Background

Steve and Dave began performing together as the Sound Bytes in 1994. But their respective careers in rock and roll music started long before that.

In the small town of Longview, Washington, a little boy kept playing old 33 rpm records on his grandma's record player and dancing around to the symphonic music until the rest of the family went nuts. Then he'd listen to all the pop songs of the day on the radio and learn all the words and sing along. He loved it! A few years later his parents decided to pick up and move, choosing California as their destination. When they arrived the music on the airwaves was a new style called Rock & Roll. Listening on his antique Graybar radio, the little boy could bring in two stations, KYA and KEWB. Fortunately for him, both played Rock & Roll, (Elvis, Chuck Berry, and Buddy Holly etc.) Once again he learned all the words and sang along. His name was Steve, and he was hooked!

At the same time as that young boy in Washington danced around his grandma’s living room, another little kid was growing up in central California and he had his ear glued to the radio as well. Even though he didn't know what an electric guitar was, he was captivated by the sound of Les Paul and Mary Ford and listened to "How High the Moon" over and over again on his little 45-rpm record player. A few years later these sounds evolved into Rock 'n Roll with the guitars of Elvis' Scotty Moore, Rick Nelson's James Burton, Chuck Berry, Eddie Cochran, and The Ventures!! By this time, the boy decided to quit his dull piano lessons and bought a used Danelectro guitar and a beat up little amp. His name was Dave, and he was determined to be the next big music star!

Fast forward to the early sixties and you find that Steve had learned the basics on guitar (preceded by four years on violin) and was forming a group to play the current hits of the day with the dream of playing at his high school, (Cupertino High, in Cupertino, CA). About fifty miles south, near Monterey, CA, Dave had already put together a band and was playing for county fairs, youth centers, schools, talent shows, and even night clubs, while attending high school during the day.

Steve got his group together and named them The Zu, played his high school and lots of other places, renamed the group Goodie Two Shoes, and kept growing in popularity around the San Francisco Bay area until 1972. At that point, taking a cue from Sha Na Na, Steve developed a Surf-band concept modeled after the Beach Boys and named it PaPa Du Run Da Run (later to morph into PaPa Doo Run Run). They began doing assembly/concerts at high schools throughout the state, and by 1975 were well known by thousands of teenagers up and down California. The band also had a single out titled “Sunshine Music/Healthy Lady” that was picked up and used on a compilation album by Jan & Dean. By this time, Steve could consider music his actual profession.

Dave achieved some success with a band called The Cobras playing the world famous Coconut Grove Ballroom in Santa Cruz, opening for the likes of Dobie Gray and The E-Types. The Cobras also released a record called "I'm Hurtin'" that received airplay on local radio stations. His musical career was interrupted by two years in the Marines, but upon his return, Dave became a founding member of "Snail", a popular Santa Cruz band that shared the stage with major acts, such as John Mayhall's Blues Breakers, The People, Clear Light, and H.P. Lovecraft. While all this was going on, Dave began tinkering with guitars and amps, and experimenting with multi-track tape recording of original music, as well as session guitar work.

At one particular session in 1973, a fellow musician came in to a San Jose recording studio with his new wife and wanted to record a song she had written about her native Canada. He couldn't get through a complete take on guitar without making a mistake so Dave, who had just finished recording a demo of an original song, offered to help out. He nailed the take on the first try. That other musician with the wife was Steve, and he was very impressed with Dave's ability.

They became friends immediately and kept in touch while each was pursuing their separate goals in the world of music, and from then on whenever Steve needed the services of an outstanding guitar player he called on Dave. He also relied on Dave to fix his equipment when it broke down, because by this time, Dave had also become very proficient at keeping vintage guitars and amps, especially Fenders, up and running.

In 1994 Steve became musically restless. This had happened before, in 1975, and he dropped out of PaPa Doo Run Run for five years to play in two different groups he put together (The Sun with Good News, and Circus) attempting to create a new sound. They never measured up to his expectations and Steve was invited back to PaPa Doo Run Run in 1980. The years in PaPa were great. They played Disneyland in the summers and toured throughout the nation during the other three seasons. They became known across America as a great “Surf/Party Band”. But, after 14 years, it was 1994 and an opportunity came up that piqued his interest. One of his former high school teachers asked if Steve would perform for a senior all night party at his old high school. Having toyed with the idea of a one man musical show, Steve saw this as an opportunity to try it out. The problem was how to produce a variety of musical styles, different instrumental and vocal combinations, and keep the show moving along without having to assemble a sizeable ensemble and create a potential logistical nightmare.

The solution was his longtime friend and fellow musician Dave, who had also continued to entertain, and had been using a computer for several years to make musical backing tracks to accompany his singing and guitar playing. At first Steve was uncertain that audiences would accept them as a real band, since there were only two of them, but during rehearsals he began to see that they could make two musicians sound like nearly any configuration, from a small combo to a large orchestra. Steve and Dave both played guitars and sang, while the backing tracks filled in the remaining music and digital harmonizers lent the enhancement of multi-part vocals. People would occasionally drop by during rehearsals and be stunned at the variety, authenticity, and fullness of their sound, propelled by the spontaneity and energy provided by live guitars and vocals. Steve and Dave were convinced that they were ready, and their grand debut was a huge success. At that point Steve and Dave realized that they were really on to something: fun music, great audience response, and a fantastic time for everyone. It was only natural to keep those good times rolling.

That's how Sound Bytes came to be and Steve and Dave have been loving it ever since.