Welcome to another Weekend Warrior profile, where we chat to a fellow keyboard player on the front lines of music making. If you’d like to be profiled yourself, here’s how.
Say hi to Sheldon! He’s a San Franciscan who loves his 80s music and has some great insights delivered in an incredibly positive way – we can all use more positivity!
Band Name
What genres / eras does your band cover?
The most decadent decade of all…. the 80s!
How many years have you been playing gigs?
More than thirty years. Started playing live venues during the mid 80s, took a hiatus in 1993 when rock & roll died, going strong since 2008 after achieving a stable life/career.
What inspired you to become a keyboard player in the first place?
I grew up taking dreaded piano lessons on a promise of an electric piano! Even back as a child it wasn’t ‘cool’ to be anything other than a long-haired guitar player. Then back in 1977, the most influential sound came via disco’s “I Feel Love” by Donna Summer where the sequenced Moog bassline hit home with its strobe light quality.. followed up by Giorgio Moroder’s ‘Chase’ which forever seduced me into the world of analog synthesizers. The track was so powerfully mesmerizing, it brings a grin to me even today when it plays!
What is the keyboard rig you currently use when gigging?
With a focus on minimalism on stage, my main rig for the past 9 years consists of a Korg Kronos X 73 and Nord Electro 5D 61. The goal has been to have the exact same rig regardless of the venue size. For larger gigs, a duplicate rig stands ready for the sake of redundancy.
I also use an Alesis Vortex remote to trigger the Kronos. Since it comes out only for a few tunes, I usually will drag it on a 20-foot MIDI cable for reliability as running it wireless has caused MIDI errors due to the dynamic, unpredictable RF environment. When running on a cable, I’ve learned to carabiner everything to the costume to avoid getting unexpectedly unplugged.
Due to the logistics involved for fly-in gigs, starting in 2022, I created an alternative rig consisting of an HP laptop running VSTs hosted by Camelot Pro, a Focusrite 4i4 interface, and a Studiologic SL73 weighted controller. The VSTs include Arturia 9, Korg Collection 5, and Sonic State OBX. I will also use the Vortex remote as another controller for larger gigs.
Both rig options are routed to the same set of pedals: one classic Yamaha FC4 damper for sustain [reverse polarity], one compact Yamaha FC5 for click track activation [reverse polarity], and a Hammond compact assignable for Leslie speed control or patch advancement.
All sounds are sent in stereo to FOH via Radial Engineering direct boxes.
Holding either option up is an original triangle extrusion Ultimate Support AX48 stand from the 80s [I have five to rotate]. All have been custom modified to carry power distribution, micro format headphone mixer to mix in locally generated click tracks, LED accent lighting and for the Nord, the top tier has been modified to hold it at an ideal 20-degree slope. Although the 40-year-old stand design is stellar in use and durability, the available factory lightweight zip case is a complete fail. I’ve had a custom zip case [52″ length] created out of padded ballistic nylon that has now survived 400+ gigs.
I’ve also traveled extensively with SKB ATA-rated hard cases for both air and land. You cannot beat their lifetime warranty while changing out many sets of worn-out roller wheels throughout the years.
Much industry discussion has been made concerning the tangibility of the dated Kronos platform since it was discontinued and internal parts are no longer supported. This year’s breaking news of the Kronos 3 reissue is delightful although it was my hope Korg would eventually license out the Linux platform albeit 32-bit to be able to run on any current laptop. Many VST users don’t realize the hosts available today [Gig Performer, Mainstage, Camelot, Steinberg] may all be running 64 bits @ mega CPU speeds yet are all running on a single core. This fact defeats the performance advantages one might assume. The Kronos patch-to-patch transition time is still more reliable and consistent than my VST rig and it has never once crashed loading patches. This single criterion is paramount for live gigging!
Is there a piece of gear you’re lusting after?
Today we are all lucky to have technology on our side allowing everyone access to the most potent music-making instruments at our fingertips and budget. I’ve lived through the era where the legends of gear porn envy could only be experienced through the pages of Keyboard magazine [Contemporary Keyboard at the start]. The break occurred in 1982 with the release of Korg’s Polysix at under $2K yet for me, it didn’t start till 1983 with the ubiquitous Roland Juno 60. A plethora of multi-keyboards arrayed on Ultimate Support A-frame stands followed: Crumar, Sequential, Oberheim, Yamaha DXs, Chromas, Korgs, Rolands of all variants ridiculously peppered stages. Yes, it was common to replace gear every few months due to rapid technology growth back then and getting a second mortgage was required to afford the trend. Fast forward today: I’ve yet to reach the potential of my 14-year-old rig! Yes, I’ll modestly proceed within the VST world and hold out for the possible day Korg will license the Kronos platform as a Linux option.
Aside from keys duties, do you have other roles in the band?
For smaller gigs, I am also responsible for running sound. Made possible by monitoring the FOH feed in my in-ears and the game-changing digital mixer technology today. Also, since Careless Whisper 1980s live is a national act with a parallel team based on the East Coast, I am responsible for combining talent from both coasts together for interstate gigs and providing back-line gear logistics for each unique venue.
Most memorable gig you’ve played and why was it memorable?
Pier 39 San Francisco Fleet Week 2019 was epic due to being the very last non-military band to play the venue due to COVID.
However, one of the most humbling gigs was a typical outdoor summer festival in Grover Beach in 2022. A gentleman waited patiently at the end to thank the band for helping his family. He explained his mother suffered from a severe case of long-term dementia/depression and thought visiting the venue with her would be routine. To his astonishment, she was captivated by the show, showing an emotion her family had not seen in five years nor thought possible….a vivid smile, glowing happiness, and tears of joy.
Has anything ever gone spectacularly wrong for you at a gig that you’re happy to share?
Climbing onto an elevated stage platform to start a large ticketed show only to step on my in-ears and destroy them, realizing the spare set is safely stowed in the green room several floors down and the show must go on….
One thing is for sure: playing live doesn’t afford anyone a second take and stuck/hung MIDI notes off of a controller or failing in-ear monitors can and will happen at some point… be prepared with a smile and another smile…
Are there songs you love or hate to play?
I never get tired of playing “Video Killed the Radio Star.” It’s such a timeless interactive crowd pleaser! It also was the very first video MTV aired introducing the absolutely iconic 80s! I’ve had great fun deeply studying the sounds and techniques of the incomparable Geoff Downes as he wrote and performed it with Trevor Horn/Bruce Woolley as The Buggles.
Who are your keyboard player inspirations and why?
Rich Tancredi: The captivating sound of 80s dance clubs can be summed up with Taylor Dayne’s “Tell It to My Heart” and “Prove Your Love.” This guy masterfully recorded the multitracks which left me many sleepless nights playing it half-speed on my modified cassette player to decode the magic back then…. absolutely epic work, and he is a stellar humble guy to this day!
The late Vitalij Kuprij: Brilliant awe-inspiring performance prodigy and all-around great guy… miss you, Bud!
Jordan Rudess: No explanation required. I watched his first video, learned how to properly pitch-bend solos, and mastered the nuance of padding.
David Bryan: Julliard-trained 100% badass multi-keyboardist. I met him in 1983 while they played ‘The Rigger’ club still doing covers and content for their soon-to-be-released debut album: Bon Jovi. His advice to a novice then? Practice Hanon exercises daily, work on your voice, and focus on the skill of actually playing a keyboard versus getting caught up in the impending keyboard gear technology.
Giorgio Moroder: See above references; nothing more addictive than his sequencers and Moog filter manipulations.
Finally, nothing captivates the raw drive of rock & roll like the works/sounds of the late Jon Lord. Even today, his iconic over-driven Hammond C3 is the holy grail sound to die for!
Fantasy time: you get a call from your favourite band of all time, asking you to play keys next week at their gig. Who is that band and how would you pull it off?
Trans-Siberian Orchestra, one of the best stage shows to experience featuring two top-notch keyboard players. I would spend every waking moment shadowing the legendary Jane Mangini and Luci Butler.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Playing live shows has been a lifelong healthy obsession, hopefully to continue. Always looking forward to learning new styles such as Ragtime and Funk on a real Clavinet.
Your 5 Desert Island Discs
- Giorgio Moroder: Theme from Midnight Express
- Boston: Boston – timeless tracks with the uber-talented Tom Scholz’s smokin’ B3 organ
- Deep Purple: Machine Head
- Bon Jovi: Slippery When Wet
- Mysterious Traveler: Weather Report
Anything else you’d like to add?
Thank you Keyboard Chronicles for the opportunity to share my story! It’s been such a rewarding muse! I wholeheartedly encourage anyone to experience it for themselves! Playing keyboards live has been an evolutionary journey – far from just playing; it’s become a way of life. As a collective, we as musicians are ambassadors to music, giving voice to democratic ideals, to the powerful and powerless, across borders and beyond barriers, and to generations of citizens – from all walks of life – worldwide. Godspeed!
