Aggressive World-Beat Jazz

See our new 'official' page! visit www.beforetherainband.com

When jazz collided with decadent music from around the world, "Before the Rain" was there to try to pick up the pieces. Dr. IGG!'s brother (long thought dead, but actually in exile in various nasty places in the world where living was rugged and music was like wildfire) brought together diverse personalities: Keys, a jazz fusion pianist from Chicago; Chico, master of the lazer guitar and folk stringed instruments; Gusto, long time member of the original Mantra Lizards; maniacal drummer/inventor/moonshiner Meckles; and intern/vocalist Jim-o, who is popular for having three wrists. Together they have created a bond of experimental world beat jazz as well as staying true to folk, rock and classical jazz. Here is some of their story:

'Before the Rain' had its genesis when Dr. IGG!'s brother and Chico got into a fight at work. Chico had told Dr. IGG!'s brother that he lives in the shadow of Dr. IGG!, and Dr. IGG!'s brother chased Chico up a fence and then punctured his lung with a meathook. After that, they decided to become best friends and formed a band.

The original duo was called 'The Cornerboys.' They played Gypsy songs on the street and were usually run off by store owners and drowned out by traffic.

The music of 'Before the Rain' is featured in the film 'Several Things Not Intended to Hurt You' by Scott Gibson.

After a while, a guy with a cardboard box taped to himself and some drumsticks started hanging around. He could keep a beat, and so Meckles was invited into the group. The began to engage in what they called 'musical terrorism,' where they would run to a corner, play a few tunes and then run away before anyone could chase them off or call the police. They would dive into Dr. IGG!'s brother's brother's (Dr. IGG!'s) old Chevy and drive off in a cloud of dust and squealing tires.

For many years 'The Cornerboys' could be found on streets all over the Rocky Mountains playing for nickles. However, they kept adding equipment, and soon, 'musical terrorism' was no longer possible, and they had to start playing parties and festivals and hootenanies (usually arranged by sideman Gusto.)

For a while, 'The Cornerboys' took the name 'The Wastelanders' until they found out that there was another group that had the same name, and so the new name 'Before the Rain' was taken from about the only decent Macedonian movie ever made, despite Dr. IGG!'s brother's desire to call the group 'Disease of Unknown Origin.'

Early in 2001, Dr. IGG!'s brother met Keys at the meat processing plant. It turned out that Keys knew how to tune a guitar, something the band had struggled with since its inception, and in a secret vote, there was only one opposing to letting him in the band. The opposing vote was from Meckles, who later said he hadn't been listening to the directions and just wrote 'no' on his paper, but he didn't have any objections to letting Keys in the band.

vistit our new 'official' page at www.beforetherainband.com!

Order a copy of our new CD "Hitchin' to Santa Fe!" visit www.beforetherainband.com or E-mail us at dr-igg@att.net

Jim-O and Gusto

Rhythm guitar master, bassist, steel guitarist and percussionist Gusto played with Dr. IGG! and Dr. IGG!'s brother in the original Mantra Lizards and the Fat City Jazz Band some twenty years ago. Gusto and Dr. IGG!'s brother have appeared together in multiple incarnations, playing widely varied music from Dixieland to polka to musicals. They were once the most sought after drum and bass duo in the Evergreeen area. Gusto has recently offered the use of his Yellow Studio in his massive garage-mahal for the recording of most of the CD "Hitchin' to Santa Fe." Gusto is the organizer of the annual Morrison Town dreaded Christmas sing-along, where he forces Dr. IGG!'s brother to play the bagpipes in sub-freezing weather. He is a well known swell guy. Check out his web page on the link below.

Platinum (or some other prescious mineral like Einsteinium) throated singer Jim-O has graced us with his presence, when he and Dr. IGG!'s brother aren't fighting, and when he doesn't have anything better to do. He was the lead singer in The Mantra Lizards, and has joined Dr. IGG!'s brother and Gusto in such bands as The Rikki Ticky Paranoid Psychedelic Bluegrass Band, The Rikki Ticky Paranoid Psychedelic Polka Band and The Rikki Ticky Paranoid Psychedelic Celtic Band. He recently won a contes to become the Before the Rain intern. We had hoped it would be a hot body contest, but Jim-O was the only contestant. He is really good for going and getting stuff, and we are giving him half a credit in sociology! Jim-O and Dr. IGG!'s brother have some tunes they co-wrote several years ago, but which have never been recorded. They just might find their way onto an up-coming 'Before the Rain' project! Jim-O is an actor and director who sometimes coaxes Before the Rain into accompanying his productions. Jim-O had one of Dr. IGG!'s brother's books, but he recently returned it, after only about ten years... and that was only because Dr. IGG!'s brother saw it on stage as a prop when Jim-O was recently starring in 'Sleuth.'
Jim-O's Glee Club web page, located below, is up for an award for best glee club page!!

Dr. IGG!'s brother plays saxophones, native and traditional flutes, a saxophone synthesizer called "The Anti-Christ," electric and classical six and twelve (ok, eleven) string guitars, electric and acoustic bass and some really objectionable instruments like the harmonica, accordion and the bagpipes. Dr. IGG's brother uses Chris ti Coom flutes, and the rest of his stuff is mostly crap from Eastern Europe. He composes many of the group's songs. Find out more about him and about songs currently being written by clicking on "Dr IGG!'s brother's Page" below. You can also find links to Chris ti Coom flutes and a long, boring page about all his instruments there.

Chico plays a montage of electric and acoustic guitars. He plays the mandolin, the charango (a traditional instrument from Bolivia) and
occasionally the banjo. Click on "Chico's Page" below to find out more about him.

Meckles plays a variety of percussion instruments from the west, from Africa and the Caribbean. He also invents instruments of his own. He really likes the way his kitchen sink sounds! Find out more about Meckles, and some of his recent misfortunes, by clicking on "Meckles' Page."

We have been recently joined by Keys on the keyboards. He is an alumnus of such groups as "Dave's Tune" and "The Folk Pushers." He adds a different dimension to the band since he actually knows how to play music. Click on "Keys' Page" to find out more about him.

Check out our link to the new CD "Hitchin' to Santa Fe" by clicking on the little blue caption below!

Two other people keep our group going: Mark is our completely worthless. do-nothing manager. He has never gotten us a gig, he has never given us useful advice, and he doesn't even drive us places. He just keeps raising his cut of our profits (which is fine so far since we haven't made any money.) But he is a lot of fun at parties, so we keep him around. Check out Mark, The Completely Worthless Agent's web page on the link below. Leonid is our techno-guy. He is designing our 'official' web site, which is going to be really, really cool, unlike this one. He also is a good sound-guy. He has experience as a D.J. in Siberia. He is going to tell us how to use all the sound equipment we have that we can't figure out, and will help us record stuff!

Contact us!

You can contact us by e-mail at dr-igg@att.net. Please let us know if you would like us to add you to our mailing list! Please sign our guestbook below! This web page is being continuously updated!

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