HOLMBERG

HOLMBERG "THE DEAD AND THE MAD" is available at The Exchange (formerly The Record Exchange) 6721 Pearl Rd.,Parma Heights 440-845-0828I edited my profile with Thomas Myspace Editor V4.4 (www.strikefile.com/myspace) ------------------Dave Holmberg/ Peanuts Interview / For every original act you might run across in the state of Ohio, there's always an underground of music right below the surface that doesn't play out in the clubs and has their own little circuit of non-traditional venues that they must seek to have their music heard. One such example would be Parma keyboardist Dave Holmberg, now out promoting his first ever release "The Dead And The Mad." The other day, Holmberg traded thoughts with OhioOnline music correspondent Peanuts about his music where Holmberg isn't tracked by popular radar, but by a more esoteric sonar.PN: How did you get absorbed in music? DH: "When I was growing up, rock music was still fairly fresh and uncharted ground. The Rolling Stones, the Kinks, the Who and, ahem, the Doors were in my collection and listened to often. Also, at the time, classical music was actually still somewhat mainstream. I would dutifully study and learn classical piano music, then go home and wish I could play like Jerry Lee Lewis. Later on, when I became more spiritually aware, I was and still am interested and influenced by avant gard, free form jazz and contemporary classical music." PN: Are you an Ohio native? DH: "Born in Cleveland and raised in Parma, attending Normandy High and studied music at Cleveland State University and almost graduated." PN: What do have going on these days? DH: "I currently perform with the Doors tribute band Moonlight Drive. Been doing that since 1989 and was possibly the first keyboard player in a Doors tribute band to play keyboard bass. Before that, I was keyboard man for the soulster Dave C. & The Sharptones from 1984-1988. Before that, I was with an original band called Nebula (not the modern one out now), that was inspirational in compelling me to work up my own stuff in later years." PN: What national artists have influenced you? DH: "I would say lyrically Bob Dylan is my greatest influence with his rambling epics and psychedelic imagery. I always wanted to play piano like Jerry Lee Lewis and write songs like Bob Dylan. Then again, the disc is nothing like that." PN: In that case, what is it like? DH: It is spoken word with sung melodies and choruses. It is ethereal. It is at time spiritually psychedelic. It is ambient." PN: What act would you match up with in concert? DH: I'm not really aware of anyone doing this style of music. If there is, I sure would like to hook up with them and do some shows." PN: How about some background on the disc. DH: "This is my first disc out. Imagine that. It was recorded largely on a vintage analog tape 8-track recorder in my home studio. It was mastered and prepared for replication at Bluelight Studios in Independence." PN: I take it you enjoyed recording at home. DH: "Of course. The freedom to produce and create at will was invaluable. This disc could not have been made in a structured environment and have the character it does." PN: Favorite Ohio venue to play? DH: "Can't say that I have a favorite venue as long as I'm performing and doing my thing." PN: Long term plans? DH: "I will continue writing new material as well as do a live recording with band members Al Berdysz and Chris Morrow. I would like to perform more often but sometimes I just got to keep doing what I'm doing .(PEANUTS is a free lance music journalist and music writer for Sun Newspapers and Ohio Online Magazine).