan, as well as writing for many San Diego publications (The Reader, San Diego Union Tribune and Night & Day, Citybeat, Downtown News, Beach & Bay Press, The Beacon Penninsula, The La Jolla Village News, The Troubadour, The La Jolla Light , Music Matters, Pacific Beach Life etc) and many national and international mags as well. I usually have three or four pieces running a week in various publications, and yes it's true - I have seven pen names I use in the press and liners, but no I wont say which ones:-) My life is all music all the time. Band wise in the eighties I was front man with Manual Scan, one of the last groups signed through IRS distro offshoot Faulty Products. In 1992 I became part of the Shambles, the group started by Manual Scan's Kevin Donaker Ring after the bands split. The Shambles are still going strong (check our website www.theshambles.net for regular updates) and I also play guitar with the Rarities, a folk rock group, and bass with jangle popsters The Spring Collection. I do play solo gigs from time to time and occasionally strum alongside the likes of Static Halo's Dylan Martinez's or Four Eyes Mark DeCerbo. I also handle all of Rachael Gordon's musical dealings and work with roughly a dozen other bands on thier recording projects. I've been very fortunate to perform at some very cool spots around the globe, including The Marquee, The 100 Club, El Sol, Rancho Grande, The Casbah and many others, and have penned songs that many artists have covered (Canada's Kingpins "Plan Of Action", the Lola's "I Cant Dont Want To," The Eddies "Jungle Beat," Glowfriends "Blindspot" etc.) with "Survive" (co-written with the brilliant Jeppe Riddervold) winning first place in the 2003 EMI Publishing Awards held in Berlin. I guess thats basically me. I just re-read this an it seems a bit much, but then again I guess you wouldn't be reading this if you weren't interested
:-)
If you'd like to find out more about my music related projects check out The Shambles website: The Shambles - it's continually updated with a detailed discography, pages on recording sessions, photos, side projects, covers, memorabilia and much more. To hear some tunes check out: MySpace.com/TheShambles while Manual Scan can be found at: MySpace.com/manualscan
Out Soon!
Finally! Due this spring is "Forty One Sixty: The Songs of Manual Scan / The Shambles" - featuring songs from The Lola's, Jeremy, Mark DeCerbo (w/AJ Croce), The Kingpins, Cockeyed Ghost, The Andersons (w/Robbie Rist), The Truckee Brothers, Yeh-Yeh, Anthony Meynell (Squire)& Sugarplum, Mark LeGallez (The Risk) with The Eddies (w/Earle Mankey), Herb Eimerman,Rachael Gordon, Ed James, Happy Losers, Static Halo, The Ringles and many more. Notes and quotes for the booklet from John Davis (Superdrag!), IPO Founder David Bash and legendary Crawdaddy publisher Paul Williams! We're still finalizing the track listing so if you'd like to be included, just let us know!
Current Productions
Include:
In the studio with: The Spring Collection, playing bass on songs for thier second album at Earthling Studios. Mike Kamoo will once again produce and play drums!
In the studio with: Anna Troy recording new material for her new album , due later this year!
In the studio with: Rachael Gordon recording songs for a new single!
In the studio with: The Grams contributing background vocals to thier new album,"Love Factory" and the upcoming Static Halo album!
Out Now!
Rachael Gordon's "Rock 'n' Roll Girl" new from Wizzard in Vinyl (Japan). 15 tracks plus a photo gallery and featuring a who's who of local musicians. Rachael is in pre-production on an album of all new recordings, mostly co-written by her! Plus a few choice covers as well.
Out Now! The Young Idea - "A Tribute To Squire" - from England's Twist Records- The Shambles perform two tracks, Bart wrote the liner notes and there is a world-wide line-up of Mod Fun, Paul Bevoir, The Che Men, The Spring Collection, Yeh Yeh, The Eddies, Jeremy, The Little Murders, Trash, Mega Super Ultra, Smodati, The Shingles, The Relatives, The Vagabonds and The Decievers.
Out Now! Manual Scan - Plan of Action 7" EP - Yep, a cool reissue of the band's 1982 release on Spain's Munster Records!
Out Now! Television Personalities tribute "I Would Write A Thousand Words," featuring The Shambles take on "If I Could Write Poetry," - new from Canada's finest, The Beautiful Music.
Out Now! Buffalo Springfield tribute "Five Way Street" featuring the Shambles version of "Whatever Happened to Saturday Night?" - from Not Lame.
Out Now! "Staring at the Sun Volume VI" new from Blindspot Records for 2007! 17 San Diego artists including The Shambles, Mark DeCerbo & Four Eyes, Anna Troy, Circa Now, The Infants, Simeon Flick, The Grams, Lee Coulter and more-
Out Now! Music compilation "San Diego Soundscape" featuring the band's "Change'This a cool pr item from The San Diego Convention and Visitors Bureau and Insomnia Records.Com.
Out this month! "Sweet Relief" a three disc compilation from JAM Records to raise funds for Hurricane Katrina Relief. Includes the Shambles track "Wendy Never."
Out this month!San Diego Music Foundation compilation - there are two versions, the standard issue CD given out at this years SDMA's and a Hard Rock Hotel Branded edition!
New Press!
Out Now! The latest edition of Spanish magazine Ansia de Colores includes a free CD with an exclusive track from The Shambles, a cover of The Beatles "Fixing A Hole" !!
Out Now! Italy's Misty Lane magazines fall 2007 edition features an interview with The Shambles!!
Out Soon! Tribute albums dedicated to The Jetset ("Hard to Say Goodbye"), The Risk ("State of the Union") , Ringo Starr ("Snookeroo"), Ricky Nelson ("It's Late") and more!!
