Going to Hollywood

I also had a few hours off back then to enjoy a night or two in Old San Antonio:

• I was able to follow this great basketball team in town known as the San Antonio Spurs and developed a real admiration for one of its newest star players, center David Robinson, a civil engineering graduate from the US Naval Academy.

• I got to see this great blues guitarist perform outside downtown San Antonio named Stevie Ray Vaughan (La Semana Alegre, Hemisphere Park, April 25, 1990.)  I'll never forget the opening and smoking instrumental piece, Testify; Mr. Vaughan's silk shirt blowing in the wind and the crowd, gaping opened mouth in amazement.

In those days I had only been repressing what someone in 2011 might call an "American Idol" like ambition for fame and stardom; it was destined to resurface sooner or later. 

A fund raising opportunity with the local Public Television Station KLRN came up.  If I would donate a year's worth of cleaning services, the station would come out and shoot a mini-commercial for me and I could be in it.  Deal!  A homeowner allowed me the use of her home, one of our housekeeping staff signed up to clean before the camera, and I "starred" in the spot by delivering a catchy tag line at the end.

Though I visibly shook during my line "Where the customer is our Prime Concern!" I was star struck.  Quick as I could, I joined up for acting and modeling classes with Cliff Osmond/John Casablancas, a talent agency of sorts and my sights were set for Hollywood. 

Gary Geraci, 1989

In a few short months I had modeled tuxedos on runway or two, did freeze modelling for a mall clothing store (while resisting juvenile delinquents trying to make me laugh), advertised for a local apartment during a photo shoot "playing" tennis, and acted as a silent juror during a TV commercial for a prominent San Antonio lawyer.  But I wasn't getting to leave the country or for that matter, the city any time soon like to New York, LA, or Paris. Oh yeah, did I say that I wasn't really cut out to act? I just got too nervous with speaking parts and could never make it past the audition, not good.  

Well, that's OK, I needed to stay in San Antonio anyway so that I could continue on with the obligations of my day job and, wait a minute, my brothers' Austin, TX band The Titans! was starting to get famous - in San Antonio!

The Titans! 1986-1988, Ramp-up

The Titans! -1986 (Sound influenced by Austin, TX pop-metal groups)

Members: 

Ken Geraci - guitar, songwriter, vocals

Daniel Geraci-bass, songwriter, vocals

Marc Geraci-drums

Glen Barnes-vocals

Brent Preace-keyboards vocals (Daniel Geraci's friend from Taco Bell)

Events: 

• Raymond Goda became our manager (Ken Geraci's friend from HEB)
• Recorded in the studio again, John Viehweg engineered
• Daniel Geraci became more involved in songwriting
• Had a regular gig on 6th street (Austin, TX) at Sunrise Subs & Deli
• Raymond Goda organized the infamous McNeil party event 
• This was supposed to be the next Lago Party- the band printed up tickets with Marc Geraci and friend John Blankenship selling them for $7 each 
• Two or three other bands were on the billing, but the party was busted by Williamson County Sheriff's Department and the Titans only got to play a few tunes   
• Does one still contact Marc Geraci for a full refund to that busted party?

Memorable Shows: 

• Sunrise Subs & Deli 6th St, Austin, TX (Band Photos)
• Ritz Theater 6th St, Austin, TX
• McNeil mega party, Austin, TX
• Anderson Mill‘s 4th of July Festival (played with Eric Billingsley’s band The Ponies), Austin, TX

The Titans! -1987 (The band went through a Beatles phase, the band's sound reflected this)

Members: 

Ken Geraci- guitar, songwriter, vocals

Daniel Geraci-bass, songwriter, vocals

Marc Geraci-drums

Steve Snyder-vocals

Glen Barnes-vocals

Mike Deleon-vocals

Events: 

• Steve Snyder rejoins the group
• Glen Barnes leaves the band
• Mike Deleon joins the group
• The band starts wearing suits
• November: Brothers Ken, Dan, and Marc Geraci went to New York City to shop demo around  

Memorable Shows: 

• We played our fist TV appearance at Austin Access Station TV Show. We played about 6 songs. 
• The Back Room, Austin, TX 
• Steamboat, Austin, TX

The Titans! -1988 (Our sound became heavier again)

Members: 

Ken Geraci- guitar, songwriter, vocals

Daniel Geraci-bass, songwriter, vocals

Marc Geraci-drums

Steve Snyder-vocals

Mike Deleon-vocals

Events: 

• Recorded new demo in the studio to submit to various record companies
• “Do it Right” was featured on Austin's Glitch Sampler (This one is a compilation of local, Austin TX groups in 1986) and we received favorable reviews 
• Ken and Dan Geraci went to Los Angeles to shop demo around

Memorable Shows: 

• Backroom, Austin, TX (Band Photos) 
• Steamboat, Austin, TX (Band Photos)
• Joe’s Generic Bar, Austin, TX 

Courtesy Marc Geraci. Visit Marc's Soundcloud page for a selection of original music.

Pilgrimage Park

Creating and implementing a good system would be the key to success of my new start-up cleaning company, Prime Concern, Inc.  Keeping expenses low, I rented a 10'x10' windowless laundry closet in the prominently located Century Building (San Antonio,TX) and away I went. 

My favorite cleaning project involved the 1987 Papal visit to San Antonio, Texas. 


The head of the worldwide Roman Catholic Church was coming to my neck of the woods.  You could have even called me a fallen away Catholic but I was still elated.  I was selected to provide the cleaning services to the nearby RV park known as Pilgrimage Park.  Somehow I was inspired by Pope John Paul, II getting out and making the beat, and I was honored to serve travelers and pilgrims coming to see this man, the successor of St. Peter, although I didn't quite make that connection back then.


When it was all said and done, I had front row access to the packed papal mass although the RV camper turnout to Pilgrimage Park was just mediocre.  My staff and I kept the facility spic-n-span as agreed.   Regrettably, the check the promoter (Pilgrimage Park) wrote for payment bounced - I was able to scramble and get everyone paid anyway.

I charged a fair price and paid an above average hourly rate.  Within two years my accountant was congratulating me for being one of his youngest clients to have net sales receipts exceeding $250,000. 

Although I believed in taking care of the customer and employee alike,  at times, either the customer or the employee didn't always take care of me.  Clients would sometimes hire trained staff out from under me and the staff wouldn't always show up when they were scheduled for duty.  This left me to clean the house or lose the client and so I cleaned the house.  If I had understood "offering up" one's suffering I might have persevered a bit a longer but I was getting frustrated and burned-out.