all about us

So ok, yeah, we've all been around for a while. Since the 80's even. Mark's on his 257th guitar / amp / pedal configuration; kurt's on at least his 60th bass / amp combination while slowly working down the number of strings on his instrument.

To say we've all known each other forever would be proof that i have no idea what the word 'forever' (or contraction thereof) actually means, but it's the word i decided to use nevertheless. We've all know each other for ever.

Mark started out with Deadly By Desire (along with Ben Cortese [drums], John Deley [keys]- who went on to play with Dido - and Dave Cattley [bass], later replaced by John Hall - jazz cat extraordinaire - and then Scott Griffin, and once in a while Matt Ferrante [sax]).

Kurt and Dan with The Sponges (along with Chris Theoret [sing/gtr], Bill Ferchak [keys] and John Wilson [drums]). Kurt and Dan had a band called Big Idea, Dan had a cover band called One Hit Wonder.

Mark then formed Like Whoa (whose band members included Dave Brown [gtr] - who went on to co-found the Gathering Field - and Randy Venturini [bass]- who now holds down low end duties for Heather Kropf) hooking up once again with Ben on drums.

Kurt's played with both Joes before (our two drummer options, Marini and Waslousky - who has a solo jazz album out) as has Steve (who started out playing guitar with Phil Harris & also has a regular slot with Billy Price). Everyone a Pittsburgh fixture.

We've apparently made quite the habit of taking super sharp jazz guys, and injecting them into the pop/rock genre, with pretty damn fine results. I think we'd all say we've been spoiled when it comes to the players we've been involved with.

We've tried to assemble as much archive material here as we could - pix, tunes, interviews - but if anyone reading this out there has any media to add, please let us know.

beautiful turnback time machine

how to use the jukebox / mp3 player

links and what have you

Scott Mervis - local music guru for the Post-Gazette - had a piece on us in the Nov 2, 2006 edition of the PG. click here to read it online.

Another Scott Mervis piece - this time about the 'I like it here' video - click here to read it online.

A bit rambling (god love him) but fun retrospective (and perspective) from Wayne Mitzen, the guy who recorded, engineered and produced all the Deadly stuff here.