The Sneaks From Arcadia 1980-2020
Brett Perkins
Since The Sneaks days, my life has continued to be centered in music, with multiple album releases, film and tv song placements and 33 countries toured so far (and a few earlier sidetrips along the way, including a season dancing on Soul Train, appearing on Love Connection, and a brief stint in fashion and photo modeling).
In 1991 I started vounteering for the National Academy of Songwriters, then the largest non-profit in the US, and by 1996 was the C.E.O., where I got to meet and work representing the creative rights of many of my musical heroes including Burt Bacharach, Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan, Graham Nash, Randy Newman, Joni Mitchell and Stevie Wonder.
In 1997 I headed out again as a full time performing songwriter, based in Copenhagen, Denmark, and have released 3 albums and three additional singles, all of which have had active airplay in various European countries, where I also co-write frequently with younger artists, achieving my first Top 10 in Denmark two years back with debut artist Mads Langers', 'Breaking News', on Copenhagen Records. A new album, 'Red Light, Green Light, Go', is scheduled for release lin January 2009. My other passion and major work is leading the Listening Room International Songwriter Retreats, held annually in several countries since 2002.
Given all the travels, great musicians and gigs since, I still hold those years with The Sneaks to be my greatest band experience, which I'll always cherish, along with the original team of Rob, Pat and Mercibeat.
Birthday: September 7
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 165 lbs.
Eyes: Hazel
Hair: Natural Blond?
Favorite Color: Purple
(taken from the band's 1981 press kit)
Rob Schilling
After The Sneaks disbanded in 1984, I kept my hand in music through participation in a number of great bands: Blue Frontier, The Prime Movers, Chagall and The Johnsons (There was even a brief re-formation of The Sneaks in the early 90s.) In 1989 I became involved in music Ministrythrough my church, and in 2003, I released my first solo CD entitled, Sing a Psalm. My latest music is here.
In 1996, my wife and I concluded that for a variety of reasons, California would no longer be our home. After conducting two subsequent nationwide searches, in 1998 we pulled up stakes and moved to Charlottesville, Virginia. (No, Californians, you don’t fall off the earth once you pass Las Vegas.)
In 2002, after experiencing what I perceived to be a broken and corrupt city government, totally unknown and against all odds, I decided to run for a seat on Charlottesville’s City Council. In an historic upset, I was elected and served a single four-year term, consistently speaking out against the local political "machine" and shaking up the status quo in the process.
Upon conclusion of my local government experience, I was invited to host a radio talk program for Newsradio 98.9 FM and AM 1070 WINA. The Schilling Show airs daily from 12 to 2 PM across central Virginia. I'm also the proprietor of The Schilling Show Blog
My wife Joan and I are proud parents of an amazing son and two beautiful daughters.
What remarkable and great days those were for me, and for us as a band. No matter how old I get, I still remember how it felt to be in the Sneaks, and in many ways, I feel like I still am in the Sneaks. I'm grateful for this wonderfully unique experience and for the lifelong friendships with Pat, Greg and Brett (and many others) that followed.
Birthday: November 30
Height: 6'
Weight: 155 lbs.
Eyes: Burnt Ciena
Hair: Brown
Favorite Color: Red
(taken from the band's 1981 press kit)
Greg Tortell
Tortell was a co-founder of Dread Zeppelin, an American band best known for covering the songs of Led Zeppelin in a reggae style sung by an Elvis Presley impersonator (Tortell), though their act now encompasses many other songs and other styles of music. Led Zeppelin vocalist Robert Plant has said that Dread Zeppelin is his favorite Led Zeppelin cover band.
The first Dread Zeppelin release, the 7" single "Immigrant Song/Hey Hey What Can I Do", was recorded at the home studio of Dave Stewart of Eurythmics and released in 1989. After its success, a second single, "Whole Lotta Love/Tour-telvis: A Bad Trip" was released. A third, "Your Time is Gonna Come/Woodstock (live)" was released not as a single but as part of a singles compilation entitled Komm Gib Mir Deine Zeppelin (a play on the title of the German version of The Beatles' song "I Want to Hold Your Hand").
The rest of Dread Zeppelin's first album, Un-Led-Ed, consisted of more covers taken from Led Zeppelin and Led Zeppelin II, plus "Black Dog" from the untitled fourth album.
Un-Led-Ed was surprisingly successful, and in the fall of 1990, Dread Zeppelin took a three-week break from touring and recorded their second album, 5,000,000* *Tortelvis Fans Can't Be Wrong. In addition to the usual "Zeppelin in a reggae style", this album also featured a cover of Bob Marley's "Stir It Up" as well as three original songs.
The plan changed to an album of disco covers entitled It's Not Unusual after Tortell left the group to run a thriving dairy called Driftwood Dairy in Southern California. Reaction to the disco stylings of It's Not Unusual was resoundingly negative, so in early 1993 a return to the old formula ensued, which also saw Tortelvis' return to the group. In the spring of 1994, Dread Zeppelin appeared in the feature film National Lampoon's Last Resort and provided a song for the closing credits. The remaining members of Dread Zeppelin signed onto Imago Records and released The Fun Sessions, a collection of classic rock covers.
By 1995 Dread Zeppelin had a new production company run by Tortell and Gary Putman called Cash Cow which released the live album Front Yard Bar*B*Que in December 1996 and the all-original album Spam Bake in November 1997. Dread then signed to Cleopatra Records and recorded De-jah Voodoo in 1999 (produced by Bob Knarley, and re-released by Cleopatra with a new cover and name Re-Led-Ed). Also released on Cash Cow Records was …Presents in 2002 and Chicken and Ribs in 2004. They have released DVD media (Jah-La-Palooza 2004 and Live in Minne-Jah-Polis 2002) and bootlegs as well, after a clamoring for such product from their loyal and long-time fan base.
Tortell finally got his shot at singing "The Star Spangled Banner" at Bank One Ballpark in Phoenix, Arizona, on May 27, 2005. He had been scheduled to sing the song at a Minnesota Twins game in 1992, but Roseanne Barr's notorious version, two days before his planned appearance, quashed that opportunity. Dread Zeppelin tours sparingly and still releases new material.
Tortelvis has freedom that would surely make Elvis Presley jealous. Because he is not limited to just the Elvis mythos Tortelvis is able to belt out “My Way” and then casually slip behind a drum set for “Moby Dick”. This freedom of expression has allowed Tortelvis to become an entertainer with considerable skills. He can sing a reggae song with authority and easily transition to the sweeping vocals of “I Can't Quit You Baby” with a smoothness that even Robert Plant can't top these days.
Birthday: April 5
Height: 5' 10"
Weight: Recorded
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Curly
Favorite Color: Blue
(taken from the band's 1981 press kit)
Pat Hacker
Pat Hacker is a man. He works for the water company. He has a very nice wife and very nice daughter. They make their home in Orange County, California.
Birthday: August 12 Height: 5' 10 1/2" Weight: 150 lbs. Eyes: Of a puppy Hair: Brown Favorite Color: Yellow
Alternate Employment: Pat works with those close to his heart as a beterinary assistant and, contrary to popular belief, is house broken.
Hobbies: Pat can be found every weekend searching area thrift shops for "ethnic" shirts, when not tending to wounds inflicted by unhappy customers.
(taken from the band's 1981 press kit)