Biography + Timeline

* Myspace * Facebook * Twitter * Reverbnation * ilike *

~Fun lovin Indie Folk-core duo featuring Paleface himself and darling drummer Mo~ PALEFACE Short Bio: More than a decade since his last major label release and collapse from alcohol abuse, PALEFACE, a founding member of NYC's Anti-folk movement, is back with his Ramseur Records full length debut, The Show Is On The Road, "songs you'd be glad to hum for the rest of the day" PASTE..    Soon after the record released in April 2009 it landed on the CMJ top 200 charts and PASTE Magazine featured PALEFACE as "Band Of The Week".  The Show Is On The Road is an intimate, 11-song diary that transcends genres with its ingenuous lyrics and deceptively unassuming style -  just Paleface on acoustic guitar and harmonica, his girlfriend Monica "Mo" Samalot on drums and backing vocals, and special performances by friends including The Avett Brothers.  Paleface is the sort of artist who brings you into his world. His voice is sweetly ravaged and effortlessly expressive, as intimate as a friend whispering in your ear. The album is a farewell love letter to his longtime home, New York City, and an embrace of his new life in the South and on the road with darling "Mo".  Paleface was discovered at an NYC open mic in 1990 by Danny Fields (The Stooges, The Ramones, MC5).  He soon became the first Antifolk (NYC Neofolk) artist signed to major labels (Sire Records, Polydor Records), followed by college radio hits and national tours with the likes of Billy Bragg and The Breeders.  While hanging around the Lower East Side with his then roommate and close pal Beck, Paleface became a major influence on Beck's early work... "A great songwriter, a generous friend, and a big influence on my early stuff", Beck on Paleface (American Music-Annie Leibovitz). After touring with The Breeders, PF collapsed and nearly died from alcohol.  Following long recovery & cleansing  PF returned to NYC's Antifolk scene and befriended a new breed of artists (The Moldy Peaches, Regina Spektor, and Langhorne Slim among others).  Paleface became a major source of influence and inspiration to many of them.  After finishing a  self released record, (Just About To Burn), which featured drummer Monica 'Mo' Samalot, PF met The Avett Brothers...who fell in love with it "My favorite all-time record by a friend" (Seth Avett).  They developed a strong bond based on respect and admiration for eachothers work.  Paleface often shares the stage with The Avetts, and his songwrting, vocals and/or insrumentation are featured on three of the Avett's records.  PALEFACE, along with his darling drummer Monica 'Mo' Samalot, has been charming audiences from coast to coast with their dynamic performances, honest and refreshing lyrics and their raw yet full sound.   They have also been performing at festivals such as Shakori Hills (NC), Floyd Fest (VA), Pickathon (OR), Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion (TN-VA), and Riverbend Festival (TN),  among others.  PALEFACE Timeline: -1989 Paleface meets Daniel Johnston. Daniel teaches him how to write songs and Paleface begins to make home tapes, which in the following years will evolve into sought after underground bootlegs. -1990 Roommates and burgeoning songwriters, Paleface and Beck hang out in the Lower East Side, NYC. Danny Fields (The Stooges, The Ramones, MC5, The Doors, etc.) discovers him at Lach's Anti-hoot and signs on as his manager. -1991 Polydor signs Paleface to a major label deal; he writes and records his first album, which includes some of his college radio hit Burn and Rob and There's Something About A Truck among others. -1992 Paleface is excited for his first album tour, but is mismatched with tour mates The Judybats and then The Crash Test Dummies. Not long after, he tours with Billy Bragg and gains his own following laying the foundation for his grass roots fan base. He appears in Rolling Stone and Spin Magazine. -1993 Paleface begins work on his second record, but A & R badgering keeps him awake at night and by the end of 93 he gets dropped because the record company doesn't understand the new songs. -1994 He records Generic America produced by Karmmerfor the indie label Shimmy Disk With the touch of one finger, the producer erases the masters, consequently the record doesn't come out. -1995 The New York Post does a feature article on Paleface in Lisa Robinson's column. Toward the end of 95 he signs to Sire Records. Hanging out behind the bar at Coney Island High Paleface finds out he's been signed to Sire from Jesse Malin, (D-Generation), who had read it in the paper earlier that day. -1996 Sire Records releases Get Off about the same time as Beck's Odelay. Sire doesn't want to compete with the marketing and one month later Paleface is dropped. -1997 A bit disillusioned with the music industry, He begins a spring tour with The Breeders and Lutefisk. Rightfully pissed off they all indulge in too much substance consumption. While touring near Vegas Paleface gets shakes, Lutefisk breaks up soon after, and The Breeders album gets shelved. Paleface collapses, is rushed to the hospital with a failing liver and nearly dies. -1998 Paleface alters his lifestyle and starts the process of restoring his health and well-being. Paleface also begins a very prolific writing period; he produces and records some of his best songs as lo-fi underground bootlegs. -2000 Paleface meets and becomes friends with a new breed of artists which includes The Moldy Peaches, Langhorne Slim, and Regina Spektor at Lach's Antihoot in NYC and releases his famous underground classic The Multibean Bootleg. Vol 1 Paleface also becomes a major influence and source of inspiration to many of them. -2001 Jason Carmer (The Donnas, Run DMC,) and Arion Salazar (Third Eye Blind) invite Paleface out to San Francisco to make a new record, but the sessions are postponed after the events of September 11. PF releases another of his home recordings The Couch Tape and sells out his bootlegs at shows. -2002 Paleface forms a new band called "Paleface & Monkeybone" and they gig around New York. Monkeybone is a vehicle for Paleface to showcase the new songs he's writing faster than the band can learn them. During this period Paleface plays gigs with The Moldy Peaches and other New York emerging rock bands like The Yeah Yeah Yeahs and is introduced to their audiences. -2003 Along with his re-emerging solo career, PF experiments with the Americana sound and forms a new side project Just About To Burn. They release a record, Produced by Paul Kostabi ("Ena") and the band tours London. The crowds love the new songs and the new sound. -2004 Free Your Mellow is recorded and released as a new Paleface solo record -2005 Paleface is invited by The Avett Brothers to their mountain recording hideaway to join in the making of Four Thieves Gone: The Robbinsville Sessions31 songs are recorded including 5 songs written by Paleface from which "Dancin Daze" is chosen for the final release. Later that year Multi-bean Vol.2 is compiled and released. -2006 I Just Wanna Play Guitar is recorded with old friends Momotaro, Julian Summerhill, and Paul Kostabi. It is Released in Germany on the trash/punk rock label Wanker Records. -2007 Paleface (and darling drummer Monica "Mo" Samalot) hit the road and tour parts of the East Coast. They are both featured on The Avett Brothers record Emotionalism -2008 Paleface releases A Different Story and continues National Tour with Monica "Mo" Samalot. They also perform at festivals such as Floyd Fest, Pickathon, Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival and Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion -2009 Paleface's releases full length "The Show Is On The Road on Ramseur Records (The Avett Brothers, the Everybodyfields, Bombadil, Samantha Crain and The Midnight Shivers, and others) PALEFACE is currently touring the US and working on a follow-up record.  Please stay tuned... www.myspace.com/PalefaceOnline