One Million Things
Angel On The Island
Do What You Want
Blue Summer
Strong As I Am
Mr. Motion Man
Chord Inside
Ghost Beside My Bed
Surrender Now
Running On A Broken Leg
Big Fun
Faster And Faster
There's Nothing
Until The Music Ends
Show of Hands was formed 1988 in Huntington Beach, CA. Gregory Markel on Vocals. Curtis Mathewson and Scott Richmond, Guitar. Rob Thomas Bass and Chip Moreland Drums.
Show of Hands became Altered State. Gaining the attention of Warner Bros. singed in 1990 and released two albums. "Altered State" 1991 and "DOS" 1993.
The Voice Gregory Markel a drummer at age 11, began his singing career with Guitarist Rusty Anderson (Eulogy, Ednaswap, Paul McCartney) in The Living Daylights. Scoring on the charts with “Colleen": #86 KROQ Top 100. And "Kat Box Beach" hitting #106. The Living Daylights landed a spot in Sidney Poiter’s film FastFoward perfoming “Mystery”. The band excited being a Sidney Poiter project. They jumped. The scene was filmed at Mid-Wilshire District Theatre.
Guitarist Curtis Mathewson and Bassist Rob Thomas were Des Neauveaux.
Gregory Markel left The Living Daylights and singed on board with The Prime Movers. The Prime Movers hit big with Markel's "Strong As I Am". "Strong" was chosen for the pivotal scene in Michael Mann’s flick Manhunter (scence). Micheal Mann liked the song so much that he personally financed the making of the Strong As I Am video. The video had considerable rotation on MTV. Filmed on the roof of the L.A. Stock Exchange Building. It was used in the pivotal spot in Abraxas: Guardian of the Universe as well staring Jesse “The Body” Ventura. Abraxas Scene.
1988: Gregory Markel formed Show of Hands in Huntington Beach, CA. Meeting Guitarist Curtis Mathewson through The Prime Movers Manager. Mathewson brought in band mate Dex Neauveaux Bassist Rob Thomas. Markel recruited Drummer Chip Moreland, introduced through a mutual friend. And Scott Richmond would come on to share guitar duty. 1989 Show of Hands, represented by Gallin Morey Agency (Michael Jackson, Faith Hill). And about signed with MTV Founder Bob Pittmans' Q Records.
Show of Hands:
One Million Things mp3
Angel On The Island mp3
Do What You Want
Blue Summer
Strong As I Am mp3
Mr. Motion Man
Chord Inside
Ghost Beside My Bed mp3
Surrender Now
Running On A Broken Leg
Big Fun
Faster And Faster
There's Nothing
1990 saw the changing of personnel and name: Altered State! Scott Richmond and Rob Thomas both left the band. Mathewson brought in friend Howard Ulyate to replace Thomas.
The band went the same route as others, four track demos, tons of local gigs. And signed on board with Borman/Williams Entertainment. Their presentation tape didn’t take long to catch the attention of Warner Bros. Senior A&R Vice President Michael Ostin. With others knocking at the door, Borman/Williams Management set up 5 Private Show Cases. And the band went with Warner Bros. Ulyate would later leave during recording and Mathewson covered Bass duties. In late 1990 they headed out to Bearsville, N.Y. to begin recording.
Releasing their debut (Debut Tribute Page) August 27th 1991. Altered State was an inventive band with unique arrangements, melodic vocals and great harmonies. Produced by Tony Berg and Engineered by Jeffery Lord-Alge. Mixed by Bob Clearmountain (Bob's Favorites: Altered State). The striking cover design is the work of John Van Hamersveld, one of the foremost graphic desingers of the '60 and '70s.
“Step Into My Groove” was the first single. The band packed up and went to England for the Video shoot. Two versions of the video, that the band fought not be released (photos). "Groove" was followed by the smash hit "Ghost Beside My Bed" which chainsawed it’s way to #1 on Rock Radio, in California, New York, Arizona and Florida. And went top 30 Nationally. At this point the band recruited multi-instrumentalist Riz Sotry to handle Bass duties for the tour.
“Ghost” flooded the airwaves on California’s Pirate Radio 100.3. Prompting Pirate Radio to set up a special show for the Band at The Roxy Hollywood, CA. Radio industry guru Bill Hard of The Hard Report dubbed the record one of the best of 1992. The success of "Ghost" on radio and no video, Altered State requested. Warner Bros. passed. Lana Lane covered "Ghost" in 1998.
“Heal Me”. Listen for –“Sanctuary, hey!”-
“Outside”. Compelling Acoustic Work.
“Surrender Now”. Curtis!
“Like Father”. A gutty hardend bridge.
“Into The Strange” recorded at the end of the sessions, was later to have a spot on the 2nd album.
1992 Altered State armed with new Bassit Paul Edwards (the guy who ran the rehearsal studio, a guitarist) the band began recording "The Best Fuckin' Album Ever Recored!" The Ambitious and genre-challenging :[dos]:.
:[dos]: release date: October 5th 1993. Produced by Ben Groose (Disturbed, Filter, Sevendust). Cover: Hugh Syme (Rush, MegaDeth). Hand: Christopher Hart (The Addams Family). Altered State released Markel’s “Strong As I Am” which was beefed up, and recorded at the bands Manager insistence!
“Life On A Skateboard”, and “Darkness Visible” followed.
While Markel was in love with the debut, all hell broke loose on the second release. With a big budget and interested in pleasing themselves this time around. Gregory Markel shines within his writing and shares The Voice. Guitarist Curtis Mathewson: Exciting! Brilliant! Chip Moreland: Thunder-Drumming. And simply put, Paul Edwards! The band created cinematic moments, music that elevates interactive response weather it's emotional or intellectual. :[dos]: soars to grand, epic heights. Lyrically, Markel delves into demons few dare to glimpse: fear "Made of Gasoline", Family "Strong As I Am", and exposes himself nearly on the cusp of artistic madness with "Thinkin' About Movin' To A Catatonic State". :[dos]: is a record of amazing depth and execution.
Curtis Mathewson, illuminates this record with searing electric guitar solos and invokes beautiful acoustic passages. Paul Edwards: creative absurdly fast bass lines, and soleful fretless passages. The drumming is, well....Stellar!
“One by one, the songs impart the growing impression, that at any moment, anything could happen.”
“Where’s Harrison Ford (‘Cause This Must be Bladerunner)” a satirical account of a BladeRunner-like violent encounter at a Ralph’s supermarket.
“Thinkin’ About Movin’ To A Catatonic State”. Mind bending Attack!
“Angst”. Amazing!
“Life On A Skateboard”. Guitar sounds both rare and beautiful.
*Covered by Sean Murphy Sean Murphy (Skateboard).
"Made of Gasoline" Demo was released on "The Strength In Numbers compilation".
“Into The Strange” did not make :[dos]: this time around on account of “Catatonic State”. “Catatonic” the label's objection, the 11 minute Epic, both Grand and Explosive (no objection here) took up area for 2 other songs. Possible radio hits. And removed room for the opening -spoken poem "Eureka".-
In 1994: Demoralized by the experience with Warners, band moral was down leading to the departure of Mathewson and Edwards. Moreland and Markel continued writing. But Warner Bros. never really played apart in the growth or evolution of Altered State. Warner's failed to market Altered State, not knowing how. Though Michael Ostin loved the band, the Promotion people just didn't know "what the hell" to with such a diverse band. Warner Bros let Altered State go late '94. And Altered State was officially over in 1995. Unfourtunate, for the world. FACT!
Mathewson: went on to produce Train, Foo Fighters, Motorhead,
Formed Gentlemen of Lesiure releasing two albums. And joined Cotonormal in 2006.
Current: N/A
Moreland: Formed Strange Radio. Formed The Green Natives.
Current: Dread Zeppelin (Ziggy Knarley), Cindy Alexander, The Green Natives, Gregory Markel and Altered State.
Markel: Formed Mother Tongue with ex-Show of Hands Bassist Rob Thomas. Formed The Crashing Now with Sean Murphy.
Current: Solo. Alered State.
Riz: Formed Sylvia w/ Taylor Hawkins (Foo Fighters).
Current: Anyone.
Ulyate: Was in Six from 2003-2005 and played Bass on the latest album. Formed The Green Natives.
Current: Dread Zeppelin (Bob Knarley). The Green Natives, Cindy Alexander, Gregory Markel, Altered State.
Credits: Howard also has supplied his Bass-tastic skills to a list of video games: Ulyate Credits.
Rob Thomas has contacted Markel about getting Show of Hands back together for kicks.
Well……Altered State is back! And in the studio recording the upcoming 3rd album “Trace”. Markel enlisted Guitar Mad Man Christian Nesmith son of Monkees Mike Nesmith. Christian has produced Kings X's Ty Tabor and Doug Pinnik solo albums. Guitarist of Circe Link and from time to time plays for Cindy Alexander. Chip Moreland is and always will be the Beast behind the skins. And Howard Ulyate has rejoined on Bass.
I found a bunch of Show of Hands negatives and I'm getting a negative scanner...be afraid, be very afraid! I saw Curtis wearing a Boy George hat in one of the negs!
