Hung Dynasty now comprises Chris, Todd, Matt and myself. But some other rather excellent people have contributed to our cause to rock the hell out of a small slice of Arizona. Here’s a little bit about each of them:
Phung the Drum Ninja
Our original drummer. He joined us from a Craigslist ad (see, all you crazy
Live at the Marquee Theater
people hating on Craigslist? Good things come from it, too!). He was really more of a classic rock guy, but he still enjoyed his time with us. And he had a terrific time playing some high-profile gigs.
He left us to go to medical school, and he continues his martial arts studies at the top-secret Center for the Ninja Arts and Sciences. Whoops. I shouldn’t have said that - I don’t hear any ninjas sneaking up on me for spilling the beans, and that’s what worries me.
Stacebass Rockin’ the Place
Live at the Marquee (Photo by Jeremy Cook)
I mentioned Stace (as we usually call her) in a previous post. She’s a longtime friend of Todd and me, and a super-capable musician. Though she’s more of a showtunes/Belle and Sebastian sort, she still joined us in our hour of need - and wound up having some terrific times with us.
The gay pool party, the Naughty Schoolgirl Night, being hammered drunk at her final show while singing a cover of The Donnas’ “Take it Off” - none of this would’ve been the same without her. Not only was she fun, but she had awesome music theory knowledge and some cool music ideas. And she’s funny and sarcastic.
“My friend, Lurch, likes your sexy music”
Laura succeeded Stace on the bass. She has an awesome voice, and always showed up to gigs ready to play. She also has an excellent metal glare, and is well-known for an extensive repertoire of amused/horrified/grossed-out facial expressions.
Laura practices the metal glare.
I think her funniest moment was at Sundance’s Place, a great venue in Prescott. A woman in the audience slipped a note onto the stage; naturally, we had to see what it was … and yes, it was “My friend, Lurch, likes your sexy music.” We never did find out who Lurch was, but we never get tired of laughing about this.
Stash, the Visiting BhD
Stash, the lead singer and lead guitarist of Dorks in Space, is also a terrific bassist. His Rickenbacker bass and Ampeg stack absolutely rumble. He may “only” have a master’s degree in electrical engineering, but he has a Doctorate of the Bass, no doubt! He has joined us on several occasions, and he rocked our tunes and rocked them well. The man is also enthusiasm personified.
Stash (far left) gets into the tunes at The Rogue Bar. (Photo by Coinneach Fitzpatrick)
He’s now a new father, and spending most of his free time building his own guitar and bass amps. His first effort nails that Bon Scott-era AC/DC tone. Is there anything this guy can’t do?
