The Congregation Biography

There are very few things that I actually dread. I dread being trapped in an elevator with my former in-laws. I dread that one day the spiders will develop mathematical skills. Most of all, I dread writing this.

The Congregation has its roots in a chance meeting between Charlie and myself in about 1989. I was an independent photojournalist (translates to a guy with a camera who sold a few stories once in a while) and Charlie was in a band that opened up for the band that I was to cover that night, at the dearly departed Dirt Club in Bloomfield.

In any case, Charlie's band was great in-spite of the lead singer, who later proved to be a world-class sphincter. I did the article on them and did some subsequent photography for them, and during the process became pals with both Charlie and George, the drummer.

Well the band imploded, and we all went our separate ways for a few years, during which I was helping to produce The Bubonic Trauma Whores, an original act out of Cranford, NJ.

It was a lot of fun until life got in the way for the boys and it all sort of fizzled. Shortly after the fire had burned down I was with Norman Dryer, the bass player commiserating over strong drink at the Studio. We were listening to music and laughing and making fun of Elvis. The next thing I know the tape was running and I was on the phone with Charlie.

It was like 5 years since we had spoken, and I show up on his doorstep at Pillar Records in Jersey City with a half assed 4 track and a pile of satirical lyrics.

So what does Charlie do?

He puts together a band. Well over the last seven years we found our piano player, Steve, the third person in our trinity. We also found our voice.

Other than that we have had a host of wonderful musicians thru the door. Some staying and some disappearing unnaturally, in particular drummers. Yes. Drummers.

But the wait has been worth it. The Congregation is a fine group of musicians with extraordinary talent. Every musician dreams of a situation where the value of the whole is far greater than the sum of its parts. This is one of those situations. The latest additions of Big Sal on bass and Rich our percussionist have been two of the last three pieces in the puzzle.

The final piece is you, fellow traveler.

I invite y'all to join The Congregation, and find out what all the fuss is about.



With Regards, Evil (edit)

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