*Click here to get a copy of Anthony's Full-Length Acoustic CD!
ASCAP Member
Anthony Performing the song "Tragedy" off the Tone & Niche album On The Streets Of
My BlogSpot: http://anthonyretkalife.blogspot.com/
Not my music but oh so hip....
Influences
The Beatles, John Lennon, Bob Dylan, Radiohead, Elliot Smith, Wilco, Andrew Bird, The Beach Boys/Brian Wilson, The Avett bros., Counting Crows, Tom Waits, Frank Sinatra, Ron Sexsmith, Mike Viola, Louis Armstrong, Gershwin, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, David Mead, Ryan Adams, Led Zeppelin, Billie Holiday, Mike Viola, Duke Ellington, Beethoven, Chopin, Motown (especially Steveie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, The Four Tops and The Temptations), Django Reinhardt and more...
Local music I dig:
Mike Anton, Dave Martin, Judah Johnson, Birdgang, The Hard lessons, Jeff Jablonski, Sean Fitzgerald, Bird Plus Magic, Battling Siki, The Gypsy Strings, Dan Minard, Blair, Dale Wilson, Mod Orange, Four Deep, The Muggs, Ben Cyllus and many more I am not thinkin' of right now.
Sounds Like
Folk/Pop/Rock.
A little like Bob Dylan and The Beatles...
Aside from writing songs I have messed around with writing poetry. Here's a poem from a small, staple bound, homemade book I put together called "22 Giggles by Tone."
Day Tripper Dream Maker Dad's dreamin' of toast and jam On the go!
There is something In the pleasure Of the African queen spanish fly
It's like all the gods of Lucy Were thrown into the corner To help forget about the Michigan landscape
It's like the stars Are flames w/o the candle wax Oh, to be in a hug chair....resting.
*Poem from "22 Giggles by Tone" (c)opyright Anthony Retka
I was born in Detroit, MI. and grew up north of Detroit in Mount Clemens. At the age of 5 I decided I wanted to play drums. It wasn't until I was about 12 or 13 when I decided to play guitar and give a go at writing songs.
I have been writing songs for a number of years now. I have released a bunch of CD's with all original music either solo or with bands I belong to. Performing for people is top! I love it, I love it, I love it.
It's all I want to do with my life.
"Anthony Retka, of Tone and Niche, uses an immaculate blend of great songwriting, vocals, and guitar. He plays melodic numbers with full vocals and introspective lyrics, many of which are about love. Retka is a master of dynamics, moving between rich, strong heavy guitar bits and gentle, barely-there strumming. The diversity of his octaves is astounding; he conjures images of Radiohead one moment and Jeff Buckley the next." -Springfield Artists, Metro-Detroit Writers
Anthony Retka Releases:
*22 Giggles By Tone / Chapbook / 2002
*On The Streets Of / Tone & Niche CD / 2004
*Anthony Retka / Self-titled acoustic CD / 2005
*Song One / Tone & Niche 4 Song EP / 2005
*From Your Hands / Tone & Niche CD Single / 2006
*Rust / Tone & Niche CD / 2007
*Lemonade / Tone & Niche 7 Song EP / 2007
*From The Vault / Tone & Niche Rarities CD / 2007
*LIVE Radio CD / The Mourning Voices CD / 2007
*Rap no.1 / A parody rap song CD single / 2007
*A Soft Tickle / Chapbook / 2008
*The House Of The Rising Sun / Tone & Niche 3 Song EP / 2008
*Tone & Niche LIVE Double CD / 2009
*Singles / Tone & Niche CD / 2009
Bands I Belong To: Tone & Niche, (tone & Neesh), out of Detroit, MI., is made up of four musicians. Fronting the band is me, Anthony and violinist Nicole Varga. Holding up the back is our friends Patrick Gallagher on Bass and Roger Dutcher on drums.
Nicole (a.k.a. "Niche") and I do nothing but work on getting support for our band and playing as much as we can! We write and record all the time. It's a struggle, but we love to make music so it's worth it.
My other group The Mourning Voices is made up of myself, Ian Lee Lamb, Doug Woolsey and Nicole Varga. We are a vocal trio (with violin). Our influences stem from Bob Dylan, Tom Waits, The Avett bros., Jeff Tweedy (Wilco / Uncle Tupelo) and many more! We formed in January of 2008. It's a new project for me and I'm having a ball! You can check us out online at www.themourningvoices.com -----------------------------------------
I play drums now for Ron Dillon, a singer from Lapeer.
It's a good time. I have not played drums since high school and I love it!
Nick White plays bass, Nicole "Niche" Varga plays violin/fiddle, Jesse Tack plays guitar and Joe B. plays piano.
We are called RON DILLON and THE BARN DOORS.
The band does a mix of old 50's and 60's country-esque covers along with a few Ron Dillon originals.
The group is all about friends and fun on stage.
A must see if you're into it.
*You can check it all out at: www.myspace.com/rondillonandthebarndoors
RAP no. 1 - Amish Lunatics and Co. featuring Tone aka "Vicious" and Niche aka "Kotton Kandy":
So, I wrote and recorded a Rap. My good friend Rick "Charming" Smith recorded the rap and played rhodes electric paino on it as well. Niche added her touch and played the string parts from the Tone & Niche song "Broken Hearted Army" which is the song I am rapping over. All of this was done with the creative and silly influence of some good friends; Ana (aka Lethal), Manton (aka Stab Master Kill), Niche (aka kotton kandy), Jeff (aka J.J. Dynomite!), and others. We call ourselves the "Amish Lunatics and Co." just to be funny. It's a good laugh.
-Tone
*GET A COPY OF THE RAP CD at any Tone & Niche show OR download it here!
My Political Blog: www.savingthebillorights.blogspot.com Go and check it out. Read and react! Get mad or whatever. I love debate.
For various reasons, Alan Moore had his name taken off of the V is for Vendetta and Watchmen movies and refuses to see them. Guy Fawlkes gunpowder plot happened in 1605 Alan Moore has one crazy beard.
Thank you Tone. it was great that you could come and stay later... i always feel like i barely speak to anyone at these things just because its so crazy and i am ADD lol.
Good to hear from you! I was just listening to my Mourning Voices C.D. yesterday. I hope things are going well for you guys. We're still making music, we're just a little bit slower than we used to be. We have over half of a c.d.'s worth of new material recorded. I can't wait to start posting it up.
Hey tone, I hope you do come to the big apple in october! I would love to see you folks! i hope all is well. Thanks again for that rockin' cd & buttons. You made me smile. Thanks! Peace, slim
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Hey tone! Just got to ny the other day. Crazy. Hope you are well. Oops, I almost put a sideways smile and then I remembered the consequences. Talk to you soon.
no not playing just doing visuals, i was mixed up actually the whole show is mixed up sorry for the confusion. you can come and hang out if your around that neighborhood, otherwise no big deal.
Hey Anthony Retka a.k.a. Tone, Thanks for being our friend!!! Be sure to get your FREE Core Effect song download of our red hot NATIONAL SINGLE, by taking a few seconds to sign up for our mailing list!
