After a Boston childhood of bad new wave/art rock, Origin of Species, and good hardcore/art rock, SORRY, I joined musical idol, MISSION OF BURMA drummer Peter Prescott, and toured/recorded as the guitarist for THE VOLCANO SUNSalong with Bob Weston, recording several albums, most notably Career in Rock produced by Steve Albini.
Years later, living in Los Angeles and ill-advisedly NOT playing music, I found old Boston pal (former
SEBADOH/FOLK IMPLOSIONdrummer) BOB FAYwho encouraged me to play again. We joined forces first with genius poet CURTIS BONNEYand laterDAVID NEWTON (THE MIGHTY LEMON DROPS) on bass and played gigs as Straight to Video.
STV became a last-gasp drinking/social club for a group of LA-inated 30-something pre-myspace post-punk art professionals: professors, writers, architects, slackademics who endured totally unattended gigs at the infamous Chorus Club in K-Town and Friday night drinks at the Roost. (Bad indie rock trivia: Curtis was old SF roommates with Elliott Smith and he invited him to our little Roost scene, hence Smith's song, "The Roost").
After STV fizzled, my musical outlets included helping a young co-worker Nathaniel Fregoso with his band, THE BLOOD ARMI co-produced their albumLIE LOVER LIE). Then I participated in Glenn Branca’s historic LA performance of “Hallucination City” at the Walt Disney Concert Hall. While touring Europe THE BLOOD ARMcrew often listened old STV demos and encouraged me to somehow perform such songs as “Country Lyrics,” "Tie My Shoes," "Camera Adds Ten Pounds," and “Underage Friends.”
Cut to the fall of ’06, I write more songs, start playing singer/songwriter gigs, recording on garageband and form this page calling it "wirgo," based on my trademark salutation, "what is REALLY goin' on?" In May of '08, I recorded the song "DOA" with the help of dear friend and film composer STEVEN ARGILA and TATIANA SIMONIAN.
I plan to keep writing and recording and perhaps even playing out in a real way. I'm super grateful to still have music in my life.
Much love to you all, and thanks for visiting the page,
David A. Kleiler, Jr.
