adrian hartley
i was kicked out of performing arts school in the 9th grade *****FLASH***** i moved to nyc after college bc i wanted to see what the fuss was all about and landed a gig singing backups for bayou-funk-rock-piano based-singer-songwriter josh dodes (the josh dodes band, or simply the JDB for all you real fans, or those who can't pronounce "dodes"... (rhymes with "otis")). i sang with josh for 6 years. we went on a few u.s. tours in a van our manager bought from a christian youth group. we had to use the seat belt from the middle seat to hold the side door shut and a conga drum to hold up the front seat. we slept on fans' floors, froze our asses off with the windows down trying to stay awake for the drive to the next town. we played a 3 hour gig for literally 2 people in virginia beach. when they left we kept playing. home base was the Bitter End, but we played all over the city including the Mercury Lounge, Bowery Ballroom and Irving Plaza. we were sharing stages with maceo parker, the b52s, pat benetar, avril lavigne, hello!, duncan sheik. THEN we did a reality show on VH1 (“bands on the run” for all you freaks who think you can dig up good dirt on any of the JDB…..you can’t. it tanked that badly).
still, somewhere during those years, i found myself doing laundry in my bathtub and decided i needed a day job. i recorded an album with josh ("freak") but the momentum began to die down and eventually the band broke up, as i settled into the 9-5 life. then i killed myself. JUST KIDDING! read on, dope.
i started moving away from music, bought a motorcycle and rode it out into the desert for 3 months. then i went back to work. then i got a call to sing backups for electro-clash, performance art extravaganza, fischerspooner. capitol records? i quit my day job. we did a residency in ibiza for 3 months and toured europe. we slept in hotels. we had cheese plates and jack daniels. musician heroes i couldn't imagine opening up for came to see US play...well, they came for casey but whatever. eventually fischerspooner decided to scale down their touring band (i was replaced with my own vocal trax.. kinda cool, in a fischerspooner kinda way).
i had been twiddling my thumbs thinking about doing jingles and looking for that perfect bipolar sound... somewhere between the mars volta, clutch and jeff buckley (suggestions are still welcome) when i landed a gig with blue man group's rock tour-- to understudy tracy bonham. it was a long shot but they gave it to me and they gave dude a beeper... wow got off track a bit there.
being on call was nice, but even NICER was being invited to assume tracy's role on the 2nd leg of the tour in feb '07. the 3rd leg took us to south america and mexico. the 5th leg is underway, as i write to you from fresno, and we go to paris and other french cities in may. who knows what will follow!