Quiet Heroes
A History of Quiet Heroes music
Neal and Tommy Joe played together in bands during high school and college in the 1970's. After college, Neal entered law school at WVU and Tommy Joe began a career in social work. In 1981, during law school, Neal purchased a 4-Track reel-to-reel recorder and created a studio in the basement of his apartment using mattresses and egg cartons for noise dampening and acoustics and their collective equipment. Tommy Joe travelled weekly to play and record for hours beginning a song writing relationship spanning more than three decades. Inspired by friends, fans and the fortune to have their first submission receive an award in a national songwriting competition, they contiued to write and play their unique style of rock & roll as time and distance permitted.
In 1983, a permanent studio was built in the basement of an office building in their home town and Quiet Heroes were joined by Tixie Yanero on drums and later, Phil Chess on bass and guitar. At the end of many evenings, the studio was full of friends, laughter and other musicians. Their first album, THROWAWAY PARTY, was originally released exclusively on vinyl in 1988. Original songs like "Age of Information", "Under the Gun" and "New Things" provided insight and social commentary about the growing technological age still relevant today. Pat McCleary took over on drums and several tracks were recorded for the next album.
When Phil left for Hawaii, John McIntire joined the group as bassist. Quiet Heroes second album, HEROGLYPHICS was finished and released in 1991. HEROGLYPHICS provided a live, rock and roll feel representative of the bands' multiple open venue performances that followed. After a several year hiatis, Neal, Tommy Joe and John resumed studio work and released STARVING ON THE EDGE OF PARADISE in 2000, featuring a more introspective and spiritual vibe and using unusual instrumentation like a mellotron and a five-string drone instrument created by Neal; BETWEEN BEFORE AND AFTER in 2002, with mellowtron on "Month of Mondays" and "Follow You"; and THE DIFFERENCE IS THE DIFFERENCES in 2014.
In 2017, Neal began going through reels of tape from the early studio years. Realizing that there were several songs which had never been released for one reason or another. The next year and half involved cleaning up the imperfections, drop-outs and mistakes contained in the 30+ year old audio tape and recording unfinished or damaged parts and vocals. All this effort resulted in the Quiet Heroes sixth release ANOTHER THROWAWAY PARTY, in memory of departed members D.J. Romino II, Tixie Yanero and Pat McCleary, and as a tribute to the 30th anniversary of the Quiet Heroes first release to say thanks to the many friends and fans who have supported them along the way. Released on both cd and 12" vinyl in November of 2019, ANOTHER THROWAWAY PARTY is a time machine which takes us back to the youthful spirit and variety of style and sound of their early period.