derica (writing and recording new lp w/ steve-0) profile picture

derica (writing and recording new lp w/ steve-0)

'hey mom, it looks like i made it on the radio...'

About Me

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Derica is the Ziggy Stardust of the 21st Century. A transgender artist who’s as defined by his androgynous image as he is by his minimal blues based rock, Derica had envisioned the stripped down rock duo set up of guitar/drums, years before The White Stripes had become a household name. Listening to blues artist Lightning Hopkins, he was struck by the idea that if what you’re playing is interesting enough then guitar is all you need.
Playing out solo and with drummer Steve-O of Cleveland Indie rock band Death To Samantha, who was on Homestead Records with Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr. & Sebadoh, Derica has tons of live performance experience from rock clubs to coffeehouses to bookstores. From 2000-2001 Derica was the lead guitarist in the Cleveland band, Cobra Verde, who are most famous as the backing band for Robert Pollard on Guided By Voices’ album Mag Warwhig.
In the studio with Cobra Verde, Derica was trading off guitar duties with childhood hero J. Mascis of Dinosaur Jr. and on the road they were playing with the likes of Mike Watt, Mudhoney & The Breeders.
Originally from Warren, Pennsylvania, Derica received an education in music from his mother who bought him a book on The British Invasion before he was old enough to read it. In it he learned about artists like Led Zeppelin, Bowie, T. Rex, Jeff Beck & The Incredible String Band.

Later on in life, inspired by the glam look of Bowie, The Cure, Boy George, Placebo & Marilyn Manson he had dreams of becoming the world’s first queer folk singer. As Derica’s musical palette matured he came upon obscure musicians such as Rainer Ptacek, a Czech born slide guitar master who was the primary influence behind his integration of the electric dobro into his songs. Filtering blues and American folk music through the classic rock of the 60’s, 70’s & 80’s, Derica has recorded three 45’s (Revenge Of The Introverts, I Don’t Like You & Free Tommy Stinson), two Ep’s (When The Train Left The Station & This Is Alt. Blues), two singles (Blues Three Different Ways & Nowhere To Go With It) & one full length, 2007’s Medicate, many of these have been released by small DIY labels in California, Germany, Italy & Japan.
Currently just having released Transmit The Love From The Radio Satation, his new split CD with Pittsburgh, PA band Guyliners on his own handsomeproductions.com label, Derica is one of the most unique artists of the last decade, raging against the traditional conventions of our puritanical society with an eloquent and ground breaking rock and roll the likes the world has yet to see.

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 11/9/2005
Band Website: myspace.com/handsomeprod
Band Members:

derica - (formerly of Cobra Verde, Breaker) vocals, instruments.

Steve-0 - (formerly of Death of Samantha) drums, vocals.
Influences: Chris Whitley, Jeff Lang, Sandy Bull, Son House, Charley Patton, Nick Drake, Leadbelly, Pete Seeger, Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan, John Fahey, Leo Kottke, Frank Profitt, Peter Laughner, Michael Hedges, Michael Manring, Howe Gelb, Rainer Ptacek, Neko Case, KT Tunstall, Sandy Denny, Richard Thompson, The Incredible String Band, David Bowie, Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins, Marc Bolan, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Loretta Lynn, Women, Mental Illness....
Sounds Like:
Chris Whitley, Jeff Lang, Jack Rose, Glenn Jones, Sandy Bull, Rainer Ptacek, Led Zeppelin, Paul Ubana Jones, John Fahey, The White Stripes, Keef Richards playing guitar w/ Bowie and Dylan's love child singing.

"From The Heart" and "Blood Money" by Breaker at the H:O:A festival in germany in 2004. i'm playing bass. duh.

"This Could Change A Million Lives" (written by myself and Thomas O. Huber) from the mini-album "When The Train Left The Station" @ Verlies Cafe
Cleveland, OH 6-18-08 played on a 4-string cigar box guitar made by Back Porch Mojo

"Medicate" from the album "Medicate" @ Verlies Cafe
Cleveland, OH 6-18-08 played on a 4-string fretless cigar box guitar made by Back Porch Mojo

"Cure For Pain" by Morphine (written by Mark Sandman on a 2-string bass, played here on a 3-string cigar box bass) made by Back Porch Mojo

"Show-Biz Blues" (written by Peter Green of Fleetwood Mac) @ Verlies Cafe
Cleveland, OH 10-17-07

"Blues Three Different Ways" from new single Blues Three Different Ways (co-written w/ Dave Andrews) @ Verlies Cafe
Cleveland, OH 10-17-07


Record Label: handsomeproductions.com
Type of Label: Indie

My Blog

every derica fan should be forced to watch this clip: BREAKER IN GERMANY 2004

this is a clip of breaker playing FROM THE HEART and BLOOD MONEY from the GET TOUGH! lp from 1987. i'm playing bass. don depew and michael klein on flying v's, mark klein on drums, the amazi...
Posted by derica (writing and recording new lp w/ steve-0) on Wed, 01 Oct 2008 11:30:00 PST

derica on new BREAKER release "Peace, Love, Death"

just wanted to let everybody know...yes i am on the new breaker release... even though nobody from breaker or their management ever told me about it when it came out. yanno you would think after hangi...
Posted by derica (writing and recording new lp w/ steve-0) on Sat, 13 Sep 2008 09:06:00 PST

if anybody bought anything off SNOCAP recently, please read this

SNOCAP has deleted my account that i use for handsome productions catalog and they will not respond to any of my emailsif you've bought anything from me on snocap in the last 4 months, i thank you for...
Posted by derica (writing and recording new lp w/ steve-0) on Tue, 20 May 2008 08:46:00 PST

MEDICATE and THIS IS ALT BLUES both for only $1 on cdbaby for a LIMITED TIME!

THIS IS ALT. BLUES: so what the hell is alt. blues supposed to be? don’t you remember alternative rock? it was basically just good honest original rock’n’roll come back again? alt. c...
Posted by derica (writing and recording new lp w/ steve-0) on Wed, 26 Mar 2008 10:49:00 PST

blog wars (or ’old girlfriends and other horrible memories’ my apoligies to john fahey)

ok so two things happened today...i come to find that my last ex is pretty much lying about our relationship and me in general because basically she’s pissed off i kicked her out of my trailer w...
Posted by derica (writing and recording new lp w/ steve-0) on Fri, 14 Mar 2008 04:23:00 PST

gearing up for the THIS IS ALT BLUES tour with drummer Steve-0

hi there, it's derica. and i'm honored to be joined out on the road and in the studio for my next release by my good friend Steve-0. now, my friend Steve-0 was called that longgggggggg before Jackass(...
Posted by derica (writing and recording new lp w/ steve-0) on Sun, 02 Mar 2008 11:39:00 PST

i am mentioned for my 12-string guitar playing on this website...

http://www.proguitarworld.com/articles/beginners-guide-to-12 -string-guitars.html mentions me right next to jimmy page and leadbelly and leo kottke. i had no idea this website was online, i've never be...
Posted by derica (writing and recording new lp w/ steve-0) on Tue, 15 Jan 2008 07:36:00 PST

UPCOMING RELEASES NEW AND OLD

as BLUES THREE DIFFERENT WAYS single (blues three different ways/home band version/me and my killer dog) is selling at my shows and at starvation army zine's shows... figured i would let you guys know...
Posted by derica (writing and recording new lp w/ steve-0) on Sat, 10 Nov 2007 11:50:00 PST

BLUES THREE DIFFERENT WAYS available here for download for only $1.99!!

Blues Three Different Ways is three songs (imagine that)...BLUES THREE DIFFERENT WAYS (derica)HOME (jason erb)ME AND MY KILLER DOG (derica/jason lockard)The Players....Derica - Dobro, Guitar, VocalsDa...
Posted by derica (writing and recording new lp w/ steve-0) on Tue, 16 Oct 2007 12:02:00 PST

TOUR DIARY TWO (columbus)

well at bernies the pa didn't work and they couldn't figure it out...so i just said fuck it and played unplugged on the floor and my col peeps dug it and bought cds. and that makes it all worthwhile. ...
Posted by derica (writing and recording new lp w/ steve-0) on Sat, 06 Oct 2007 04:31:00 PST