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BAND MEMBERS
* indicates active member
Genevieve Boutet de Monvel - saxophone, vocals +++ An inveterate world traveler (playing music in Europe, Africa, and the Americas), she originated in the famous French cathedral city of Rheims. A former member of the legendary Inflatable Boy Clams, at last report she was making videos in New York City (i.e., "The Lilac Sniffers" - a video exploration of how the sense of smell monitors our behavior and brings us to the immediacy of our deepest memories).
Kim Burke - drums, vocals +++
Tezmerelda Compost - guitar, percussion, vocals +++ New Hampshire-bred, certified composter, herbalist, sorceress and People'sPark/EarthFirst/FoodNotBombs activist extraordinaire, she can be seen on TV being tortured by Humboldt County Sheriffs.
John Corser - saxophone +++
Laurie Dean - guitar, vocals +++
*Steve Farzan - guitar, keyboards +++ A multi-instrumentalist and composer, for two consecutive years ('92 & '93) Steve and drummer Richard Vitale organized the entertainment for Stand Down, a weekend long event during which the football field of a San Francisco high school was transformed into a camp (complete with military issue pup tents) for homeless veterans. Over the course of the weekend, the vets were provided with a wide array of psychological and social services/veteran's benefits counselling; the two day blues jam for the vets included (in addition to Steve and Richard) Peter Harris (of The Webs & The Jerry Garcia Band) and Bay Area blues great Big Bones. In addition to The Invertebrates, Steve has played with Beluga Whale. He also currently plays with his longtime band, The Webs.
Guy Geduldig - drumbox, jawharp, percussion, projectors, synthesizers, tapes, vocals +++ Reared in a suburb of California's capital, he's great with kids, retards, and the MIT Meme Laboratory. In addition to his distinctive contribution to The Invertebrates, he is a founder-member of Acres of Free Parking, and The Vortexans.
Susan Greene - conga drum, percussion, vocals +++ A native of New York, she is an accomplished muralist who has worked mostly in San Francisco, but also in Central America and the Middle East. She is also a teacher, counselor, and psychologist.
Jim Gunderson - drums, percussion +++
Danny Hollenbaugh - drums, percussion, xylophone, vocals +++
John Hricko - drums, machines +++ The Naked Skinnies
Teresa Iñiguez - percussion, vocals +++
Lewis Jack Finzel - dombak, drums +++ Born in Washington, D.C., but a longtime resident of northern California, he was part (along with Craig Brown and Casey Cummings) of the incredibly good neopsychedelic trio Wormwood. He now lives in Sacramento with his wife and two kids.
Peter Marti - percussion +++ Arms of Venus, The Spiders
*Pad McLaughlin - bass guitar, guitar, keyboards, projectors +++ Scion of an eminent San Diego Republican grandfather, an early supporter of Richard Nixon, and a mother who as a child was taken out for ice cream by Albert Einstein, he is one of the founding members of The Invertebrates. Currently he is a prominent Northern California stereophotographer working, most notably, with the George Coates Performance project. Other bands he has played in include The Skoings, The Glasses, and Dad Gone Mad
Michael Miller - guitar +++ A former bank-robber from the Chicago area, he looks like a Hindu-Rastafarian rabbi but is in fact a Thelemite rabbi.
Linda Nathanson - projectors, violin +++
Josiah Seiver - guitar +++ A loyal member of the Cacophony Society, and prime mover behind the bands Dub Club and 3 Men In A Dub. Here he describes himself far better than any of us can, "My bio would read: A '77 maple neck natural L6-S and '88 maple neck black american standard strat with whammy, into a DOD envelope stomp filter, boss analog stomp delay and flanger and distortion, into a Peavey '65 Bandit, and a GK 100 watt 2/12 . The slide was a genuine '75 coricidan bottle."
*Larissa Brown Shapiro - vocals +++ Born in Manhattan, but a Californian by all but birth, she's a slave in the Silicon Mines who dreams of clean air and country livin'. Her vocal training and performance experience started in the Palo Alto Children's Chorus in 1982, and she has performed with choirs in Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Finland, and most of the Western states. Currently she dwells in Santa Cruz with her kooky spineless husband and sweetest of baby daughters.
*Mort Shapiro - bass guitar, guitar, keyboards, wooden flute, percussion, vocals +++ A transplanted Angeleno, he shuffles books at a university library, writes poetry and essays on religion & politics, and has sung and composed for The Invertebrates since their founding. Before that he sang with a southcentral Ohio-based band, The Blue Cheese. He now lives in the woods on a mountain above the sea with his wife and little daughter.
Jeff Skoller - bass guitar, saxophone +++ He is currently living in Chicago (missing SF everyday) and continues to make films and video tapes and spend a lot of time writing about what's left of what used to be called counter-cinema. He also teaches filmmaking and film studies at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. He doesn't play much sax anymore, but does noodle on the flute playing his own version of Newyorican salsa. Chicago has a pretty interesting music scene since there is still something of a alternative club scene unlike most major cities, but he is not particularly involved. This is not his biography. These are just the facts. His bio is much more exciting ...
Michael Sneathen - projectors +++
*Richard Vitale - drums, percussion +++ Hailing from Western Pennsylvania, where he was trained in West African percussion by Willie Anku ( a Ghanaian traditional musician and ethnomusicologist who is now the senior professor of Music at the University of Ghana in Legon), and versed in a variety of styles, he lived and played music in New York City and Eugene, Oregon prior to becoming a Bay Area resident. He has played in numerous bands, most notably Stick Against Stone, and has also recorded and performed with H. R. (of The Bad Brains) and Trey Gunn (now with King Krimson). He currently plays with Robert Temple & Serious Noyz, and Body Rhythm, as well as The Invertebrates. He is also a founder of the Universal Roots Music organization.
Bill Wheeler - drums, percussion, synthesizer, vocals +++ All about Bill, in his own words: "In 1979 I followed my older brother Tom to San Francisco. After six months with no employment possibilities, and expiration of my social assistance, I moved back to Texas to build houses to amass enough money to return. In the year of 1980 I returned with the expressed purpose of joining the band. For the next four years I gave the band my heart & soul. In the year of 1984 I encountered my first bout of political correctness, a concept I loathe, and for my failure to conform I was banished and returned to Texas. I then spent six years in the liberal hell-hole of Austin, Texas. PC all over again, so to shake the dust off my boots I took a job in New Jersey where I worked days and spent my nights in New York City. After nine months my job collapsed. I returned to Texas, Houston, Texas, a city yet to be touched by PC. In Houston I again began to feel the tug of artist longing. I found a band and began producing them.With the band, The Hightailers, I made posters, two full-length CDs, booked gigs, and took the door. This was not enough. So in the year of 1995 I became my alter ego, Lonesome Cowboy Bill. In my five years as Lonesome I have recorded over 50 cover songs of as many different styles of music as I enjoy, from Cher to Conway Twitty to The Velvet Underground (all of them soon to be available on my own website). In the last three months I have taken the next step and am writing my own material, soon to be recorded. Lonesome 2000"
*Tom Wheeler - bass guitar, clay flute, drumbox, guitar, harmonica, keyboards, percussion, synthesizer, trumpet, vocals +++ A military brat out of Wichita Falls by way of Minot, Sacramento, El Paso, Madison, Deer Park, and Denton, he got a degree in film-making and then started a band called The Invertebrates. Currently he also teaches at a school in San Francisco, where he lives with his wife and two sons.
GUEST RECORDING ARTISTS
Bob Balopole - keyboard +++ also known as Bob Jay, the Swingin' CPA. Born in Hollywood, California 1955. Played in S.F.75, and Knight Variety with Elias Pereda and Jack Mills (1975 to 1978 in San Francisco); w/Jan Harrington 1978; Caprice, Bob and Hush with Hush Preston and Caprice Clarke 1979-1981 in Los Angeles; Pastora/Goldberg Band with Lee Pastora and Ken Goldberg 1982. Between the Lines, 1984. Working as Certified Public Accountant in San Mateo, CA since 1983, with occasional recording and solo piano gigs. Released "Taxpayer Boogie" 1999.
Brad Bechtel - steel guitar +++ three years towards a B.A. in music before realizing that you can't do a recital on steel guitar to pass the finals. Goofs around on a mandolin sometimes; knows the chords on "real" guitars, but his hands hurt; used to play viola badly. Played with the synthesizer band Outer Circle in the early 80's around the LA area, opening for bands such as the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Black Flag, and Men Without Hats. Played with the Invertebrates in SF. Worked on soundtracks to various Dude Theater performances with Beth Custer. Played with the XObjects, the Macromedia house band from 1994-present. Played with the band Quick and Dirty from 1997-1998. Played in the band JelloHat from 1998-2000. Currently performing around town with Go Van Gogh.
Billy Bob Black - viola +++ this mysterious stranger may be Odin-Tahuti or he may be Ahriman-Apep, he isn't saying. Or he may just be a damn fine fiddler who's worked with the likes of Psychic TV, and Coil.
Big Bones - harmonica +++ this Bay Area blues harp legend is "a natural" when it comes to making fine music; he absolutely nailed the solo on "Drunk" in one take after listening to the song once while carrying on a friendly conversation!
Beth Custer - clarinets +++ a San Francisco resident who, in addition to playing the clarinet, also sings and plays trumpet, keyboards, and bass clarinets. As well as being a founding member of Trance Mission, Eighty Mile Beach and The Clubfoot Orchestra, her talent and work weaves sinuously through various projects, bands, and special performances that have found Beth in various locales around the world. A partial list includes work in film and theatre for the San Francisco Shakespeare Company, the Joe Goode Performance Group, Camera Obscura, Tance Johnson, Olan Jones, Lisa Austin, Earplay and Chris Brophy's production of 12 Angry Men. In Fall 1999 she debuted the Vinculum Symphony, commissioned by the Yerba Buena Center of San Francisco. Doña Luz 30 Besos, her third solo album, was released in July 2000 on the City of Tribes label.
Josh Ende - baritone saxophone +++ Club Foot Orchestra
Lisa Fredenthal - vocals +++
J.C. Garrett - vocals +++ Former San Franciscan and vocalist with the CF Players is now an East Bay resident and revolutionary working with The Art Moratorium Project.
Steve Heithecker - synthesizer +++ Steve is an accomplished composer, producer, & keyboardist who has composed and produced music for live theater as well as film and video productions. He is the co-founder of Digital Art & Music: a digital audio/MIDI ADAT recording studio in San Francisco, specializing in hip-hop/rap and alternative rock music. Steve is also an accomplished graphic designer and technical consultant. When it comes to music and art this renaissance man does it all. Above all else his skills as a keyboardist, synthesist, & MIDI manipulator set him apart. Steve embraces all aspects of music and art production and swears by his Roland JV 2080. He has played with many bands, notably The Vortexans.
Mark Higuera - guitar +++
Leigh Ann Hussey - violin, vocals +++ Leigh Ann is a Berkeley native who received her degree in music at U.C. Berkeley. She was classically trained, spending more than a dozen years as a violist, then learned traditional music and began to develop her unique fiddling style by playing on the streets with piper Sean Folsom of the Irish folk trio Sheila na Gig and studying with Dave Balakrishnan of the Turtle Island String Quartet. She released four solo albums before joining with Elton Wildermuth in 1991 to form the Celtic rock band Daoine Sidhe, which eventually broke up and reformed to become Annwn. Her other bands are Ashby House, Basement Chemistry, and Nuit.
Greg Jordan - drums, guitar +++ The Vortexans, Digital Art & Music
Liza K - vocals +++ Arms of Venus
Melanie Law - vocals +++ Malibu Barbie
Hermann Lederle - autoharp, tapes +++ a German-born American painter, filmmaker, and media artist of striking talent. A visit to his web site is highly recommended!
Melinda Maeckle - vocals +++
Tom Mallon - drumbox +++ American Music Club, Grifter Records
Richard Marriott - trombone +++ Club Foot Orchestra
Susan Moore - vocals +++
Ron Morgan - steel guitar +++ Ron was an early member of the Club Foot clan. An original member of Davey Jones and the Lockerboys (which became Bay of Pigs after the Tom of Finland connotations of the original name
sunk into the band's thick simian skulls), co-leader of the Club
Foot Players, Ron lent his guitar and steel guitar stylings to a
promiscuous array of local projects. Last musical project was as
accompanist to the redoubtable Ezmeraldo, in 1990. In early 1991,
Ron discovered he was adopted, and stopped playing music. He is
now Executive Chair of Bastard Nation: the Adoptee Rights Organization, and works with other
adoptees who discover their birth status as adults.
Sandy Noltimier - vocals +++ she currently sings alto in the chorus of the San Francisco Symphony, and backup with the unique local cover band Tom Jonesing.
Marinos Paschaloudes - vocals +++
Larry P - saxophone +++
Dan Rielly - guitar +++ Dan is in the business of starting bands, Party Of Five, Umbrella Defense, Big Mix, Sixty Minute Men, Bjorn Baby Bjorn, Funkatraz, to name just a few. In addition he has backed such legendary poets as Lou Minotti and Allen Ginsberg. While continuing to record with many groups, such as The Invertebrates and Dub Club, he is currently launching his new country band, Innerstate 5, on an all-out assault on the Bay Area. In his spare time he has fun with radiography and crossword puzzles.
Michael Sanborn - vocals +++
Gary Schwantes - bamboo flute, clarinet, saxophones +++ Originally from the Sacramento area he studied music at Sonoma State then earned an M.F.A. in Electronic Music and the Recording Media from Mills College, where he studied composition with Lou Harrison and Anthony Braxton. He studied Chinese bamboo flute with Hong Kong studio and orchestra flutist Tsang Kee Man. His activities as teacher, performer, and composer are prodigious and highly eclectic, ranging from playing in bands like Free Light (with John Cippolina and Pam Tillis) or The Job (with poet Marc Olmsted) to musical direction and composition for the Lily Cai Chinese Dance Company to backing up performer/composers like Jason Becker or Michael Stillwater. He has been a featured woodwind performer with the Flowing Stream Ensemble, ACT, Lou Harrison, Liu Weishan, Dun Huang Ensemble, Allen Ginsberg, Dave Creamer, Hank Ballard, Voz do Brazil, and Klezmania, and has performed on numerous CDs, soundtracks, TV shows, commercials, and CD ROM products, including releases by the Discovery Channel, Nature Company, Br¯derbund, Living Books, Red Orb Entertainment, Disney Channel, Jason Becker and the Flowing Stream Ensemble. He has also composed music and done sound design for Brøderbund Software, Fujitsu Interactive, Mickey Hart/Planet Drum, filmmaker Craig Baldwin, ACT, We Do the Work, KRON, S.F. Legion of Honor Museum, Opera Piccola, and many others. He has received commissions and grants from Meet the Composer, ACT, S.F. Legion of Honor Museum, the Zellerbach Foundation and Chinese Cultural Productions. He won the Hollywood Dramalogue Critics Award for music to accompany ACT's production of Eugene O'Neill's "Marco Millions".
Bill Smartt - kazoo +++ Bill Smartt's sound-scapes and videos have shown and been heard in festivals and living rooms around the world. He first became interested in sound as a child spending thousands of hours in front of his record player (and currently owns one of the most obscure and offbeat record collections in the country). After fronting punk bands in Nashville, Bill studied video and sound at the Atlanta College of Art, learning video and recording techniques while experimenting with multi-tracking and texturing audio. As his interest in live performance grew, he began writing his own work, creating sound design in theater, as well as continuing his work in video and film (garnering an award from the American Film Institute in 1991). His love for theater led him to the University of Washington where he completed his MFA in Acting in June of 2000. Bill worked as sound engineer and DAT operator on the Lucky Dog Film project, Something Better, at last report still in post-production.
Edda Sverrisdottir - vocals +++
Vicki Wong - vocals +++
Susan Wood - vocals +++