I haven’t updated this site since 2020/2021 as Ive been extremely busy in this crazy biz that Ive enjoyed working in for most of my life!
Happy to check this off my To Do list; lots to recap so here we go!
MUSICIAN BIO/ NEWS:
Beatallica had a couple tours and weekend warrior outings over the past few years. Post Covid live music world was taking baby steps to get back to normal if that will ever actually happen again. We had several runs that got put on hold or canceled over that time but finally it was great to go out for a proper run! In June 23 we did an East Coast tour w our friends the great and super fun Tragedy. Go see them; you will have a ball! Thanks for coming out to the shows if you did! See you on the 2024 tour!
My lap steel band The Truck finished our 2nd record and will be releasing that very soon. We had the great fun and honor to open a show at the legendary Shank Hall for one of my all time fave guitarists since my early teens: Pat Travers! Good story, but I had to turn down playing bass for Pat some years ago. His bassist at the time couldn’t make some dates and needed a sub. He called me but I was literally on a tour bus starting a European tour and thus had to decline doing that short run of dates w Pat. Pat now has a solid and amazing bassist David Pastorious. If that last name sounds familiar it is because David is the legendary Jaco’s nephew! Go see Pat and his great band!
In June 2022 I was asked to sub for the guitar player in the local Led Zeppelin tribute band No Quarter. Some weeks after the show they asked me to their full time Jimmy Page! Having sat w Zep’s LPs w the needle dropping on Pages iconic riffs over and over was how I learned the basic foundation of guitar playing. I was thrilled to try this as Ive never sat down and REALLY learned how to play those classic songs as correctly as possible as an adult professional musician instead of a budding hopeful. Well as I figured, I was playing most of the riffs wrong lol. Diving in deep into Page’s style has been super fun and challenging as I have played mostly all original music since my mid teens and never decided to dedicate time dissecting another players style/ idiosyncrasies. Enjoying it though! We decided to change the name to Headley Grange as there are many tribes acts using the titles of their songs and Headley Grange wasn’t taken and is now our name legally! Plus the true Zep heads will know the reference 😉 We play LPs in their entirely and as precise not only musically but sonically as well. Come get your Led out and see a show! Check the calendar right here!
In 2022 I started what Im intending as a yearly event; a multi band show on or around my birthday, September 2nd. I debuted my new band playing some of my original music and some classic favorites from my early days of performing and touring regionally. Several other bands graciously performed as well! In 2023 I merged that party w a show celebrating a local venue’s 30th anniversary of its opening and marking the 20th anniversary of its closure. The Globe was a hotspot for all original bands local and national in the 90’s until 2003 when it turned off the stage power and closed for good. I assembled 18 bands(!!!!) who played the venue back in the day and reformed just for this event. 20min sets / 15min changeovers! Needless to say I didn’t get any time to actually hang out on my bday but hey all the bands went on stage on time and the event ran very smoothly and was sold out!
Ive also played many shows all over Wisconsin w my great friend, singer-songwriter and killer acoustic Midwest Delta blues/Americana guitarist Matt MF Tyner and of course his trusty canine sidekick Don Juan WOOF! Dig. I do a yearly show at The Newport w my good friends Alcoholics Unanimous as its 2 of the members birthdays in early December so watch for As a gun for hire Ive enjoyed sitting in on some shows w Lost Orange Cat, Dirty Deuce, Kilbourne and Mississippi Cactus. Im amazed and grateful that over the years Ive been asked to sit in with many artist/bands of vastly different styles including some of my early heroes such as Uriah Heep, Violent Femmes, Dennis DeYoung Always happy to lend my multi instrumental chops to any band in need of augmenting their stage show!
PRODUCER/ STUDIO ENGINEER NEWS:
Its been a typically busy year in the studio. I produced many records in 2022/2023 all of which can be found on the usual sites/platforms on the webs. I also am very close to releasing some of my solo music! It will be a jumbo of many original songs that Ive recorded over the years (when I had the time and motivation to do so in between producing all the other artists lol)
Please check out these artists Ive produced over the past couple years! Many different styles just like my musical taste 🙂
Kilbourne
John Madjliani
Lest We Forget (Reunion Show remote recording)
LIVE SOUND / STAGE TECH NEWS:
Past couple years saw me doing my usual LONG time FOH gigs as A1 for Summerfest US Cellular Stage, Milwaukee Irish Fest and Mexican Fiesta. I love the challenge these festivals offer as an audio engineer. You have to put out fires and think on your feet for multiple 16hr days on end. I am honored to have been asked to be the Production Manager/ FOH for Best Damn Blues Fest. 2023 was the 2nd time this fest happened and it looks to become a huge event in the future for the blues community in general. Watch for 2024’s lineup and come to the fest! I also have done many small PA club gigs which is super fun as I have a great setup for 50-500 cap size rooms and enjoy perfecting giving artists high quality pro service at a reasonable price. Let me know if you need a PA for your show/ event!
I got great news in August 23 by being asked to tour full time as backline tech for the great singer songwriter Zach Bryan! Zach is enjoying a meteoric well deserved rise to stardom. As of this update his latest record continues to be at #1 on the country music charts; above Taylor Swift even! Very exciting to be a part of this new family of great and talented heavy weights in the touring industry! See you at one of his shows in 2024!
I am about to start my 5th season as audio engineer for The Milwaukee Bucks and for Fiserv Forum events. Its been very educational and challenging working in sports audio but after 5yrs I have my sea legs and can only learn more about this other side of the audio business! Never stop learning/challenging yourself at least it works for me 🙂
COMMERCIAL AUDIO INSTALLATION NEWS:
Really great to design a nice PA system to fit the needs and aesthetic of a new micro brewery in West Allis, WI — Ope Brewing Co I consulted on the stage buildout when the space was a gutted fabrication building. They’ve done an amazing job and definitely go there and bring your dogs! They have ORIGINAL live music regularly which in itself an amazing self imposed condition of the space. I chose to go w LD Systems Curv 500 TS series for the PA and their IOCA monitors. Amazing HD sound and coverage for the large space without turning it up to 11! Let me know if you are interested in these speakers! Client is VERY happy. Go hear /see a show there!
I also consulted on the new space for the much loved Nepalese restaurant The Cheel. They are rebuilding after a fire in 2020 and looking to open this year! They are dedicating a floor to a music venue and I was happy to offer my opinions and insights to make it a destination for fans and musicians! Looking forward to seeing the final product and to play there!
Hamtone Audio installs are still going strong at Goodkind, The Diplomat, Cleveland Pub and other spaces around the general Milwaukee area.
If you are in need of audio system solutions for your commercial space please reach out!
AWARDS NEWS:
I was nominated for Best Studio Engineer/Producer from WAMI for 2023 so that was nice to be recognized. THANK YOU clients and friends for nominating me.
