Welcome back one and all to America’s Number One TV-Time Rerun: Star Search Revisited! Last week had our musical group champs “Four Starring!” the little girl group “Girl Tyme” (there should be child labor laws!), the precursor to Destiny’s Child and the superstar juggernaut known as “Beyonce!”
This week in Episode Six of Star Search Revisited the world is up for grabs. If our heroes make it past this round they will be guaranteed a spot in the elusive “Star Search Semi-Finals!” The boys pull out another original song in pursuit of win number five recorded and arranged specifically for the show’s two minute performance time frame, called “Freedom On Your Mind,” as they go head-to-head with a very well attired band of cool guys called: Big Bang Rodeo!
Tune in to find out if they made it to the semi-finals and if they get there chance to meet the man himself: Ed McMahon! This one’s a nail biter!
During our first trip down to the set of Ed McMahon’s Star Search the producers of Star Search were kind enough to arrange a special gig for us at Walt Disney World’s West End Theatre in Paradise Island. We performed two sets that night.
The cool thing, and I do mean “cool” was the fact we were privy to experience how the entertainers and workers at Disney World got from one place to another without disturbing the visitors. There is a labyrinth of underground walkways and service areas that span the enormous scope of the parks’ property. Our dressing room underneath the West End stage was literally a meat locker! It was very air-conditioned!
What made matters worse for the singer in the band was that fact he spent his entire morning and afternoon off that day with his favorite drummer in all the world at the pool getting third degree burns! Needless to say the combination of refrigeration, tight jeans and sun blisters the size of half-dollars on my thighs made for a painful performance. More so on me, I hope, than the audience!
Skeleton Crew® would like to thank Greg’s lovely wife Janine Tyler for taking the video footage of this performance at the West End Theatre, Pleasure Island, Disney World! Thanks Janine…WE LOVE YOU!
Actually, as we jog the memory bank…we stand corrected. Greg’s lovely wife Janine did not make this first trip down with us to Disney World as Greg and I were roomies on this trip. Greg gave his video camera to Dan’s then wife, Donna, who was the videographer for this particular event. So, we would like to thank Dan’s lovely wife Donna for taking the video footage at the West End Theatre, Pleasure Island, Disney World! Thanks Donna…WE LOVE YOU, TOO!
Greetings boys and girls of all ages! Well, if it’s Tuesday it must be: “Star Search Revisited” night! So gather up the brood and the appropriate munchies and libations and cuddle up to your nearest computer monitor. Go ahead…we’ll wait.
Episode Two finds our heroes competing against the reigning vocal/musical group champion, “My Brutha’s Keepa.” In order to get to this point, we had to compete against another contender, “The Petals,” for the chance to go up against the champs, which you saw last week in Episode One.
These two performances where actually filmed on the same day: one in the morning, break for lunch, then one in the afternoon. We decided to perform “We Ought To Know Better,” the same song for this performance as we did in the first just in case we made it further in the competition to insure we had enough material for subsequent shows.
Greetings one and all. “Bogdon Vasquaf and his Band of Curative Measures” has been invited to perform at the Jazz Cafe located in the Detroit Music Hall. They’re hosting something called the “Discovery Series” on Tuesdays nights from 7pm to 9pm. 2-sets. The gig will be recorded for live broadcast on Judy Adams WDTE radio show. I’m currently looking at Tue Oct 27, 2009 at 7pm to perform. An exact date and time will follow when it is confirmed.
Welcome to the first episode in our Star Search Revisited Series. We’ll follow our heroes throughout their journey both on TV and behind the scenes in search of stardom and the $100,000.00 prize!
The summer of ’92 marked an incredible period of growth and evolution for Skeleton Crew®. We had many great gigs including The Palace of Auburn Hills SummerFest and some choice opening act opportunities at the DTE Energy Music Theater (then named, Pine Knob Music Theatre) and more.
The fall of ’92 brought on more surprises in the form of an invitation to audition for the television talent show, Star Search (the precursor to American Idol). Star Search was a huge hit at the time and during its years on the air.
Somehow (I’ll fill in the details when I have the time to ask some questions), noted record executive, Dick Williams, got a hold of a pre-release copy of our debut album, “Pre-Historic…Dig!,” which we just finished recording during the summer with our producer, Gary Spaniola, for his Baltic Records label. The next thing you know, one of Star Search’s talent producers, Marylyn Fisher, contacted us to schedule an audition.
I must admit, at first, there was much trepidation if we should do the show or not. We decided to do the audition figuring if we were selected to appear on the show we would decide then what we wanted to do. Well, we were chosen and we did decide to perform on Star Search.
We were informed that we had two minutes to perform each song to a pre-recorded backing track while the vocals were performed live during taping of the show. Rather than edit existing song tracks to conform to the two minute constraint, we went back into Seller Sound studio to re-arrange and record two minute versions of the songs we chose to perform on the show.
Two shows were taped on a scheduled taping day. Often we were up at 7 am for an 8:30 sound check and the first taping would begin around 10:30 or 11. Break for lunch and back for an afternoon taping at 1:30 or 2. People visiting Disney World had the opportunity to view a taping of a television show at the park and the crowds were enthusiastic.
We were given round trip airfare from Detroit to Orlando, Florida where Star Search was taped at Walt Disney World. Beautiful accommodations at The Port Orleans on our first trip down and Dixie Landings for the subsequent two return trips. Each band member also received $30.00 per diem for food and expenses per day. The entire process for Star Search ’93 took place between September and October 1992. Star Search ’93 aired in January of 1993.
Some of the acts that went on to fame and fortune that appeared with Skeleton Crew® on Star Search ’93 included: a young cowboy named Justin Timberlake, Beyoncé who performed with the precursor to Destiny’s Child – Girl Tyme [Skeleton Crew has the unique distinction of forever being a footnote in the career of Beyoncé as “the band of scary musicians that beat her on Star Search with a four-star performance.], an incredible singer and Star Search female vocalist champ, Beth Hart, and Star Search winning comedian Don MacMillan, who went on to work for McDonald’s Hamburgers as Mac Tonight.
We hope you enjoy revisiting our appearances on Star Search. We will follow the series over the next few weeks much like they were originally aired. We’ll also be uploading photos and video of the proceedings that went on behind the scenes in an effort to recreate the fun and excitement we experienced during this magical time in our history. Stay tuned for more!
This is the only known video footage of Skeleton Crew® performing with legendary Country/Western star “Standard Earle,” and their song “God Loves George Jones,” that we’ve uncovered to date. There are rumors of a drunken bar performance that may be unearthed later. We’ll keep digging!
Legend has it that Standard Earle invented country/western music. If you ask him, he’ll tell you so! Skeleton Crew struck up a friendship with the mythically proportional Mr. Earle early on in their career, which ain’t easy, and still remain close to the country gentleman this day.
There is even a rumored Standard Earle featuring Skeleton Crew album in the works! Stay tuned!
For three years the Palace of Auburn Hills conducted a “SummerFest” in the facility’s parking lot. “We had a carnival type food court area, local restaurants, carnival rides, games, go cart races,” said Connie Marshall, former Events Coordinator for The Palace of Auburn Hills and DTE Music Energy Theatre. “One year we had the circus in the parking lot outside as well – a little mini Michigan State Fair!”
For three years the Palace of Auburn Hills conducted a “Summerfest” in the facility’s parking lot. “We had a carnival type food court area, local restaurants, carnival rides, games, go cart races,” said Connie Marshall, former Events Coordinator for The Palace of Auburn Hills and DTE Music Energy Theatre. “One year we had the circus in the parking lot outside as well – a little mini Michigan State Fair!”
This is the only know video footage of Skeleton Crew® performing their song, Don’t Look Back, that we’ve uncovered to date. We’ll keep digging!
Skeleton Crew® Cabaret at The Ritz by Brad Shaw | Chris & Russ
Aah…Cabaret at The Ritz! This type of staging had never before been attempted, let alone executed, at The Ritz Nightclub in Roseville, Michigan. We wanted to make the 2,000 seat club feel more intimate so we thought: “how about bringing the audience up on stage with us?”
We ran the idea by our dear friend Connie Marshall, who happened to be events coordinator for the Palace of Auburn Hills and DTE Energy Music Theatre. She loved it and said she could help.
The next thing you know Connie had brought in a lovely assortment of artificial trees to augment the stage. We placed several cocktail tables and chairs about the stage and instructed the waitresses to come up on stage during our performance to serve the lucky patrons that received seats on stage. It was the most unique performance Skeleton Crew® had ever endeavored at The Ritz. A splendid time was had by all.
this is gonna be COOL… i’ll bring my first prototype to compare how different it is since i’ve been selling it. The bass is very different today due to customer demand, retailer demand, and the industry suggestions.
I’ve gone thru 5 major design changes/improvements AFTER my product was on the retail shelves! I’m really going to press the fact that these inventors MUST get their product ideas into the market so that the market can make practical improvements that the inventors simply dont see.
anyway, i’m very excited. Rob Rosinski will accompany me on guitar.
Skeleton Crew® bassist and inventor of the Bogdon Box Basss, Chris Badynee, will speak Thursday Sept 10, 2009 to the Inventors Council of Michigan http://www.inventorscouncil.org/.
“This is gonna be COOL…” said bassist and inventor, Chris Badynee. “I’ll bring my first prototype to compare how different it is since I’ve been selling it. The bass is very different today due to customer demand, retailer demand, and the industry suggestions. I’ve gone through five major design changes/improvements after my product was on the retail shelves! I’m really going to press the fact that these inventors MUST get their product ideas into the market so that the market can make practical improvements that the inventors simply dont see. Anyway, I’m very excited. Rob Rosinski will accompany me on guitar.”
The Bogdon Box Bass is The World’s First Mass Produced Cardboard Bass Guitar. More information o teh Bogdon Box Bass is avaiable at: http://www.edencompanies.com/bogdon/
Skeleton Crew® by Alan Einstein | National Anthem - Detroit Tigers
Skeleton Crew® had the honor of performing the National Anthem on several occasions for the Detroit Pistons and Detroit Tigers. The photo above shows Skeleton Crew® preforming the National Anthem before a Detroit Tigers game. The Tigers also gave the band and their guests great seats behind home plate, up about twenty rows on the first base side. Around the sixth or seventh inning it began to rain and the game was delayed for about an hour or so. The great thing about being an “acoustic-based band is that you don’t need electricity to make electricity! We brought out our instruments and began serenading the people in our section with a set list including Skeleton Crew® songs and some choice covers we love. Needless to say, the crowd in our section had a great time during the rain delay.
Skeleton Crew® by Alan Einstein | National Anthem | Pistons vs Suns
This was the second time we performed the National Anthem at the Palace of Auburn Hills before a sold out Detroit Pistons basketball game against Charles Barkley and the Phoenix Suns. The head referee came up to us and shook our hand after the rendition and Bill Laimbeer, number one Piston Bad Boy complimented us, too, and gave up the hand! It was an awe inspiring moment we never will forget.
The band included our original lineup:
William Pilipchuk: Lead Vocals
Scott Christy: Rhythm Guitar/Vocals
Russ Epker: Lead Guitar
Dan Hess: Rhythm Guitar/Vocals
Chris Badynee: Bass Guitar
Greg Tyler : Drums
Skeleton Crew® would like to express our sincere thanks and gratitude for help making these events happen to Connie Marshall, The Palace of Auburn Hills, The Detroit Pistons and The Detroit Tigers. Photographs by Alan Einstein.
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