Jennifer Burnes is an important member of the Mermen family. She was the bass player for the Mermen from 2001-2006, and continues to make appearances with the band. We love her so much that we have created a place especially for her.
Shig is another close member of the family. A talented drummer, bass player and songwriter, originally from Japan, he formed The Shitones with Jim Thomas many years ago and is the leader of 'Shig and Buzz'. He toured the USA for many years as drummer for Hot Tuna (Jack Casady, Jorma Kaukonen of Jefferson Airplane). He also played with John Lennon's Plastic Ono band and was a prominent member of the G.S. movement in sixties Japan which was the Asian counterpart of the flower-power era. He has been actively playing since the early sixties, coming to the USA in 1971 to expand his musical horizons. Shig was responsible for introducing The Mermen to Japan in 1992, and The Shitones in 2002.
Prairie Prince is currently the drummer for The New Cars and Jefferson Starship, as well as a founding and continuing member of The Tubes. But if you think of some of the most popular musical acts in the last 30 years, he's also worked with many of them; Nicky Hopkins, Ron Wood, George Harrison, Glen Frey, Brian Eno, David Byrne, Tom Waits, Chris Isaak, Dick Dale, and Phil Lesh, to name only a few. As if all this weren't enough, he is also an accomplished painter. Prairie has performed with the Mermen many times and continues to do so whenever our paths cross. Clearly, he is a friend and ongoing supporter of the band.
Vince Littleton played with the Mermen from 1998-2002. He has recorded with such artists as Dr. John, John Lee Hooker, Bonnie Raitt, Rick Danko, Trey Anastasio, John Popper, J.G.B. and Johnnie Johnson. Currently a member of Super Diamond, Vince spent seven years touring and recording with Merl Saunders & the Rainforest Band. Vince is a huge talent and consummate professional with the ability to instantly adapt to whatever style of music is presented to him. Vince also gives drum lessons in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Randy Clark has been called "a master guitarist with a slide style to envy, a vibrato that melts butter..." and we agree. Randy was a member of the Mermen in 1999-2000 and played sarod on "The Amazing California Health and Happiness Roadshow". He is the author of The Alternative Guitar Chord Book (1996). Randy's current musical endeavor is Crowsong.
photo: Lea Suzuki
Mike Silverman (aka "That 1 Guy") played with the Mermen circa 1999-2000 and contributed to "The Amazing California Health and Happiness Roadshow". After putting aside a promising jazz career as an upright bassist, That 1 Guy morphed into one of the most astonishing solo performers you're likely to see the surreal, bombastic, and totally over-the-top one-man band. Silverman's alter-ego uses all four of his limbs (as well as his teeth) to deliver a live set that leaves flabbergasted audiences wondering, "Whoa, who spiked the punch?"
Joe Goldmark is a highly talented pedal steel guitarist from San Francisco in the tradition of Jerry Garcia who has been dubbed "the legendary Kosher Kowboy, king of psychedelic steel". He is also a partner at the enormously popular Amoeba Music in San Francisco. Joe appeared on the Mermen's "The Amazing California Health and Happiness Roadshow".
photo: R. Foothorap
Paulo Baldi is an American drummer/percussionist from the San Francisco Bay Area. He has been a member of Cake, Les Claypool's Fancy Band, Deadweight and the Eric McFadden Trio among others. Paulo played the conga drums on the song "Burn" on "The Amazing California Health and Happiness Roadshow".
Johannes Luley is a music producer, engineer and composer and owns mysonictemple, a studio based in Los Angeles, CA. Johannes served as "mixer extraordinaire" and co-produced "The Amazing California Health and Happiness Roadshow".
Joe Mirante plays a mean theramin. Dubbed "St. Joe of Rock and Roll" because of his tremendous generosity, Joe's first love is the drumkit and he is a powerful drummer. He also is an obsessive collector of drums of all kinds. He grew up in San Francisco and spent most of his childhood at Playland at Ocean Beach. He saw and was influenced musically by all of the great 60's bands in Golden Gate Park and the Haight Ashbury, most notably Jimi Hendrix--which is one of the reasons he loves the Mermen. Joe has also been called "Joe Presley" because he is an amazing Elvis impersonator. Always ready with a smile or a helping hand, there is just not enough good things to say about Joe.
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