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Dead Meat’s Tom Clancey featured in new film, ‘Not Fade Away: A Celebration of the Grateful Dead Legacy’

Posted on by thomas.clancey@gmail.com

MARLBORO, NY—In an interview taped at Mazzstock Music Festival, Dead Meat guitarist Tom Clancey shared insight into his experience immersed in the American counter-cultural movement of the Grateful Dead, as shared in the new documentary from Terrapin Sky Media.

The interview was included in the new work directed by immersing film maker Gavin Key of New Hampshire alongside a series of interviews that included Grateful Dead promoter Peter Shapiro, Dark Star Orchestra, photographer Jay Blacksburg and many more.

The film—”Not Fade Away: A Celebration of the Grateful Dead Legacy”—is available for purchase at Terrapin Sky Media.

“Almost 30 years since the death of Jerry Garcia and disbandment of the Grateful Dead, the culture they created is bigger than ever. This feature documentary film explores why the Grateful Dead music, spirit, and legacy will ‘not fade away’ anytime soon,” according to the film’s trailer.

Here’s one of the film’s scenes that feature Tom Clancey and Dead Meat.

Here is the trailer for the film:

A Cultural Passport: Tom Clancey shares musical journey on ‘Sonic Tributaries’ podcast

Posted on by thomas.clancey@gmail.com

NYACK, N.Y.—Broadcasting from The Rock Shop, a community music store, singer and guitarist Tom Clancey shared his musical journey and origin story with the ‘Sonic Tributaries‘ Podcast in one of its debut episodes.

Clancey discussed his bands and the long-and-winding pathway he has taken to becoming a working musician, that now includes time in Dead Meat, SkyDaddy, Danielle Sheri Band, Tom Hartland Collective, Funk 101 and more.

“…Music becomes this cultural passport that gives me entry into these situations—not only entry, but purpose—in situations that I wouldn’t otherwise have had purpose in,” Clancey said. “Sometimes it’s cultural, sometimes it’s just cool people.”

Listen or watch the full episode below:

Dead Meat finishes atop annual Dead Covers Project 2023

Posted on by thomas.clancey@gmail.com

Dead Meat, an electrifying tribute to the Grateful Dead, finished in the top spot of the 2023 installment of Dead Covers Project, an open call for musicians to submit videos covering the iconic band’s extensive catalog.

For the video, Dead Meat let a St. Stephen-into-The Eleven rip in Call Hollow Studio, filmed by Natasha DiMarco and recorded by Ryan Liatsis, who is the also the best guitar player in the band on the keyboards.

The band enjoyed being shared by Grateful Dead to their 700,000 instagram followers and 1.9 million Facebook followers.

This was not the first time Dead Meat has entered a submission for the annual #DeadCoversProject. In 2022, they submitted a China Cat Sunflower/I Know You Rider; a Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo in 2021, and an Uncle John’s Band in 2020. View all the videos and more on the band’s Youtube channel.

Nyack’s The Rock Shop has praise for music educator Tom Clancey

Posted on by thomas.clancey@gmail.com

The Rock Shop, a Nyack-based hub for music community and instruction had recent praise for guitarist and singer Tom Clancey.

Clancey, who performs with Grateful Dead tribute act Dead Meat, original band SkyDaddy and works as solo musician was described as “gentle yet ferocious,” “an amazing musician, teacher, and person.” Tom has been teaching with us here at The Rock Shop for almost 2 years now. We’re all better for it.

“I’m always impressed with his intelligence, likability and musical super powers. I never truly understood how great he really is until we started working together,” Rock Shop owner Dylan Kelehan wrote. “Eventually I understood the beautiful truth of how his powers extend beyond those of his infectious smile and jovial demeanor.” 

“Tom teaches guitar, voice, general music, and beginner ukulele and piano. Stop by the shop to catch the vibes!” the post concludes. The Rock Shop is located at 98 Main Street, Nyack NY, 10960.

Dead Meat musicians Tom Clancey, Steve Jordan talk early influences with Music People Project

Posted on by thomas.clancey@gmail.com

Dead Meat members Tom Clancey and bandmate Stephen Jordan were recently featured in the Music People Project by Michael J. Beckenrich of Thunderbird Ranch Ramble.

A fellow Nyack area resident, Beckenrich’s music blog and accompanying Music People’s Project has interviewed such notable people as Professor Louie (of the Crowmatix); Lee Falco (drummer and curator of The Falcon, Marlboro NY ); and David Budway, among about 30 others.

“Several years ago at a local music club (Maureen’s Jazz Cellar), I stumbled upon Dead Meat – one of the best Grateful Dead cover bands I have ever seen. Their energy and interpretations of the Dead catalog was exactly my flavor. The band has since generated a nice following and playing now regularly in larger NYC area clubs. I sat down and interviewed the band’s two guitar players – Tom Clancey and Steve Jordan – to discuss the Dead cover band scene, their influences and how the band was put together, etc.

For the original article on Thunderbird Ranch Ramble, go here…

SkyDaddy publishes new singles, ‘Far From Home,’ ‘Sunshine at Night’ in 2022

Posted on by thomas.clancey@gmail.com

SkyDaddy published its new singles, “Far From Home” and “Sunshine at Night,” in 2022, returning from a pandemic pause that also featured a performance at the Mazzstock Music Festival in Marlboro NY.

The band will perform at The Falcon in Marlboro NY with our friends Alpha Male Gorillas at their annual Thanksgiving Eve concert. SkyDaddy songwriter, vocalist and bassist Dave Heinz is a member of both bands.

We’re booking shows for March and April 2023 and would love to collaborate.

Dead Covers Project 2020: ‘Uncle John’s Band,’ Performed by my Dead Meat

Posted on by thomas.clancey@gmail.com

Dead Meat had fun earlier this year recording this version of “Uncle John’s Band” for the collaborative Dead Covers Project 2020!

It was a thrill to be featured on the homepage of Dead.net, and also to receive spirited feedback from many in the Grateful Dead family.

Check it out!

Featuring:
Dan Rappaport on vocals and bass
Stephen Jordan on vocals and guitar
Tom Clancey on vocals and guitar
Ryan Liatsis on guitar and keyboard
Kevin Weinberger on drum set
David Krumholtz on percussion

Goodbye 2010s: A Decade Well Lived

Posted on by thomas.clancey@gmail.com

“Reflecting on my efforts to create music, I may not have had much ‘commercial success,’ but as I look back on the years of 2010 to 2019, I believe I will remember them as well lived—certainly enriched by music, and the profound experience of collaboration and community.”
—Tom Clancey

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10101511050774112&set=a.848406863862&type=3&theater

SkyDaddy’s ‘Shook Up’ Premiers on Streaming Services

Posted on by thomas.clancey@gmail.com

SkyDaddy—the New York based independent jam band—has released a catchy new single, “Shook Up,” featuring Danielle Sheri alongside members Tom Clancey, Dave Heinz, Joe North and Pat Agresta.

The song’s happy exploration into a relationship finds the protagonist asking a mysterious counterpart: “You turn back to me, your eyes light up the street—hey, won’t you shine on my next step ’cause I can hardly see…”

“I adore the lyrics by Dave Heinz,” said Tom Clancey, who was gifted the guitar vamp and melodies over a quiet, sunny breakfast table, by forces unknown. “Also, many thanks to my friend, Danielle. I have been a member of her live band for several years, too, and I appreciate her support and talent helping illuminate this track. “

Please check it out:

On Spotify…

www.SkyDadddyMusic.com

Dave Heinz’s Best Lyrics, Ranked By His Peers in Alpha Male Gorillas and SkyDaddy

Posted on by thomas.clancey@gmail.com

When I was 19 and busted by a dorm security guard for having two 12 packs of Heineken concealed inside an acoustic guitar case, soon after Dave Heinz would sing, “Marist Security; I’m so tired of you looking in the guitar case of our lives…”

A true renaissance man— known to captivate a campfire audience by singsonging stories while playing the spoons— Dave one day returned from a college poetry class profoundly evoking our existential conundrum in a poem we still recite at an occasional SkyDaddy show to this day: 

“…We were nothing to begin; Won’t be nothing in the end. We’re never born; we never die … ”

The Other Side of Perspective is a phrase that perhaps recalls the essential yin and yang of my longtime friend and collaborator, Dave Heinz. But from that early track, “Perspective” — to our brand new single we’re releasing this week, “Shook Up” — Dave has exhibited a knack for stirring up emotional feelings in his listeners. 

“…You’re a twelve-hour shift and there ain’t no breaking. I’m putting in a little overtime, if I want to take home a dime; Pack a lunch, no forgetting, you could make a betting man break a sweat in a second.”

[Shook Up, SkyDaddy—out now!]

Ahead of the Alpha Male Gorillas, Mazzstock All Star Band and SkyDaddy show this Thanksgiving Eve, Wednesday, Nov. 27, I asked the members of AMG and SkyDaddy to share their favorite Dave Heinz-lyrics.

The panel…

  • AMG’s Chris Schwind and Vinny Pomarico
  • Joe North and Tom Clancey of SkyDaddy (pictured with Dave Heinz.)

#1): “I’ve got a mind at ease, my pool is 80 degrees, I’ve got a blender and a pile of old CDs…”

Just Enough Wine (SkyDaddy, 2015)

Chris Schwind, “OL Blue Note,” of AMG: Love it cause it just absolutely puts me at a great barbecue where everyone is chilling, swimming, drinking something good and singing along to our favorite old songs that we know every word to.

Vinny Pomarico, “The Don Vincenzo,” of AMG: Dave just paints this imagery of a perfectly sunny day, chillin’, grillin’, hanging with your girl, your friends, your fam’, tunes on the speaker—but it’s just so catchy and put together so well that you actually can imagine days just like that when you’re hearing it.

Honorable mention from Just Enough Wine: “We can go for a ride, the top is off the JEEP, start a bonfire in your soul real quick…”

#2) “Gimme the Popov Cocktail, lickety split hittin’ with the sloppy hot girl.  Stimulate the greatest when I pace this tasteless vacation—I’m lookin’ for sensation.” 

Beach Bum, Alpha Male Gorillas (2010)

The Don Vincenzo: This really captures a moment in time for a lot of the band: just living broke, vagrancy style, at the Jersey shore, barely enough cash to have a few drinks, not even enough to leave a tip, play some ski ball, and hope to find somewhere to stay during the night… It really ties into the chorus well too, which is, “One more shot, I’m too shot to drive.  A place to stay is what I’ve got to find…”

Schwiny: In one sentence it sums up what we used to do at the beach when we were young…

Honorable mention from Beach Bum: “I’m lackin’ legal tender, backpackin’ when it’s crackin’ and I can’t remember. Slippin’ by, sippin’ time, you know I’m not a tippin’ guy—I’m broke at the beach, it’s summer time!”

Editor’s note: I reached out to Anthony DeFraia for comment on this article and he said: “I’m sorry. I’m at work right now. ‘I hope your dog needs expensive surgery.’ That’s a good [Dave lyric].”

#3) “… Not going to work, never gonna get paid again, stay home and watch re-runs of ‘Everybody Loves Raymond’!”

Allergic to Work, Alpha Male Gorillas (2010)

The Don: I love this one for some many reasons. There’s that compound rhyme in the middle that just flows so well and just really drives home the point of the song—which is “fuck work”—and the killer punchline of “Everybody Loves Raymond” has legitimately gotten people to laugh out loud when they first hear it.

#4) “Gathering kindling in your mind; all we need is that spark…”

By The Fire, SkyDaddy (2017) 

Joe North, of SkyDaddy: I love the imagery and how the hard consonants play against each other. 

Clancey: Dave manages to again conjure spirituality and possibility filtered through his life experience, in this case the Mazzstock Music Festival and its epic campfire jams, which inspired this song. 

North: He puts emotion and thought into his craft, And that translates to other aspects about his life. He’s a people person. I’ve seen him entertain one person crowds, to 30 person gatherings, to huge audiences. His passion for performing comes through in whatever he is doing…”

#5) “I can’t stand this modern day electronic tidal wave. I can’t tell if it’s you—or auto consciousness. Are you really you?”

Dinner Time, Alpha Male Gorillas (2012)

The Don: We live in a strange electronic age, and Dave sums it up beautifully in just a few thought-provoking words.

#6) “Green old leprechauns give me financial advise…”

Peyote Redux, Alpha Male Gorillas (2012)

Schwiny: I love it, because first of all, it’s hilarious. Secondly, it’s funny because in that song I kind of repeat whatever he says, and because “green old leprechauns” is longer than other things he says, I could only fit “financial” as the response. I remember the first time we did it, we laughed about it forever.

#7) “Holy Mary, won’t you pour this old man’s misery away.”

Old Man. SkyDaddy (2009). 

North: It’s super powerful… You picture an old man drinking in the dark by a candle or whatever. His imagery is really impressive.

Clancey: This song goes way back to our early in our professional lives, and it’s one of the few we co-wrote the lyrics. I saw the Irish whisky bottle in the kitchen and suggested “St. Jameson will fill your mind with lies, deceptions and good times,” to which Dave completed “like a man of the cloth when the clothes come off, and the lady takes her time…”

AUTHOR’S CHOICE: “We used to go to the Jets game and hang by Gate D, until your old lady read the New York Times piece.”

Old Lady, SkyDaddy (Unreleased)

Clancey: It remains a joy to laugh and sing about our shared life experiences, including being tortured Jets fans during the era of the Gate D scandal, nearby my Dad’s Section 120 tickets.

As Dave wrote…

#8) “I’m asking questions about the Universe. I’m finding that my time is best spent in reverse.”

You Tell Me I’m Crazy, SkyDaddy (2015)