GR Tech
GR Tech
Technical Services, Music, Art, & Info
It's been years folks, getting used to the change of venue. But I'm playing bass and making friends.
The reason for the image is twofold. First, it's funny and true. Second, our town has a tiny but exciting Fencing club, and I am gradually getting back into my old sport.
I'm still doing audio work too, where I can.
Stay tuned for developments. (10/26/23)
NEWS & GIGS
NEWS & GIGS
On this page I post events and news, like cool things that happened to me,
or playing gigs and performances I am involved in.
Please make sure to check the CALENDAR PAGE for additional details as I usually post the info there too.
See you at the show, my friends!
Where I've been lately...
Long time since last entry...it's August 2020, we moved away from LA a year ago, and we live in Wisconsin now. Of course we quarantine here...there's been n
I'm all healed up and I'm doing music on my oo live music wn here, working a little home studio I set up in our new digs, and I'm slowly putting together new music.
Here's a pic of the "studio" and me in it.
Updated January 1, 2017
How to sum up recent and not-so-recent events?
Briefly:
Major hip dislocations that led to major hip surgery,
finally got the Carpal Tunnel surgery taken care of too,
then I went back to college to obtain a degree.
It's kind of taken up a lot of my time. Played with an abortive
'bag-related thing that went nowhere much to my chagrin.
Then I joined this Pink Floyd tribute band for fun and money:
Recent Activity - playing with SOMOS MYSTERIOSOS
In the latter half of 2014, I agreed to be temporary bassist for a band called
SOMOS MYSTERIOSOS, a three-piece hard rock/punk band consisting of
a wonderful drummer/singer by the name of Duley Toledo, and his excellent
guitarist, Anthony Solis. Here's a link to the video of the first gig I did with them.
I only had a week to learn the set, so it's a little rough, but the audience dug it.
Since then I've done a couple of other shows with them, and might do more.
Also, here's a couple of flyers I made for them for the shows:
TAO JONES videos!
I was in this band called TAO JONES with two great musicians, Karl Holder (guitar) and Chuck Standish (drums and vocals)
...if I had to describe the music, I'd call it "Progressive Power Pop".
For the first time, the only videos of a gig we did are now posted to YOUTUBE, for your enjoyment!
PAPERBAG: Live at the Music Machine 1986
All the videos from this show are now uploaded to YOUTUBE. See them here:
recent gig, upcoming gig, and video
Hey, I just did a gig backing up Sylvia Juncosa, alongside M. Segal, at the Redwood in downtown L.A.
We have another gig this coming weekend at a place called "El Corita" in Pasadena.
Here's the flyer, art by M. Segal:
A video of us playing Hendrix' "Manic Depression" is here:
http://www.facebook.com/george.radai/posts/476241252398651?notif_t=share_wall_create
Return of the Son of the Bride of...PAPERBAG:!!
Yes, Folks, unbeknownst to most everyone on the planet, the improvisational music entity known as PAPERBAG is not dead, has not died, and in fact is alive and well and living on the Internet for the time being, gathering strength, mustering fans, and preparing for a re-emergence into physical meat-space.
To that end, I and the other three members of this, dare I say it, "Legendary" band are quietly working behind the scenes to blow your mind with NEW in the sense of NEVER-BEFORE-RELEASED old material. That's right, we've been tapping our extensive archive, just like we did to bring forth "AIRWAVE RITUALS", for yet more 'Bag stuff.
We recently were able to arrange the digitization of NINE 24-track reel-to-reel tapes into Pro Tools, yielding 4.5 hours of material, over 80 pieces of music that were improvised live at a studio called PERSPECTIVE, way back in 1986. Yes, that's NOT a typo; this stuff is really from that long ago, and even we had not heard it in over two decades.
What is most surprising is that this material sounds BADASS. It was from our most fruitfully creative period, and recorded in pristine conditions, and lovingly preserved all these years, and then finally painstakingly transferred to digital audio for posterity. Phew, am I glad of it, too!
To that end, we PB members have embarked on what we hope will be a new phase for the band. We think that recent interest in old SST bands, the new interest in so-called "jam bands" and the fact of our academic credibility as inventors of a viable, workable "THEORY OF IMPROVISATION" (yes, a real printed book about this is under construction already!) makes this a perfect time to reintroduce the masses to what we did and do.
Plus. technology has made this effort cheap and easy in a way it never was before--us broke-ass musicians can realize many of our fantastical dreams without laying out a penny these days! All Hail the Bit-Stream God!
3) PB will be SHARING select music choices from all our past releases on SOUNDCLOUD: http://soundcloud.com/paperbag-3 --as well as other music sharing sites to come
4) PB will publish a book on the THEORY mentioned above
5) PB will release a NEW CD of material culled from the PERSPECTIVE SESSIONS mentioned above, hopefully by Christmas 2012
6) PB will re-release a remixed/remastered CD release of "VICTIMLESS CRIME"--the legendary recording that got SST to sign us, in 2013
7) PB will re-release remixed/remastered versions of all FOUR of our albums over the next couple of years.
8) PB will be putting LIVE VIDEO of classic performances on our own YOUTUBE channel, coming this summer 2012.
9) PB will be posting M. Segal's amazing art-work in a new gallery collection for the first time ever.
10) PB will be COMING for your MIND, and we are HUNGRY!!!
NEW LEVELER LIVE VIDEO on YOU TUBE!
NEW LEVELER LIVE VIDEO on YOU TUBE!
From the Brixton's gig in March 2011, here's LEVELER doing Led Zeppelin's "Four Sticks"...
LeVeLeR gig @ Brixton's
It was a great gig, thanks go to those who made it possible, and kudos to SoCal StrgPlyr for the great photo of me!
Mellow-Trons gig @ Universal Bar & Grill
SIngularity is GRAMMY nominated!
The Robbie Krieger album. SINGULARITY, that I engineered a tune on, is now in the top ten Grammy nominees for "Best Pop Instrumental Album" of the year. I AM SO STOKED!!
NoTreble featured Bassist spotlight
THAT was easy--sent them my info, and now I am featured on the website's 'spotlight' page! Check it out here: http://www.notreble.com/buzz/2010/07/06/player-spotlight-george-radai/
Robbie Krieger solo album "SINGULARITY"
I had the pleasure and honor of working with Robbie Krieger (of "The Doors") on the piece entitled "Event Horizon" from his upcoming solo album entitled "Singularity" which will be released June 29th, 2010 on Oglio Records. The album cover is pictured here, and you can see the title info here: http://www.oglio.com/webs/pages/artists/RobbyKrieger.shtml
I hope this likely magnificent record does really well, as Robbie is an incredible guitarist and artist, and a legend of Rock--and maybe some of that fame'll rub off on yours truly!
NEW REVIEW of "SINGULARITY" here: http://www.classicrockrevisited.com/reviewrobbykriegersingle.htm - reviewer says "buy it!"
Here's a video clip that Brandino made (he's the one talking) with his new Flip device of me doing a recent edit of the song at his studio, it's kind of funny.
I'm now a Certified Pro Tools HD Operator
As of today, March 23rd 2010, I completed and passed my Digidesign 210M (for Music) exam
to get my Pro Tools HD 8 Operator Certification.
New Woody Moran songs I played on released!
A great songwriter, singer/guitarist and friend of mine, Woody Moran, has just released his newest record,
called "A BRAND NEW SITUTATION" and it's a great album.
Very soulful, very captivating and catchy music, with a bit of Springsteen and A bit of Steely Dan influence.
I also had the pleasure of contributing bass parts to two of the songs, "Walking on a Saturday Night" and "Sombrero Fallout."
You can download and hear them here: http://www.woodymoran.com/songs
I strongly suggest you buy the album and support this great Artist!
Three new Pro Tools Certifications recieved
After much work and study I have passed the first three levels of Digidesign Pro Tools Certification, levels 101, 110, and 201.
When I pass the 210m and 210p I will be a Certified Operator for music and post-production!
Ray Bailey CD reviewed in Southland Blues Magazine
Check out the january issue still at newstands. There's a review of the album "Resurrection" that I worked on for Ray Bailey.
Video: GR with LEVELER at Brixton's in Redondo Beach
This video clip, shot from a perspective over our drummer's head (nice do, Dean, btw...)
shows me playing with the great band LEVELER playing a tune called "Before the Silence is Golden"
at Brixton's club in Redondo Beach, where we had the chance to open for the
They were awesome, but IMHO, we were awesome-er. FYI, the lineup is Vince Martinez - guitar & vocal,
Dean McCall - drums, Matt Brown - keyboard & vocal, and GR on bass guitar.
Video Clip: GR & "LEVELER" at Brixton's playing "Revolver"
Here's another clip of LEVELER at Brixton's, this time playing a tune called
"Revolver" featuring Matt Brown on vocals. The tune is missing some of the ending, and it
has a strange slapback echo on the drums that make it sound a bit squirrely, but it is shot from the
front of the stage and we all look darn good in it, I must say.
New Mixing Credit: Ray Bailey's "Resurrection"
I just got a copy of an album that I recently helped mix and edit for Brandon Enterprises.
It is the triumphant live effort heralding the return to the blues scene of the great Ray Bailey, who is an amazing vocalist and guitarist.
This recording was done over a set of four evenings at the famous south Los Angeles blues club called "Babe & Ricky's Inn" & mixed by a team of producers, including yours truly.
It is titled "Resurrection" and features smokin' soulful blues--it's truly a great record.
Check it out here: http://raybaileyblues.com/
Checkout the NEW GR TUNES page!
I have finally gotten a page together that provides
a retrospective of some of my musical work as a
side-man bassist and solo composer.
I hope you check it out and enjoy what you hear there.
VISIT GR TUNES PAGE- CLICK HERE!
Shut Up Marie on YouTube
Someone filmed a short clip of us performing on April 24th 2009 in Placentia, CA at the Clubhouse Grille.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7InKZ5gwpI
Also, Steve Braverman posted video of SUM playing at the Vault 350 in Long Beach a few years ago:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCoNMYEKkIU
--this clip has a medley of short bits from several rockin' SUM tunes.
Band to Band - cool website!
There's a website out there called BAND-TO-BAND that chronicles the "family tree" of members of bands
as they move from membership in one band to another.
It's a noble project and very interesting, and completely worthy of support.
I am on there along with my traceable discography- http://bandtoband.com/index.php?Page=Search&ArtistId=33192 - Check it out!
Gigs for February thru April 2009
I'm playing shows with the
again, up in the Oxnard/Ventura area.
This is a kick-ass Blues/Funk/R&B trio that is always entertaining
Here's where and when:
I'll be at the Shores 9pm -1 am on
Friday & Saturday February 27th & 28th
Friday & Saturday March 20th & 21st
I'll be at the Wine Lover's bar 9pm -1 am on
Saturday February 14th
I'll be at OLearys Pub 9pm - 1am on
Friday February 20th
Friday March 13th
Friday April 10th
what's been & what'll be soon...
It's almost 2009, there's gonna be a new Prez, and some cool events are afoot:
* The song I mixed for Robbie Krieger, tentatively titled "Leyenda" is done and in the can and will be featured on RK's next solo album, with a credit to me! I'm STOKED about it, mostly because not only is it a great piece of music, but it may be some of my best mix work to date. Infinite thanks to Brandino for the opportunity to work with a legend. As soon as this becomes available I will try to link to it.
* I've completed the gigs with the Ray Jay Band for this year, and they have asked me if I would continue with them next year, and even take on Friday night gigs...since Yours Truly needs $$ like everyone else, this possibility is strong. The band continues to wow audiences and this can only make us an even tighter unit.
* Don Medina, the excellent drummer for the Ray Jay Band, asked me if I would be interested in joining him, backing the future return engagements of former SST recording artist Sylvia Juncosa., which may occur in the spring and summer of '09. I said tentatively that I would do so, although filling the bass role of the departed but not forgotten Tom Shannon will not be easy. We'll see how this idea progresses, so stay tuned.
* I have ordered a new axe, from the maker of ERGO instruments, and this will be my first electric upright bass, or EUB for short. It should arrive by end of January and I can hardly wait--I haven't owned a bow-able instrument for a very long time and it will be very cool to play with such a mode of expressiveness again It wll also have EIGHT strings (!)--Heres a pic of what it might look like:
* Avid, the parent company of the one I work for, does a Holiday CD every year with submissions from employees, and only for internal release to employees--you can'r buy this disk commercially, sorry. This year's disk is entitled "december gurls." and it is testament to the amazing range of talented people I am privileged to work with on a daily basis. Anyway, I also submitted a piece for it, called "Carol of the (Bass) Bells," based on a popular holiday piece, but done with all bass guitars...the CD's cuts have also been posted (don't know for how long) online so you can hear my piece along with the other ones. It's pretty cool, if I do say so myself, and I invite you all to check it out here: http://www.doubtfulpalace.com/hcd2008/
* I also had an excellent opportunity to work with a great band you all should check out, called HAIVYN, I was called by David P., the lead guitarist of the band, and asked to re-master their recently finished album of songs. They had had another guy do the mastering already but didn't like the results. I knew of Haivyn because I had been a co-worker at MAGIX with a lady named Denise Starbird, who is the lead singer of the band. She is very talented (and dare I say, hot!) and I really liked the music and the approach, so I agreed to do the job for them. Turns out they were very happy with my work, and after hearing the pressed CD, I was too. There's a review online here: http://www.bigsmilemagazine.com/albumreviews.aspx#207
Here's the cover art:
Their fine album is available through their myspace page (http://www.myspace.com/haivyn101) or from
NEW PAPERBAG RELEASE of AIRWAVE RITUALS available NOW!
I am very proud to announce that
PAPERBAG
HAS RELEASED it's first new album in 18 years!!!
AIRWAVE RITUALS
has been digitally remixed and remastered from the original tracks
recorded as PAPERBAG's "by-proxy radio tour".
These tracks have never been made available to the general public,
but now you can get your very own copy.
Since I did the majority of the engineering on this release (with Kenny Ryman's invaluable help)
I feel qualified to say that IT IS THE BEST SOUNDING ALBUM WE HAVE EVER DONE,
mostly because our tools have improved tremendously, and we've had the luxury of taking all the time
we felt necessary to get this release right! We think you'll enjoy it a lot, and we're very excited to be able to get it out to our fans after all these years.
Thanks to Greg Segal for hosting the sales part of the album project on his excellent Phantom Airship site.
JERRY KRANITZ of AURAL INNOVATIONS online 'zine
JERRY KRANITZ of AURAL INNOVATIONS online 'zine
has done the first official REVIEW of AIRWAVE RITUALS
has done the first official REVIEW of AIRWAVE RITUALS
CHECK IT OUT!!!
CHECK IT OUT!!!
Meet Robbie!
I recently had a chance to work with Robbie Krieger (of the Doors) through my association with my colleague Brandino. Brandino and Mr. Krieger were collaborating on a composition ( I hope to post a link to it here soon) and I was asked to record some of the duet material at Brandino's home. I was very pleased to make the legendary Mr. Krieger's acquaintance and record him playing some wonderful flamenco-style guitar. He's very nice and not at all the "rock star" one might have expected. I hope to work with him again sometime.
Here's a picture of Mr Robbie Kreiger and yours truly:
Another Richie Haas Tribute Show
Saturday evening May 3rd at TAIX (http://www.taixfrench.com/) which is a great French restaurant that hosts the 321 lounge. I'm appearing with FREEHEAD and BAG:THEORY again, so come on down.
TAIX is at 1911 north Sunset Blvd, close to Glendale Ave.
Friends of Richie Haas Memorial Show
A few weeks ago, Los Angeles lost one of it's finest local musicians, and one of its nicest people. Richie Haas, multi-instrumentalist and composer, was always a fixture on the music scene. He played bass, drums, vibraphone, and for all I know every other instrument, and had a fine and droll wit to go along with his prodigious musicality. I will miss his gentle and unassuming smile, and his creativitiy, and the support he always showed me and the bands I played with. He was a true gentleman and one could do far worse than emulate the example of his life.
There has been a memorial benefit organized in his honor, and here is the information for that event. I will be appearing with both Bag:Theory in a rare appearance, and I will be attempting to do justice to playing Richie's bass parts, subbing in his band FreeHead,
Celebrating the life and music of Richie Hass
FRIENDS OF RICHIE II
FRIENDS OF RICHIE II
A BENEFIT CONCERT
A BENEFIT CONCERT
Proceeds will be contributed to the International Myeloma Foundation
SUNDAY, APRIL 27TH
SUNDAY, APRIL 27TH
@ THE ECHOPLEX
@ THE ECHOPLEX
1154 Glendale Blvd. Echo Park, CA.
1154 Glendale Blvd. Echo Park, CA.
From 4:30pm to 11:00pm, in order of appearance
(in Club terms, which differs from reality)
The Probe
The Probe
ChromoSphere with Marc Mylar
Poets Jack Brewer, S.A. Griffin and
THE LOFTY CANAANITES
Bag: Theory
Bag: Theory
With fellow improvisers Tony Fate & Vince Martinez
DOS with Mike Watt and Kira Roessler
SACCHARINE TRUST
SACCHARINE TRUST
THE AMADANS
THE AMADANS
FREEHEAD
FREEHEAD
Jim Smith, M. Segal, George Radai
Nels Cline
Nels Cline