Some of you may remember the very first release by You Were Spiraling. The band I started at William Paterson University in 1993 featured the talented multi-instrumentalist Dave Edwards on drums. Dave played with the group through 1995 and his drumming and violin work was featured in the group’s debut release. I’ve gone on record as saying that we were “onto something” early on, even if the album wasn’t “fully cooked”.
You Were Spiraling (1995): Bob Hart, Dave Edwards, Tom Brislin
Years later, Dave would return to the studio with Spiraling, providing violin for the songs “Enemy” and “Count to Four” on the group’s last release Time Travel Made Easy (2008). He would guest on drums for one of the several Spiraling reunions at Glen Burtnik’s Xmas Xtravaganza, and would drum for my band at the Hurry Up and Smell the Roses vinyl release concert (which also featured future Gold Rotation/Kansas bassist Dan McGowan).
In addition to his mighty skills on drums, Dave is also a fantastic bassist. In the final days of 2024, Dave brought his bass to my new studio for an impromptu jam. Even after 30+ years (woah), Dave and I still share a musical “telepathy” and kinship. I remember that back in college, Dave mentioned that the Kansas album Leftoverture was a musical influence of his. When Dan McGowan took a few weeks off from the band to welcome the birth of his son (congratulations), I thought Dave would be a great choice to fill in on bass. Dave did a fantastic job and played the Kansas music with heart and joy. And he rocked.
Our show in Bradenton, Florida was attended by one of my keyboard heroes. The mighty Patrick Moraz, whose work with Yes on Relayer had a huge impact on my development, took in the show and met with the band after the concert. One of my audition pieces for the YES Symphonic Tour in 2001 was “The Gates of Delirium” from Relayer, the studio album featuring Patrick. Among the many big shoes to fill for that tour, I relished the chance to do a deep dive into his unforgettable keyboard contributions. The Moraz-isms would impact my own style, and that effect would continue when I performed “Sound Chaser” with Spiraling at Calprog 2005.
When I was playing with Renaissance in 2015, Patrick joined us onstage for our encore, “Ashes Are Burning”. We were trading synth solos, and we were both laughing because it was like we were having a conversation in a certain language.
As I’m writing this, I’m seeing a thread develop. Through my life in music, there have been cycles of influence, of kinship, and connection. Even if I’m playing solo, there’s usually some backstory to every musical choice. It’s an ongoing story that includes you, the listener. There’s a connection that would lead you to follow what I’m doing, when there are literally millions of songs that you can listen to at any time. For that, I am grateful.
In Case You Missed it
Here's a nice review of the Kansas concert in Florida on May 2. As always, check kansasband.com for upcoming tour dates.
