So far...& what's coming

From trumpet to visuals; producing to recording.

My original musical work avocation began by calling up Again&Again&Again during their interview on WPRB-Princeton to offer a slide show for concerts. This grew to include occasional live and studio trumpet. We performed widely from City Gardens to CBGBs, plus many notable clubs of the era.

I think it was Randy Now, City Garden's DJ, who suggested Experimental Products to me. During my time with them, they hit #12 in the RockPool charts, one of a handful or the only independent band placing in the year's Top 100. Having been circulated on a DJ promo EP with up and comer Madonna may have helped. I was the youngest medalist at the International Film & TV Festival-NYC for stage slide shows for this seminal "minimalist synth" electronic band. Al Jourgensen (Ministry) invited me to provide visuals for a super-group tour to include Jah Wobble, Luc van Acker, and Einstürzende Neubauten. Al's label opted not to fund that dream. He did pick up a roadie, Trent Reznor, on his next (scaled down) tour.

Experimental Products’ Michael Gross and I teamed up as the performance duo Experimental Café circa 1990. Recorded video plus computer imagery was mixed and projected. I was a pioneer of early Mac video tech in corporate industrial shows thanks half price video card that only cost $2500. Questionably, I turned down an invitation to interview as Apple’s initial Video Evangelist. (What!?)

In 1995 came the Producer role of  "PM in Princeton" DVD/CD for lauded keyboardist Patrick Moraz of Yes and the Moody Blues. The Recording Academy (Grammy's) invited me to join their technical non-voting division. The DVD was re-released by VoicePrint UK, the audio had subsequent re-releases.

Selling copies of Experimental Products' "Prototype" for $500 each in 2005 funded my first home studio. I began writing music (self taught on keyboard) after reading the first few chapters of the Reason manual. "Advance to Peak" was released at the infamously wet, first farewell concert of Phish. Granted, I had a music background, having earned first chair trumpet in high school. Those Radnor, PA public school concert and jazz bands also included Michael Hausman, 'Til Tuesday's drummer; and Tom Wilson, "Biff" in the "Back to the Future" movies.

"Atmosphere" was released in 2012, earning favorable reviews from both Moraz and guitarist Ryche Chlanda (Fireballet, Renaissance, current Nektar vocals/guitar). The most popular song was "Ellen", based on the character from the early vampire movie, "Nosferatu".

Recordings from 2016 and 2017 were scrapped and I set about completing "Fields" slowly over time. This was new to me--slow steady work over time versus being a jackrabbit. Those sessions went from June, 2018 to December, 2019.  Mike Simmons/MARS Audio (an Experimental Products performance member and songwriter) provided moral support and "advice to a friend". 

With the completion of "Fields" the goal for the fourth NL-X CD was 1-2 years hence. Bring the energy level up, add some vocals, include a dance track or two, maybe even a cover. Guest artists? Several songs were started, with an overall outline in place.

The world had other plans. Covid hit. I put my energies into a backlog of home improvements. I'm joyful to be alive and create. I feel I'm positioned for several CDs in the years ahead with creative notes, what I hear in my head and feel, plus the software library to 'make it so'. I'm also building towards possible multimedia performances down the road.

The 4th release, "soundtracks" came out 10/19/21 . I've gone with the "Cinematic Music" umbrella as stylistically it ranges from orchestral work, improvisations, chill, to mid-tempo pieces. I feel the sense of musical evolution reveals itself.

"The creative box", as an art thesis adviser used the expression, is filling with abstract video for posting songs online, cover concepts, future songs. I cut two songs at the 11th hour from "soundtracks", and postponed two others; an ambient track plus a structured high energy piece. (The most horrid computer experiences amongst the 30 I've owned. In fact, topping all combined by a long shot.)

There's dance and pop tunes on the back burner, plus possible singers to work with. An awarded recording engineer invited me to record at a nearby studio. That's a great goal for Spring-Summer 2022; a mini-CD or EP. It may go under the guise of Experimental Products, or not. Time will tell.

Beyond that? Stay tuned for the ride. 2 physical synths to learn. A release every other year feels like a natural rhythm. Thanks for reading and listening.

Bill