Born of the drum-addled minds of Fastball'sMiles Zuniga and Jeff Groves, The Small Stars early beginnings go way back to Austin, Texas circa 1989. The first performance by Guy Fantasy and Buddy Llamas took place in a lesbian coffee house just off Austin's famous 6th Street music district. Sadly, before a second show could be arranged, rock bands, record deals, platinum albums, and world tours got in the way. Now, 15 years later with the preliminaries behind them, the pair are back, and they've brought a few more musicians with them.
“A band that's a musical that's a band,” is the seed of The Small Stars' rock-n-roll-vaudevillian nature. The band developed characters, revue acts, and stage play to explore the 'pop'-eratic structure. To push the story of Guy Fantasy and his cabaret, David v. Goliath narrative, Zuniga and Groves have written songs balanced upon the edge of Dean Martin's inebriaic croonings and David Bowie's character glam-slams.
Sounds great on paper, but a funny thing happened on the way to the theater. Unlike most supergroups, this seemingly random amalgam became an actual honest to goodness BAND, the veritable sum-greater-than-the-parts ensemble.
And when the lights go down, each member leave their real identities at the dressing room mirror. Zuniga becomes Guy Fantasy - The ringleader and master of ceremonies who is frequently ranting about politics or current events. Buddy Llamas, a Mexican silent film star who speaks little-to-no Spanish is Groves’ Mariachi clad character who plays the saxophone. Landis Armstrong (McLemore Avenue) is Richard Steele, the band’s guitar toting Republican. John Bush (New Bohemians) chose an Australian alter-ego named, Brick Masterson, the drummer, who also happens to be a former surfing champion. Jeff Johnston’s (Li’l Cap’n Travis) Godfrey McCambridge is the band’s bass player, therapist, and pharmacist while Matt Hubbard (a Willie Nelson producer/session musician) performs various instruments including keyboard, trombone, and harmonica as Father Max.
Newcomer, Nakia Reynoso, who was last to join the Stars’ ranks, transforms into Vic Odin - A surly British manager who spends the band’s money on cocaine and gambling debts, and demanding to be included in performances via a clause in their unread, yet signed fictional contract.
The band is experiencing more than a typical “buzz” and since forming have been featured in Texas Music magazine’s CD sampler, had a regional number one song with, “Otra Vez,” and been chosen as a featured artist on Apple’s iTunes Music Store’s “Staff Favorites.” The band has also performed their show as a musical and plan to develop it into a feature film. Currently, they are preparing to return to the studio to record their next record.
"Forgive me for gushing, but I've listened to your CD 6 times now over the last 24 hours. " - Joe Mitchell, Recharge Magazine
"...the Small Stars have...enough skill to betray they'll forever be slaves to the bright lights." - Christopher Gray, Austin Chronicle
"The biggest little Reno lounge band from Texas... Austin's hippest, flashiest, Reno-style, all-star lounge act/glam rock band." - Richard Skanse, Texas Music Magazine
"Their fictional biography says they're from Reno, but The Small Stars are an Austin invention - a band of accomplished local musicians exploring the common grounds between cocktail culture, everything but the kitchen sink revues and rock 'n' roll." - Andy Langer, News 8 Television
"Though the tone of the CD teeters on the brink of tragicomedy throughout, before it falls into a Beyond the Valley of the Dolls chasm, it manages a reassuring landing on the cynical side of an MGM Musical... For all those artists out there who toil in obscurity, and may always do so, the Small Stars are singing your song." -Levi Mazelstein, Whoopsy Magazine
"A Small Stars show is nothing short of a show." - Sander Wolf, Dallas Observer
For All Of The Accumulating Press About The Small Stars, Visit WWW.THESMALLSTARS.COM.
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