To Go Our Own Way

When The Titans! did their final show in 1992 my brothers had nearly 20 years of playing and performing music together.  Wow!  What a ride!  Rich and famous?  No.  Hit singles in circulation on the air waves or Internet?  No. 

Heck, I didn't even get to rejoin my brothers on stage for one last display of glory with a funky guitar rhythm or backing vocal harmony. 

I see now how people line up around buildings for auditions and I have got to shake my head; hundreds of people sometimes thousands, just to get maybe an hour of what my brothers and I struggled with during our lives.  Do you know that you guys are crazy?  Yes, I said struggle, the music business isn't easy.  It's easy to become misguided and prideful.  Now and days the odds of "making it" with your own music must be like those of winning the lottery and that's if you're really, really good.  Otherwise, you play for club owners or you're background music at some function or event; people telling you to turn it down all the time gets old too.

On the other hand…….despite the gazillion road trips, vehicular breakdowns, equipment failures, money shortages, and nameless other difficulties, The Titans! succeeded in spreading joy, happiness, and a sense of freedom to most all those who heard the live performances.   I don't think the band ever missed a show - that in itself is amazing.  I'll bet if you polled every musician who ever performed as a member of The Titans! and asked if they would do it all over again if they could, they would.   For this, we all are richly blessed.

But for now, like every musician that ever did a show or two or three with us, my brothers were faced once again with that ultimate, existential question of conscience: where does my life go from here?

Brothers (L to R) Daniel, Gary, Marc, and Ken Geraci (1983)

The Titans! 1991-1992, Final days

The Titans! -1991 (Full time cover band with an occasional original show) 

Members:  

Ken Geraci-guitar, songwriter, vocals

Daniel Geraci-bass, songwriter, vocals

Marc Geraci-drums

Glen Barnes-lead vocals

Omar Madani-keyboards, vocals

Events:

• Scott Linhardt and Arnaud Robin leave the band
• Glen Barnes rejoins group
• Omar Madani joins group
• At the request of clients, the band begins to play more country western cover tunes, especially Garth Brooks
• Band plays the most shows during this year averaging 4-5 shows a week reaching our peak in popularity
• Cassandra and Evette from San Antonio, TX become regular fans of the group and make several video recording of our shows at Billy Marbles and Sonova Beach
• The band meets San Antonio Spur David Robinson and his younger brother at Sonova Beach, Daniel Geraci gets his autograph
• Ken Geraci gets married in July

Memorable Shows: 

• Sonova Beach, San Antonio, TX 
• Billy Marbles on the Riverwalk, San Antonio, TX
• Marriot lounge Dental Hygienist Convention, San Antonio, TX
• Steamboat, Austin, TX
• A Jewish Wedding Reception (band played a "spirited" version of Hava Nagilah)
• An Indian Wedding Reception
• Prom Parties in Dallas and Houston, TX
• Maggie Maes, Austin, TX
• Toulouse, Austin,TX
• Sam’s Boat –Houston, TX
• Sherlocks-Houston, TX
• Shows in Galveston, TX
• Shows in Freeport, TX
• Shows in Bay City, TX
• Shows in Lubbock, TX
• Shows in Dallas, TX
• Shows in Lackland Air Force base San Antonio, TX
• New Year’s Eve Party, Houston, TX

The Titans! -1992 (Part-time cover band)

Members:  

Ken Geraci-guitar, songwriter, vocals

Daniel Geraci-bass, songwriter, vocals

Marc Geraci-drums

Glen Barnes-lead vocals

Omar Madani-keyboards, vocals 

Events: 

• Ken Geraci's son Steven Geraci was born in January 1992
• The band decides to scale back their shows and just play high dollar private parties
• Ken and Daniel Geraci form Adams and Whitaker music talent agency as an experimental side project
• Burn-out from playing cover tunes and out of town shows begins to set in
• Daniel and Ken Geraci seek employment outside the music industry
• We played our last show as The Titans! on December 31, 1992

Memorable Shows: 

• Private parties for lawyers and actuaries, Houston, TX
• Private Christmas Party
• Last show was a New Year’s Eve Show, Houston, TX.  Thanks to Jon Barret for taking the video footage.  John Blankenship was there as well.

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

Running Sound (and from my brothers)

The Titans! were getting multi-night gigs in San Antonio on a regular basis now so my brothers asked if the band could crash out at my place between shows. 

Somehow it was in this arrangement that I got recruited into the paid position of running sound for the band.  Yes, I kept my day job and so this was purely "fun" money but a soundman goes wherever the band goes, in my case Houston, Galveston, San Antonio, Austin, Oklahoma, and many places in-between.  My duties didn't require any Austin area rehearsals in-between shows, the Titans! would just give me the dates and I would show up to work in time for the sound check.   

My predecessor soundmen were family friends like John Blankenship, heck, I think Jon Barret might have also run sound when the band gigged in Houston; he certainly videotaped the band a time or two.

One "runs" sounds via a long cord and mixing board set up in the back of the room.   If the band is too loud, someone usually lets the sound guy know.

Titans soundboard and effect rack, 1992

A reliable sound guy keeps the band focused on making music rather than having to constantly go out into the audience, listening, and worrying about the band's sound levels.  Too loud, too soft, turn this singer up, turn that one down, add more drums into the mix, more reverb, less of that offending frequency causing feedback, etc.  Associated duties might also include running the lights.  


Running sound also meant running the band's monitoring system.   If they're low, the band doesn't hear themselves singing on stage relative to the volume of the live instruments.  Band members wildly flailing their fingers and arms in the upward direction was a pretty good indicator that the monitor volume needed to go up. 

It was a challenge pleasing everyone in the band with individual monitor levels but we tried having fun with it anyway.  On one occasion, one of my brothers dropped his guitar, jumped off the stage and came running after me full speed because he thought I was purposely dropping his monitor level just to irritate him.  Now why would I do something like that? 

When the show's over, the sound guy becomes a roadie, rolling up the long cord now possibly covered with alcoholic beverages of all sorts, other gross liquids - you name it, etc.  Oh yeah, parking to a down-town club venue is notoriously bad for a band and so getting equipment in and out is always a hassle; try dragging your luggage through an Austin 6th street alley at about 3 in the morning  and notice how it smells afterwards.

All in all it was just like old times, all of us brothers together again and on the music scene.   I would even get introduced during the final act of the night as "the guy running sound in the back, brother Gary Geraci."  The fact that there were four brothers involved in the show always drew a good round of applause from our audiences, which of course, we enjoyed receiving.  

However, deep down, I had this unsatisfied urge to get up on stage and perform music. 

The Titans! 1989-1990, Jam days

The Titans! -1989 (Transitional year from original group to cover band)

Members: (1st half of the year) 

Ken Geraci-guitar, songwriter, vocals

Daniel Geraci-bass, songwriter, vocals

Marc Geraci-drums

Steve Snyder-vocals

Members: (2nd half of the year) 

Ken Geraci-guitar, songwriter, vocals

Daniel Geraci-bass, songwriter, vocals

Marc Geraci-drums

Scott Linhardt-vocals

Events: 

• Mom Geraci's 1st cousins Kathy and Jeanie Carr lived in Los Angeles and had connections in the entertainment industry
• They had submitted our demo tape and headshots to various studios  
• One studio was interested in the band’s look and wanted us to audition for a Coca Cola commercial
• The entire band drove to Los Angeles to audition for the Coke commercial. 
• We happened to see Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers at the audition along with many other groups 
• Steve Snyder leaves the band 
• Scott Linhardt joins the band
• Band makes the transition to a cover band in the fall of 1989, agent Charlie Hatchett begins booking shows for us
• Band makes first road trip to Oklahoma City in November of 1989
• Gary Geraci mixes sound for the band for the first time
• Band meets singer of band that Black Oak Arkansas and perform  "Jim Dandy to the Rescue”

Memorable Shows: 

• Steamboat, Austin, TX
• The Back Room, Austin, TX
• Liberty Lunch, Austin, TX
• The Cannibal Club, Austin, TX
• UT Cactus Cafe, Austin, TX
• Sneakers (San Antonio, TX)
• Several shows in Oklahoma City

The Titans! -1990 (Full time cover band with an occasional original show)

Members:  

Ken Geraci-guitar, songwriter, vocals

Daniel Geraci-bass, songwriter, vocals

Marc-Geraci-drums

Scott Linhardt-vocals

Arnaud "Matrix" Robin-keyboards, vocals

Events: 

• Talent agent Debbie Murphy began booking the band in San Antonio, TX
• Band plays 3 to 4 times a week in San Antonio, TX
• Gary Geraci, living in San Antonio, TX begins to regularly run sound
• The band plays in front of thousands of people for a big outdoor St. Patrick’s day party at a Coco Beach in San Antonio
• Super fan Arnaud Robin joins the band
• Roger Bailey temporarily joined group for a couple of shows

Memorable Shows: 

• Clubs along St. Mary’s Street in San Antonio including
• Coco Beach, Sonova Beach, Tycoon Flats, Buckos,
• Marriot Lounge River walk, San Antonio, TX
• Billy Marbles on the River walk, San Antonio, TX
• Sneakers, San Antonio, TX
• Steamboat, Austin, TX
• Maggie Maes, Austin, TX
• Toulouse, Austin, TX
• 1950s revival party in Laredo, TX
• Multiple wedding receptions, college fraternity parties, high school proms (Texas)

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

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!