Dave's Bands
My Life in the Sea of Bands
The Panthers (1966) -The first garage band, with homemade mock instruments used to mime to records by the Beatles, Dave Clark Five, et al. Our one public performance was my sister's birthday party, June 22, 1966. Some of us got real instruments the following Christmas and in 1967 formed the Three Cornered Square, later renamed Daddy Long-Legs and the Spiders.
Wheels (1974-75) - A college-credit country rock group that included Bob Kozak (later of the Jumpers) on bass, and singer-songwriter Kathy Moriarty, along with drummer Dave Zwink, and Tom Kaminski on electric piano. A video-tape exists of us performing some of our Gram Parsons-influenced repertoire.
Davy & the Crocketts (1978-80) - Born in the new wave era when it finally became possible for bands that weren't super professional and didn't play only popular covers to get gigs in bars. I started with Geoff Copp on guitar and Russ Steinberg (who I'd met when he auditioned for Kathy Moriarty's band) on bass. Dimitri Popodopolus from the Secrets and the Good played drums for a few weeks but was over-extended so I called Dave Zwink and he played with us for the 2 years the band lasted. We recorded a single (at Tom Calandra's studio; released on his BCMK label), "Turn Your Back" b/w "Long Time No See," and had about a dozen original songs. Otherwise our live sets were heavy on Carl Perkins and Eddie Cochran songs with a few contemporary covers (Elvis Costello, etc.) thrown in. Click here for a more extensive history of the band.
Crocodile Tears (1980-81) - With Kathy Moriarty (bass) and Reid Brown (drums).
The Cobras (1980-81) - Conrad Keys, Manny Guavera, and Paul Ipolito had played for several months without a bass player. After auditioning several guys who actually could play bass they welcomed me into the group after one rehearsal (and about a week of practicing with an electric bass). We played quite a few shows at the Schuper House, McVan's and even in Toronto. We also recorded some 15 or so songs at BCMK with "One Way Street" included on the "4 Now from Buffalo" EP.
The Beatmongers (1985-87) - With Kathy Moriarty on bass again and George Olmsted on drums. We eventually added Sue Kincaid (later of The Need) on vocals. Recorded a few songs at BCMK.
The Heartbeats (1987-88) - Formed (with George Olmsted and Chuck Marmo) as a Halloween show version of Buddy Holly & the Crickets (glasses, jackets and ties, and all). We kept getting asked to play at various parties for the next 8 months.
Nimrod Wildfire & the Varmints (1987-88) - An alter-ego for me and an ever-changing group of musicians that included a dozen different people and eventually became...
Dry Bones (1988-92) - George Olmsted, Jim Fish (bass), and Charlie Quill (guitar). This band actually stayed together long enough to get really good. We recorded an album at BCMK ("Ghost Version") and played regularly at Nietzsche's and other places. Dry Bones also contributed a cover of "You Kiss me" for a Bobby Fuller Four tribute disc released by a collector in Eugene, Oregon.
The French Ticklers (1990-93) - Accordionist Cathy Carfagna invited me to join this popular local Cajun-Zydeco band in 1990 and I played a lot of fun shows with them and recorded a groovy 3-song tape.
Nimrod Wildfire & the Sagebrush Lotharios (1992-98) - Another flexible act that included a core group of Kevin O'Brien on bass, Tom Fenton on guitar, and John Brady III on drums. All sorts of other people played at various times (most importantly Cathy Carfagna on accordion and Dennis Mike on pedal steel) with the band featuring anything from me solo to a seven-piece group. Recorded two albums worth of material, and took a trip to Texas to play the Kerrville Folk Festival.
The Outlyers (1998-??)
Other (mostly single-show) bands: Bandito Band, Lovesick Band (aka Cheap Dates), Fire City Band (country covers for a summer), The Hydrocats, Eric Warren & the High Pressure System (backing a local TV weatherman with Tom Calandra), Abbey Rodents, Crawfish Messiah, Gator Bait. Also played with Bernie Kugel's bands The Good and Mystic Eyes for short periods, and played bass with Russell Steinberg's surf instrumental group The Soul Surfers.
The Three Cornered
Square -
Carl Schultz, Doug Root, Dave Meinzer, Summer
1967