A Brief History Of The Airmen, Airman Alone and Related Projects
NOTE: Not all that you see here is actually true - to assist the viewer:
Gross exaggerations, hyperbole, outright lies and fabrications are in italics.
I was born in the closing weeks of the 1950's into a loving family that would become synonymous with highly successful artistic & creative pursuits.
Wrote my 1st short piano piece ("The First Irish Concerto" - now lost) in 7th grade. Ambitious, but the notation was almost certainly full of errors.
Started my 1st rock band in 8th grade - also got my 1st guitar - dad thought I had gone crazy, but the chicks really started to dig me from then on.
Aspiring composer as I completed high school - inspired by the example of Frank Zappa to pursue both rock and modern classical music at the same time.
Studied music at Stony Brook University - but left after 3 semesters to pursue rock, gigging all the time, and gaining a large and devoted following.
Expose, a new wave cover band, was so popular on Long Island we had to constantly turn down gigs & disappoint just gaggles of girls - it was insane!
Expose took a 6 month break to become an all original band, played one gig in that format, and then broke-up. I vowed to never do cover again.
The Airmen project was conceived in high school - a few years later I wrote an entire sci-fi rock opera for it. I now decided to pursue this for real.
Starting as a solo act, Airman Alone, I began the eighties writing & recording in earnest, including most of my rock opera "Requiem For The New Age".
Early promo shots - This head shot & the previous full length shot were done by Carlo Buscemi, featuring cool 'New Wave' duds I had bought in London.
Airman Alone becomes The Airmen with the addition of two new musicians. From that point on bassist Bob Pollio and I became the core of the band.
Spend some time living on a houseboat in Kashmir - weeks later I have a major spiritual experience at the Taj Mahal and start to levitate!
Back in the US, we record homemade demos with 2 songs on each (duped by my old friend Paul Pesco, who does us a solid) which help get us tons of gigs!
Meet Wendy Carlos in Africa, on a solar eclipse expedition - she loves the demos, and encourages me to 'keep the wailing guitar parts up front!'
Legendarium: /lɛdʒ.(ə)nˈdɑ.ɹɪ.əm/ - "A literary collection of legends"
Just a quick reminder - everything in italics is NOT ACTUALLY REAL....
(now please continue scrolling....)
Morocco Trippin' - took a short break from The Airmen to tour Morocco with Danish synthpop sensations Psykedeliske Solstråler (Psychedelic Sunrays).
Soon after alto sax player Jeff Schiller joins The Airmen, adding a fresh new sound. Jazz aficionados across the country start to take serious note...
The Airmen record new demo - lead song "Total World Liberation" , with its 'aliens-as-saviours' theme, goes into regular rotation at UFO conventions.
Our logo, the universal symbol of Trans-Galactic Bipedal Hominids, was unearthed in a Sumerian archeological dig, its origins shrouded in mystery.
Last line-up of The Airmen - with Bob Pollio and drummer Steve Berman, from a photoshoot at Alley Pond Park in Queens, New York.
Solo Again: The return of the son of The Airmen: Airman Alone
The Airmen's Last Gig - Performing the song "Mother India" at a private party.
Airman Alone Returns - Futuristic Nostalgia Promo - Shot in the decaying ruins of the New York State Pavilion at Flushing Meadows World's Fair site.
Be The Future promo - no, that is NOT a nuclear explosion being projected on me, it is a coral reef (see the little fishy?) Cool 'doomy' look though!
TGBH Logo - as a result of a super-stealthy marketing campaign, this image started to pop up all over the world, generating big interest in the act!
Airman Alone Well of Dreams Demo - 3 songs with my old friend David Klein guesting on drums. All of the mid-90's promos were designed to support this.
August 7th 1997, Garth Brooks plays the largest concert ever held in Central Park, while I was doing my solo act downtown - guess who got more people.
"We're sorry, all circuits are busy now......."
Bio - As the millenium hurtled towards a close, the lifelong project appeared to be poised for tremendous success - or perhaps obscurity....
Past Life Crisis CD - intended to be a document of millennial change, it was never quite finished as 'normal life' began to creep up on me...
Headshots - by my friend Jeff Ashton, just prior to the end of the millenium, who asked me to "try and channel Patrick McGoohan" for top right image.
".....please hang up and try again.....in about 20 years"
POP/NONPOP CD - Ranging from rock to modern classical, this CD gets eked out just prior to the 'reality hammer' hitting home. It sells like hotcakes!
It's all too much - House, spouse, kids, cars and new college degree, all conspire to rearrange me. But still, I am so happy. No italics here, baby!
20 Years after POP/NONPOP - Kids all growed up, semi-retired, I meet this guy Derrick, embrace my role as the OBaWhiSuG, and the project starts again!