Back in the Studio: 32 years after laying down the basic trax, recording has resumed on my very first project! The scene has switched from South Florida to Central California, where the 5 surviving recordings of a 30-song project are now being completed. These last 5 tunes represent 'ICE', a rock power trio I fronted in 1983.

Stay tuned for the finished product, featuring Chuck Ugalde on Bass, Mike Sciarrino on Drums and yours truly on Guitar and Vocals. Special thanx go out to David at Thin Brown Line Studios in Anaheim Hills for the great work on baking the multi-track analog tape and resurrecting the songs, and to Rick Sutton at my new studio of choice, Sutton Sound, in Atascadero, California. It's a real trip singing with yourself 32 years later! Finally, Thanks to our Producer, Sandra Brazil!

Welcome to the official home of the MUSIC of the 'OBB' (Original Brooklyn Bad-boy), JOEY RACANO!

That tough guy on the right there, that was me, living in the streets and fronting some crazy rock/fusion hybrid, circa 1990. That's the famous Haste & Telegraph mural on the wall behind me in Berkeley, California. I remember that axe, too, it was a borrowed Peavey T-15, which I promptly spray painted flourescent orange with black tiger stripes. That was my style back then, my way of saying, "That's a fairly dangerous guitar man right there!" 

Oh but those were the days! Starving, sleeping in a not-running 1977 Volkswagon Campmobile, stuck on the side streets of Berkeley at 'People's Park'. No freaking thank you. Babes all over the place though, yes.
The cowboy hat was also borrowed, from my best friend and fellow street urchin 'Hank'. Hank had a dog named Shunka- American Indian word for dog, I was told. I moved away from there when I saved enough quarters from playing in front of Mrs Field's Cookies and bought a car. Drove out of Oaktown and all the way to Huntington Beach, where I wrote a song for Hank called 'Fabric of Society.'

Hank used to tell me about his days on the streets and back alleys of New York. He knew a guy there who played a wicked blues piano at the local hotel restaurant.  The guy would get off work, join Hank and the boys in the alley out back and drink all night long with them. One morning, when the boys returned, they found the piano guy dead. He fell asleep and froze. They decided to remove the man's I.D. so he would go down as a John Doe. This, to spare his family from knowing the truth about where and how he died. The song came out pretty good and when some friends from Berkeley came down to visit me in my new world, I showed it to them. They said, "Man, that's a good song!"

I told them I wrote it for Hank and couldn't wait to show him. They looked at each other and then back at me, and said, "Hank's dead. He got killed over a welfare check." The song is on my first CD, 'Wild Bird'.    -jr

Above and below:  Joey Racano opening for Bonnie Raitt, Bolsa Chica State Beach 9-21-96.

Right: Joey Racano and Marco Forconi recording WILD BIRD at Studio 1605, Huntington Beach, California, 1999

In the Studio

                   Joey Racano in Berkeley, California, 1990

Here's 'Fabric of Society', the only acoustic song on the CD 'WILD BIRD' (1999). Recorded at Studio 1605, Huntington Bch. Calif. Engineered by Marco Forconi, Produced by Reynaldo Macias jr and performed live-in-studio by Joey Racano. Note the beautiful sound of 'Ol' Number Seven', a custom acoustic guitar built by Terry Scheffer.

                              WILD BIRD

                About the CD/album 'WILD BIRD: 

How it was named...If you know anything about me, you know I am a vociferous defender of the California coast and ocean. One of my heroes was a very special woman named Margaret Wentworth Oweings. She did more to save the coast than anybody of her day. She kept Pacific Coast Highway from being expanded into a 6 lane superhighway, keeping it beautiful. Her husband was a famous architect who built her a home in the cliffs above California's Big Sur. That home she called Wild Bird. 

The musicians...
Joey Racano...All Guitars and vocals
Brad Cummings........................Bass
River Blue........................Harmonica
Dave Blazer.........................Trumpet

Produced by Reynaldo Macias Junior * Engineered by Marco Forconi  *  Recorded at Studio 1605, Huntington Bch. Calif. 1999

Back in Sutton Sound Studio, Atascadero, California for the last guitar riffs and on to post production. Yesterday's session included a dreamy guitar solo and then mixdown of one of the so-called 'lost songs', this one entitled, 'I Wonder Why'. Originally recorded 8 track analog at Sound Check Recording Studio in Fort Meyers Florida, the bass and high hat were a bit compromised by the tape recording being 32 years old! But Rick worked with it and it is a cup half full situation. I lost about 19 excellent recordings from the original project and I am so glad to at least have these 5 tunes, with the original youthful energy! I have decided not to release any of it until they are all mixed and mastered, which should be a couple of more months. After 32 years, what's the hurry, right? :)  I called Mike Sciarrino, the drummer on the project, in New York and let him know we were recording - at least *I* was recording- "You recorded 32 years ago" I told him!

Welcome to Joey Sings the Blues, featuring the blues, rock, rap, and art of Joey Racano. Recorded live, studio, electric or acoustic, my music can't easily be categorized. My rock can include a rap or hip hop component, and my rap often features hard rock guitar riffing. Even my blues is anything but traditional. I write an occasional pop tune, enjoy composing barbershop harmonies, and mix all of the above. I do not apologize. I play guitar and bass and I like to sing the blues. I've been playing for 37 years, and am still writing and recording.  
       
                                                                       I want to save the world.

                                                             View Special Archival Footage!  

Joey opening for Ralph Nader, 2000 US Presidential campaign, Chapman University, Orange County, California (video by Mary Stampone)  

            

FEEDBACK CORNER:

"Joey Racano is a throw back to when men with guitars changed the world" -Will Swaim, OC WEEKLY

"I wish you would post more songs on youtube. And the sound of your guitar flows through my veins, ,like I grew up with it." -Nicole Kater, Costa Rica

"Joey is one of the true unstoppable forces of nature" -Mark Bixby, Huntington Beach, California

"A damfine musician" -Jim Washburn, author of 'Martin Guitars, An Illustrated Celebration of America's Premier Guitarmaker'