Pete Weiss is "Mr. Clean" and plays mostly guitar, but dabbles on banjo, keyboards, and a little bass (his previous instrument of choice.) Sings when necessary. Favors soft-shell tacos.
Kevin Quinn is "Quinner" and plays a mean four string bass and sings when necessary. He also sometimes provides eerie "non-singing" vocal interludes. Also plays with Mercy James and Sool (with Pete). Still psyched about the meatball sub.
Ken Lafler is "Kenny" and plays the hard guitar parts as well as keyboards. Sings (like a bird) when necessary. Former and current member of the critically-acclaimed Baby Ray, Kenny joined the 'Nauts in the summer of 2000. Sharp cheese is his cup of tea.
George Hall is "Uncle Joe " and plays the other hard guitar parts. George joined the band in the summer of '04, and his not-so-secret weapon is his skill with effects; the man can coax just about any sound you can think of out of his "axe." He has recently been seen in the company of revisionist pop classicists Eddie Japan, and was a founding member of Seks Bomba and '80s indie-rockstars Dogzilla. Two words: chips, salsa. 'Nuff said.
Jeff Berlin is "Jazzbo" and keeps a rhythmic "beat" by striking things called "drums" and "cymbals." Jazzbo joined the Weisstronauts in mid 2004 and has co-written a handful of new songs. Also plays with Catie Curtis, Boris McCutcheon, and Bow Thayer. Guards his family's venison-marinade recipe with his life.
Nathan Logus is "Nate" and has been the Weisstronauts' "utility infielder" since June of 2001 playing bass guitar, on four 'Nauts tours AND filling in on drums--his native instrument--on many more occasions. The Great Nate has drummed for The Barnies, Willard Grant Conspiracy and Jules Verdone. He currently drums with Baby Ray and The Rudds (thoough we have received word of a recent switch to the bass guitar). Rumored to have a weakness for Corn Nuts.
Jeff Norcross is "The Man" and is part of the Weisstronauts' wacky, rotating crew of drum specialists. He's got an impressive resume that includes percussive stints with Paula Kelley, The Speed of Things, Don Lennon, Sool, Betty Goo and many more... Little-known fact: Jeff came up with the name of Verdant Studio. True!! Visit Jeff at "His-space" and learn about his strange obsession with guacamole.
Auxillary/erstwhile members of the Weisstronauts:
Doug Yule played bass with the Weisstronauts on the band's Fall 2006 tour and it is dearly hoped that he will contribute some fiddle and bass (not bass fiddle, that is) to the next Weisstronauts album. For the past decade or so, Doug's been honing his fiddle playing and making/repairing skills. From 1968 till 1972, Doug played bass, guitar, keyboards, drums, and sang with a group known as The Velvet Underground. Later, he played on two major label albums by American Flyer. Though he is generally not picky when it comes to food, Doug has been known to tire of Subway's fare.
Jim Gerdeman is Mercy James. He played bass on the Weisstronauts' Fall 2005 tour and has sat in several times for the ocassionally absent Quinner. He rocks in all things music-related and is one of the kindest, cleverest folks we know. Don't try to sneak any mayonnaise onto his sandwich. Seriously.
Peter Linnane is "Topaz" and plays guitar and accordion on the Weisstronauts CDs. He also co-wrote a handful of tunes. For geographical reasons, Topaz limits his Weisstronauts participation these days to the studio, songwriting, engineering, and moral support. Check out his exceedingly high quality music at the appropriately titled Linnanemusic.com, as well as his band The Farewells right herer on myspace. Totally digs stripped-down hamburgers.
Emily Jackson is Action Jackson and played drums and things of that nature from the Nauts' inception in late 1999 until early 2004. She also played with Pete in the Rock Band. Currently settling in to Indiana. Enjoys a dozen or so oysters, now and then.
Aaron Tap is "Aaron" and, up until his last official 'Nauts gig on August 28, 2004, played a smokin' guitar and sang when necessary. Erstwhile member of Betty Goo, Boy Wonder, and the Boy Joys (the world's finest Bee Gee's cover band), "Aaron" currently plays guitar and sings in Paula Kelley's excellent band that relocated to Los Angeles in late '04, as well as touring and recording with pop artiste Matt Nathanson. Once sighted eating stuffed grape leaves.
Malcolm Travis is "Excellent" and plays drums on a few Weisstronauts tunes that were recorded in his former place of residence, Nashville, Tennessee. Malcolm has a ridiculously impressive resume that includes Sugar, the Zulus, and Human Sexual Response. Currently a resident of Little Rhodie, Malcolm's been playing with Lucky 57, Streaker and other folks these days. Sign him up for the "real deal" barbecue.
Rich Gilbert is "Nifty" and plays on a couple of the "Nashville" Weisstronauts tunes as a guitar, Dobro, and pedal steel wrangler. Currently residing in Nashville. His resume includes the likes of: Coronet Premieres, the Zulus, Human Sexual Response, Steve Wynn, Tanya Donnelly, and Frank Black & the Catholics. He's got a nifty band these days called The Blackstone Valley Sinners. Perhaps the healthiest eater in the music industry.
We would like to interrupt this blurb to note that the opening track from the new Weisstronauts CD Instro-tainment! may now be heard on the above Myspace "Media Player Thingie." The CD can be purchased at www.weisstronauts.com or at the CD release party, April 25 at Church in Boston (on the Fenway). Ok, you may continue...
The Weisstronauts are a difficult-to-pigeonhole instrumental rock band based in Boston. Featuring three lead electric guitarists, the band weaves sometimes bizarre, yet accessible (and occasionally humorous) melodies and harmonies over a rhythm section that can turn from surf to spy to country to psychedelia on a dime. With three (now 4!) critically-acclaimed CD's to their credit, The Weisstronauts' music has been played often on NPR, college and commercial radio, as well as in several independent films. The band is fronted by well-known independent rock producer Pete Weiss, who recently opened Verdant Studio in southern Vermont.
Please contact us through our website; we sometimes have trouble getting messages through Myspace. Thanks.
For more info:
Pete WeissWeisstronautsVerdant Studio
"Modsavasana," otherwise known as "Ring Mod" music video. This studio-only track is featured on the upcoming album "Instro-tainment" and is played by a truly minimal Weisstronauts lineup... just Pete and Jeff Berlin.
"Cranky" recorded in an Allston basement in Nov 2006: Weisstronauts present include Pete, Kenny & George on guitars, Jeff Norcross on drums and Doug Yule on the bass guitar
Video for "You're In Control" by David Thomas of the band Pony, using some graphics provided by fellow Pony (and former Pete Weiss & the Rock Band) guitarist Stephen Fredette.
Video from the Weisstronauts album "Featuring Jaunty" on Stereorrific Recordings www.stereoriffic.com. Directed by Chris Bentley
Great time at Church last night! Fun, fantastic evening of great music and we were honored and humbled to be a part of it... & the 'Nauts turned in an awesome set!!!
HEy guys!! Hope ya had a good time at the ROdeo last night! I guess ya ain't making it our way but when you want to just give me a heads up. Miss ya. Al
Hullo Weisstronauts! Thanks for the add and the nice comments. Great tunes, especially "Thrifty". We'd love to do a show, but we're rarely ever all in America at the same time. Someday, though...
Marvelously felizitous & cheerful time at Toad last week. So glad I could make it and mangle fewer than half of the songs I played on. Thanks for allowing me to retain my honorable Weisstronaut mantle for one more year!
Thanks for including us in last night's holiday festivities. We had a great time and you guys sounded like sweet santa's elves (doing the busy work of spreading cheerful sounds). We really enjoyed Hot for Santa and you really drove your point home with the Santa prop.
Next year marks the 10 year anniversary of the release of the Oscillator's debut, "Let's Rock Instead!" and, for all intents and purposes, the 10 year anniversary of Stereorrific Recordings.
To celebrate, we've got a bunch of possible releases planned, but we'd love to get our fans and friends involved too. So, we're thinking about putting together a compilation of covers of songs by Stereorrific's core artists -- Miss Mary, Orange Nichole, Rectangle, the Oscillators, the Eddies, Jeff Mellin, the Weisstronauts, Sool, and Garrett Caples, performed by.. well, YOU... to get your take on what we've been up to all this time.
That is, if you're interested.
If you think you would like to be included, please write to us and let us know which song by which artist your band woud like to cover, with a link to your band's page. If the song is available, if we like your band, and if there's room, we'll get back to you with the details about schedule, etc., etc.
Your song helped made last week's "Rock Around Boston" show rock!
Listen to "Rock Around Boston" every Thursday nite 7pm-9pm with host Lexi Kahn (The Noise/Low Budget Superhero). It's all local Boston music. If you have an HD radio listen at HD 92.9-2 (WBOS-HD2). If you don't have an HD radio listen online at www.radioyouboston.com.
********************************************** Playlist August 9th: Rock Around Boston on RadioYou **********************************************
Superhoney - "Super Duper" Reverend Tor Band - "Brother Christopher (Live)" The Charms - "Bo
