Bill's Living History in Music

In the Spring of 1976 I did some gigs in the Philadelphia area with "Sun Hotel" and made preparations to hook up with some other Berklee alumni in Minnesota. From May to August 1976 I worked with Bill Gaskill,Peter Murray,and Dave Jensen, superb musicians in the Twin cities area.In Mid-August,I got the call from Larry Baeder,guitarist and friend from Kansas City MO.He was finishing the summer with Diane Ray's"Mixed Emotion" Show Band,Featuring Laurens Johanus Van Loon(Larry),of Amsterdam,Netherlands on vocals(what a voice!) and keyboards,Kevin Dey on guitar/vox and Mike Dinwiddie on bass with Diane Ray singing and playing congas up front.We were touring hotels throughout the Mid-section of the USA. They hired me so I took the Greyhound to KC from Minneapolis and began the tour,replacing Calvin Van Zant on drums. We did the Hotels from Kansas to New Mexico ,Ohio ,Illinois,Missouri,Wisconsin,and to Sioux City Iowa, where we picked up John Bartle on guitar.John had previously worked with Joe Walsh and Tommy Bolin.We toured till April 1977 when we wound up in Orlando,Florida.

The band that became "Legal Tender" started at The International Host Hotel. The Backers from Montreal(Thank You Louise and and Carol!) were vacationing at this place.Justin (manager) put the deal together and the new band started in May 1977 in Montreal,Quebec,Canada.Got the New Tama Imperial Star drums in May and In June the first demo cuts were made for CBS Records executive Eric Holtze. The band was John Bartle guitars and Vocals,Barry Cardinael on Keys and vocals,Rhett Tyler on Guitars,Michael Holden on Bass and BG on drums.Holtze and Bartle went on to produce Jan Park's "Stranger" LP in 1978(Jan was alot like Pat Benatar just a little earlier.)

Next band was "Prophecy" in Des Moines,Iowa.We did alot of R&B dance stuff with a mix of Jazz in the covers as well as a large selection of originals.Got to do some commercial studio work(Triad Media Center, 1910 Ingersol) in the first half of 1978 there as well.In August went back to Philly and hooked up with a Johnstown,Pa band called "Folies Bizarre" founded by Craig Carrico(guitar) and David Stuver(Vocals),as well as Chuck Lohr(bass) and Phil Castiglione(Guitar&vocals)& BG.The 20 months of touring and recording yielded alot of great music(mostly unrecorded,unfortunately,"Visual Rock and Roll" is the term coined by East Coast Agent Fred Baker of Apollo Artist Mnagement) some 2 hours worth of originals."Folies" opened for "Steppenwolf " and "Mitch Ryder" ,"The Rockets"(Turn Up The Radio!)while touring in the US and Canada. The few existing tracks were done in the Springfield Sound studios in Springfield,Ontario ,Canada.The producer was Brian Ferryman,Engineered by Irelands Declan O'Doherty(E.L.P. "Works" and McCartney and Wings "Venus and Mars" )to his credit.The band was managed into oblivion by Ron Geddish "Star Artist Management" Detroit,Mi.

1980 June Detroit Mi. played gigs with "Donnie Odd" band(a cross between Iggy Pop and The Clash)Featuring Don (odd)Dolansky and Howard Glaser on guitars in the Punk rock Scene. Same Summer moved out to Ypsilati area and Taught at "My Friends Music Co" with Owner Billy Dean Robbins.Recorded "No Invitation" and "Homebody" regional single (Solid Sound Studios)with Ann Arbor,MI native Jim King.Recorded with Phil Spradlin and Randy Brown at Solid Sound as well.Did alot of rock and roll gigs with "Billy" Band with Billy Dean Robbins and Jim Morris,Al"Cowboy"Halbriter as well as country with Nashville "Super Pickers" Buckey Barrett,(Roy Orbison's guitarist)Jack Mollette, Guitarist and music director for Barbara Mandrell.

1981 January recorded "Meltdown"Singles "Baby" and Shot in the Dark" which got airplay on WABX Detroit radio.Meltdown featured Gene Gibson and Dave Thorpe,very prolific writers and live performers in this high energy power Trio.In the same month recorded in Naples NY with "Justin Case" band with Richard Easterling,Nathaniel Peterson,Don Davis,and Bob Raymond.Continued freelance rock and roll and country dates in Canada and SE MI.throughout the 1981-1988 years.Recorded and performed with Randy Brown in Ann Arbor Mi. Second Meltdown session with several live appearances. The 1983 appearances with "The Fabulous Checkers","Johnny Lawrence Trio" and The "Michael Katon Band" on TV in Detroit made for a busy year with lots of live dates with both bands.Johnny Lawrence (Jazz Master guitarist) and Lamont Johnson(Jazz fusion monster bassist from "Brainstorm" band) started the Sunday jazz nights at T.C.'s Speakeasy (Ypsilanti,MI) with Trio "US" organised by BG in 1983.The jazz night featured several guest musicians;Louis Johnson,Kerry Campbell,Louis Johnson and lots of fun jams.My friend Billy Dean Robbins took me up to the "Swamp"(huge recording/rehearsal hall) near Fenton, MI one fall day in 1984 where I got to play with the Mark Farner Band,(or "Grand Funk" third version )in a great musical experience.I had previously met Mark Farner in 1980 at Ypsilanti Michigan's "My Friends Music Co."(owned by Billy Robbins),as well as at the 1983 Summer NAMM show at McCormack Place (where we partied with Stephen Tyler and Paul Dean(Loverboy guitarist)in Chicago.Recorded and performed with Michael Katon on "Proud to Be Loud"record and Tour in 1987 and 1988. The band included Ed Phelps and Gary Rasmussen in the live shows.Finished Live dates and recording in Michigan in 1988 with "Free Wind" and the prolific composer/guitarist George"Hunter" Brucks.

East Coast in 1989, started with a 2 month hotel tour with the "Larry Lawrence"Band.In the spring started to work with the NJ-based "Productions Unlimited" company,drumming with bands "Bittersweet","Dreams",as well as arranging/assistant conductor with the "Paul Vesco Orchestra",a very busy 12-20pc big band for the Atlantic City Trump properties.

Played dates with Sal Masi in the Philly area and began teaching at Caruso Music(Brookhaven,Pa) and then in 1990-1999 at Lynne Music in Springfield,Pa.Played percussion and drum set with "Reggae Ole'"and "Eastern Standard Band" in the Summer of 1990.1991 was the year with Tony Marco's "Fire and Ice" ,a very versatile classic Rock and oldies band in the Philly area and the South Jersey Shore.Played with "Time Machine", "Dr. Rhythm and The Rocketeers",as well as "Tama Leo's Hawaiian review" in Wildwood,NJ for a time in 1992.Toured with "Bill Haley's Comets" with Al Rappa The "Walkin' Bass man" from the 50's version of the band and still carrying on in 2002!!!

1992/1993 played live with Ron Kayfield and his brother Craig in "Flametops". Married Marion Loftus 4-16-03....November 3, 1993 William T.Gardiner Jr born.Played with "TR and Co" in the fall 1993 untill spring of 1994.Recorded "Lima Blues" sessions with BLJ band through the year,then played for some months in 1994/1995 with "The Core" with Todd & Susan Vickers,Joe Pope,Dave Duff and Tom Urich,a very good rock band.

1996 worked with KGB band with Ron Kayfield.Alot of fill ins with Dave Gaudiano's "Topic" band as well as "Eastern Standard Band" in Early 1997. Produced,arranged, and drummed on the CD "Mattiocco" with George Loving,Keith Giosa,and Joe Mattiocco at Signal Sound Studios in Quakertown,Pa.in the Summer of 1997. Started to play Blues with Pat Burke,Georgie"The Blacksmith"Bonds,Curt Hansen,and Mickey Angel at The Lagoon Jam session. The Lagoon gig ran from August 1997 till March 1999 . It was a great opportunity to meet and play with many players,like Johhny DeFrancesco,Paul Kleinfelter,George Loving,Radu Radriamamangi,Rob"Kid"Perna,Jeffry Washington,Bogg Dorsey,Joe Mattiocco,Greg Sissul,Johnny"O",Ray Aungst,Ron Kayfield,Bill Roseman(in from Belgium)and of course Randy Lippincott.

Late 1999 started Playing more with Randy and doing the Trum Tavern jam in Trumbauresville Pa. where I met Barry Meehan and Teddy Young("Young Gun Blues Band")on a Jam night where we were invited back to play a Saturday night gig as a "Power Trio".

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008