Troy Gregory

Troy Gregory
Troy Gregory performing at the Detour Magazine launch party in mid-2007
Background information
Origin	Detroit, Michigan
Genres	Rock
Instruments	bass, drums, guitar, vocals
Years active	1990–Present
Associated acts	Flotsam & Jetsam, Prong, The Dirtbombs

Troy Gregory (born November 13, 1966 in Detroit, Michigan) is a singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, filmmaker and solo artist. He is best-known for his work with The Dirtbombs, Prong, and The Witches.

Chronology

1978 —- while still in grade school started first band with drummer Mike Alonso ( Electric Six, Bantam Rooster, Katmandu, Five Horse Johnson ) and Matthew Smith ( Outrageous Cherry, Volebeats ). ^[1]

1984 —- played bass, keyboard, and sang in Criminal with guitarist Douglas Pulvirenti (Cinema Blue) and drummer Paul Pulvirenti (Elliott Smith, Telephone, No. 2, Atomic 61, Godwads)

1986 —- was one of the top choices for Metallica after bassist Cliff Burton died. ^[2]

1987 —- played bass for L.A. punk group Wasted Youth with drummer Joey Castillo ( Queens Of The Stone Age ). ^[3]

1987 —- recorded and toured with Arizona metal band Flotsam and Jetsam. ^[4]

1990 —- recorded and toured with New York industrial metal band Prong ^[5]

1991 —- played bass on the album Love Of Life by New York group Swans led by Michael Gira of Young God Records. ^[6]

1992–-2008 —- moved back to Detroit and formed The Witches, ^[7] who were considered a key group in the new wave of Detroit rock. Members included John Nash ( Johnny Nashinal of Electric Six ), Phil Skarich ( LCD Soundsystem, Deadstring Brothers ) and Eugene Strobe ( The Sights, Paul Green School Of Rock). The group released four albums; a fifth remains unreleased. The Witches performed at the Detroit Film Theatre for the premiere of Detroit rock documentary It Came From Detroit ^[8]

1996 —- was invited by Killing Joke to replace original bassist Youth ( Paul McCartney, producer ) for their European Democracy tour. ^[9]

1998 —- played bass for Simon Bonney ( Crime and The City Solution ) along with Matthew Smith , drummer Jim White ( The Dirty Three ) and guitarist Chuck Prophet ( Green On Red ) . Two songs were featured in the Denis Leary film Underworld. The album Eyes Of Blue remains unreleased. ^[10]

1998 —- played violin, bass and guitar with Kim Fowley ( Alley Oop, Kiss, The Runaways, Helen Reddy ) for the recording Michigan Babylon and a live performance that ended with Fowley being attacked. ^[11]

1998 —- played bass on the album Larval 2 with avant garde guitarist Bill Brovold ( John Zorn, Rhys Chatham). ^[12]

1999–-2000 and 2003–-2008 —- played bass, fuzz bass, violin, cello, drums and vocals with The Dirtbombs. Spin magazine named The Dirtbombs one of the top ten best live bands in the world. ^[13] Performed at Cannes Film Festival at party for the Julian Schnabel film The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. ^[14] Played the Diego Rivera court at the Detroit Institute Of Arts. ^[15]

2002 —— released solo album Sybil. The recording featured Troy backed by thirteen different Detroit groups including The Dirtbombs, Electric Six ( then called The Wildbunch ), Bantam Rooster, Slumber Party, Larval, Outrageous Cherry, The Come Ons and The Volebeats. ^[16]

2003–-2004 —— music featured at New York's Giant Art Space exhibit on Detroit along with that of Motown, Iggy Pop and Derrick May. ^[17]

2004 —— released second solo album Laura. Gregory played all instruments on the album, which he co-produced with Jim Diamond of Ghetto Recorders.^[18]

2006 —— toured and recorded with Detroit R & B legend Nathaniel Mayer. The album Why Don't You Give It To Me was named album of the month by Julian Cope. The recording also featured Dan Auerbach (The Black Keys), Dave Shettler ( SSM, The Sights ) and Matthew Smith. ^[19]

September 2008 —— Announced his departure from The Dirtbombs to record and perform as a solo artist. ^[20] Wrote, directed, edited and scored first feature film World War Love. ^[21]

Discography

With The Witches

• Let's Go To the No Go Zone (1998, Pushover Records)
• Universal Mall (2000, Fall of Rome Records)
• On Parade (2002, Fall of Rome Records)
• Thriller (2006, Music For Cats)

With The Dirtbombs

• Dangerous Magical Noise (2003, In The Red Records)
• Billiards at Nine Thirty (2005, Sounds Subterrania)
• If You Don't Already Have a Look (2005, In The Red Records)
• We Have You Surrounded (2008, In The Red Records)

As Troy Gregory

• Sybil (2002, Fall of Rome Records)
• Laura (2004, Fall of Rome Records)

With Nathaniel Mayer

• Why Don't You Give It To Me (2007), Alive Natural Sound Records
• Why Won't You Let Me Be Black (2009),Alive Natural Sound Records

With Denise James

• It's Not Enough To Love, (2004, Rainbow Quartz)

With Monster Island

• Dream Tiger, (2001, End Is Here)

With Larval

• Larval 2, (1998, Knitting Factory)

With Medusa Cyclone

• Medusa Cyclone, (1995, Third Gear)

With Flotsam and Jetsam

• No Place for Disgrace (1988, Roadrunner Records/ Elektra Records)
• When the Storm Comes Down (1990, MCA Records)

With Prong

• Prove You Wrong (1991, Epic Records)

With Swans

• Love of Life (1992, Young God Records)

With Spiritualized

• "A & E" (2008, Fontana Records)

Notes

1. ^ E. Doster, Metro Times (Detroit) 2/11/2004
2. ^ Chris Ingham and Tommy Udo, Metallica: Nothing Else Matters: The Stories Behind the Biggest Songs, Thunder's Mouth Press, 2003, ISBN 1560255366, 9781560255369
3. ^ M. Giannini, Metro Times (Detroit), 5/2/2001
4. ^ Garry Sharpe-Young New Wave of American Heavy Metal, Zonda Books Limited, 2005 ISBN 0958268401, 9780958268400
5. ^ Joel Gausten, Prong: The Early Years, 2007
6. ^ Official Swans website http://www.swans.pair.com/DISCOGRAPHY/lol.html
7. ^ M. Gianni, Metro Times (Detroit), 10/25/2000
8. ^ B. Megargel, The Michigan Daily, 10/26/2006
9. ^ official Killing Joke website biography
10. ^ W. Wasacz, Metro Times (Detroit), 2/2/2005
11. ^ Official Kim Fowley website http://www.kimfowley.net/victories/detroit.htm
12. ^ JazzOnCd.de website
13. ^ Aaron, Charles, et al. "The 25 Greatest Live Bands Now!" Spin Sep. 2006: page 74.
14. ^ D. Hayes, A. James, Variety online, 5/23/2007
15. ^ The Detroiter, 10/18/06
16. ^ E. Doster, Metro Times (Detroit), 2/11/2004
17. ^ http://www.giganticartspace.com/dtroit/313_jukebox.html
18. ^ "E. Doster, Metro Times (Detroit), 2/11/2004"
19. ^ Julian Cope, http://www.headheritage.co.uk/unsung/albumofthemonth/1885
20. ^ Melody Baetens, Detroit News, 8/15/2008 http://info.detnews.com/redesign/blogs/melodyblog/index.cfm?category=Local%20bands
21. ^ C. Handyside, Metro Times (Detroit), 9/24/2008

External links

• Troy Gregory and the Stepsisters Official Site