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damascus [2018/07/26 17:14] admindamascus [2024/02/10 17:12] (current) admin
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-{{:damascus-logo.jpg?nolink|}}+{{:damascus-logo.jpg?nolink&470|}}
  
 ====== Damascus ====== ====== Damascus ======
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 | 198? | [[https://christiantapeunderground.wordpress.com/2018/06/13/damascus-demo/|Damascus I]] | | 198? | [[https://christiantapeunderground.wordpress.com/2018/06/13/damascus-demo/|Damascus I]] |
 | 1984 | [[https://christiantapeunderground.wordpress.com/2018/05/05/damascus-will-i-find-you-there/|Will I Find You There?]] | | 1984 | [[https://christiantapeunderground.wordpress.com/2018/05/05/damascus-will-i-find-you-there/|Will I Find You There?]] |
-| 1987 | [[Timeless]] | +| 1987 | [[https://christiantapeunderground.wordpress.com/2018/08/25/damascus-timeless/|Timeless]] | 
-| 1990 | [[Soon… The Doors Will Open]] | +| 1990 | [[https://christiantapeunderground.wordpress.com/2019/01/16/damascus-soon-the-doors-will-open/|Soon… The Doors Will Open]] 
-| 199? | [[Anthology I]] | +| 1991 | Damascus 5 (unreleased) 
-| 1998 | [[Anthology II]] |+| 199? | Anthology I | [[Fort Wayne Publishers]] | 
 +| 1998 | Anthology II | [[Fort Wayne Publishers]] |
  
 ------ ------
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 1987 Independent 1987 Independent
  
-David CoyDrums and Percussion\\ +David Coy Drums, percussion\\ 
-Tom McKeownVocals, KeyboardsGuitars\\ +Tom McKeown Vocals, keyboardsguitars\\ 
-Marc ReichVocals, Guitars\\ +Marc Reich Vocals, guitars\\ 
-Cliff ZweibruckBass Guitar +Cliff Zweibruck Bass guitar 
  
 //Timeless// recorded Jan. 1986 - Jan. 1987 at Damascus Studio, Master Tracks, Reel Productions\\ //Timeless// recorded Jan. 1986 - Jan. 1987 at Damascus Studio, Master Tracks, Reel Productions\\
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 1990 Independent 1990 Independent
  
-David Coy: Drums and Percussion\\ +Thomas McKeown – Vocals, keyboardsguitars\\ 
-Tom McKeownVocals, KeyboardsGuitars\\ +Marc ReichVocals, guitars\\ 
-Marc ReichVocals, Guitars\\ +Cliff Zweibruck – Bass\\ 
-Cliff ZweibruckBass Guitar +David Cox – Drums, percussion
  
 Soon.. recorded July 1988 - Oct. 1988 at Damascus Studio and Reel Productions\\ Soon.. recorded July 1988 - Oct. 1988 at Damascus Studio and Reel Productions\\
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 I think we finally started hitting our stride on “Soon..” . Our earlier years were always plagued by our inability to make our music as powerful on tape as it was live. I finally decided that the studio recordings didn’t have to be an exact copy of the live shows. We ended up doing what ever it took to get the song across on tape. I went with layering multiple instruments in an attempt to capture a bit of what I had always heard in my head, and for the most part it worked. Drums are one of the toughest instruments to record well. It takes a lot of time to get the right sound. We all know, time is money and we didn’t have much money, so we once again layed down the bass and drums tracks at our studio and then transferred the tapes over at Reel Productions. By this time we had developed quite a friendship with Steve and his wife Carol. (his dog yappy is another story) Through the recording and process, I started to feel as though I lived over at Reel Productions. Someone from the band was always over there recording something. The sessions went very well and the first mixdown I did with Marc. The mix was pretty good, but after some intense listening, I ended up remixing all the tracks. Steve did an excellent job of chopping up the little bits of tape we had all over the studio while getting the masters ready for duplication. We were able to release the tapes before Christmas in 1988 to coincide with some record release shows. This was definitely a high point for us collectively. I think we finally started hitting our stride on “Soon..” . Our earlier years were always plagued by our inability to make our music as powerful on tape as it was live. I finally decided that the studio recordings didn’t have to be an exact copy of the live shows. We ended up doing what ever it took to get the song across on tape. I went with layering multiple instruments in an attempt to capture a bit of what I had always heard in my head, and for the most part it worked. Drums are one of the toughest instruments to record well. It takes a lot of time to get the right sound. We all know, time is money and we didn’t have much money, so we once again layed down the bass and drums tracks at our studio and then transferred the tapes over at Reel Productions. By this time we had developed quite a friendship with Steve and his wife Carol. (his dog yappy is another story) Through the recording and process, I started to feel as though I lived over at Reel Productions. Someone from the band was always over there recording something. The sessions went very well and the first mixdown I did with Marc. The mix was pretty good, but after some intense listening, I ended up remixing all the tracks. Steve did an excellent job of chopping up the little bits of tape we had all over the studio while getting the masters ready for duplication. We were able to release the tapes before Christmas in 1988 to coincide with some record release shows. This was definitely a high point for us collectively.
 +
 +------
 +
 +==== Damascus 5 ====
 +
 +1991 Unreleased
 +
 +David Coy - Drums, percussion, and keyboards\\
 +Tom McKeown - Vocals, keyboards, guitars\\
 +Cliff Zweibruck - Bass Guitar, bass pedals, and keyboards
 +
 +  - The Turning Tide
 +  - Time is a Tool
 +  - Ice of My Desire
 +  - A Passing of Moments
 +  - So the Story Goes
 +  - Screwtape
 +  - On a Wire
 +
 +Shortly after the release of “Soon....” , Marc let us know he had accepted a job offer in Oregon. I still remember him telling us he was leaving as we were loading the truck for some shows in Michigan. It hit us like a bomb shell. I think most of us were in total shock for the entire trip. At that point, we had been together as Damascus for ten years. I had known Marc and played in bands with him since we were in high school. This was one of the darkest times for us. Later, we all did a lot of soul searching to decide what to do next. Should we split the band now or continue on? I was glad we decided to continue our path together. We first thought of replacing Marc with another guitars / vocalist, but soon decided to work as a trio. Technology became a huge player in our future. Though we never used sequencers live, we did use thirteen keyboards. Everyone had multiple jobs now. Cliff played bass, bass pedals and keyboards. Dave played drums, percussion and keyboards triggered from pads. This was a new era and a very exciting one. Rearranging our songs for a trio proved to be quite difficult. We rearranged what we could and started writing again. We had many successful shows as a trio and in 1991 we recorded a demo of some of the new material. I still feel these songs were among the best we ever wrote. We continued to play out and shopped our demo to some record labels, but sadly, interest was still not there for our type of progressive rock music. The Christian market was filled with “fluff” and we flat out refused to change. We were told that we could be big if we would just get in the mainstream. That was never meant to be. That year, we left the church we were rehearsing in for the last 11 years because of theological differences. We then set out to turn Cliffs garage into our new studio. Once completed, we turned our attention to recording what was to be Damascus 5. The songs were great, all we needed to do was capture them on tape. That also, was not ot meant to be. Shortly after we began recording, the lights went out for the last time. Dave told us he just couldn’t do this anymore. The lack of recognition from the industry had weighed us all down. Dave was just the first to express what we all felt. Maybe someday we will put together what would have been our fifth and finest recording.
  
 ------ ------
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 ==== Anthology I ==== ==== Anthology I ====
  
-199? Independent+199? Fort Wayne Publishers
  
 Since there is an //Anthology II//, a first volume is assumed. Still looking for info. Since there is an //Anthology II//, a first volume is assumed. Still looking for info.
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 ==== Anthology II ==== ==== Anthology II ====
  
-1998 Independent+1998 Fort Wayne Publishers
  
-David CoyDrums and Percussion\\ +David Coy Drums, percussion\\ 
-Tom McKeownVocals, KeyboardsGuitars\\ +Tom McKeown Vocals, keyboardsguitars\\ 
-Marc ReichVocals, Guitars\\ +Marc Reich Vocals, guitars\\ 
-Cliff ZweibruckBass Guitar+Cliff Zweibruck Bass guitar
  
 Damascus Anthology II was digitally remastered for CD in “The Garage” by Tom McKeown. Special thanks to Steve Moroniak for the DAT tapes of the original masters. Damascus Anthology II was digitally remastered for CD in “The Garage” by Tom McKeown. Special thanks to Steve Moroniak for the DAT tapes of the original masters.
  
-This CD was a compilation of //Timeless// and //Soon… The Doors Will Open//+This CD was a compilation of //Timeless// and //Soon... The Doors Will Open//.
- +
-The rest of the story...... +
- +
-Shortly after the release of “Soon....” , Marc let us know he had accepted a job offer in Oregon. I still remember him telling us he was leaving as we were loading the truck for some shows in Michigan. It hit us like a bomb shell. I think most of us were in total shock for the entire trip. At that point, we had been together as Damascus for ten years. I had known Marc and played in bands with him since we were in high school. This was one of the darkest times for us. Later, we all did a lot of soul searching to decide what to do next. Should we split the band now or continue on? I was glad we decided to continue our path together. We first thought of replacing Marc with another guitars / vocalist, but soon decided to work as a trio. Technology became a huge player in our future. Though we never used sequencers live, we did use thirteen keyboards. Everyone had multiple jobs now. Cliff played bass, bass pedals and keyboards. Dave played drums, percussion and keyboards triggered from pads. This was a new era and a very exciting one. Rearranging our songs for a trio proved to be quite difficult. We rearranged what we could and started writing again. We had many successful shows as a trio and in 1991 we recorded a demo of some of the new material. I still feel these songs were among the best we ever wrote. We continued to play out and shopped our demo to some record labels, but sadly, interest was still not there for our type of progressive rock music. The Christian market was filled with “fluff” and we flat out refused to change. We were told that we could be big if we would just get in the mainstream. That was never meant to be. That year, we left the church we were rehearsing in for the last 11 years because of theological differences. We then set out to turn Cliffs garage into our new studio. Once completed, we turned our attention to recording what was to be Damascus 5. The songs were great, all we needed to do was capture them on tape. That also, was not ot meant to be. Shortly after we began recording, the lights went out for the last time. Dave told us he just couldn’t do this anymore. The lack of recognition from the industry had weighed us all down. Dave was just the first to express what we all felt. Maybe someday we will put together what would have been our fifth and finest recording. The Turning Tide; Time Is A Tool; Ice Of My Desire; A Passing Of Moments; So The Story Goes; Screwtape; On A Wire +
- +
-Until then, we have this CD as our badge of honor.+
  
 Notes by Tom McKeown Dec. 1998 Notes by Tom McKeown Dec. 1998
 +
 +------
  
 ===== Links ===== ===== Links =====
damascus.1532625255.txt.gz · Last modified: 2018/07/26 17:14 by admin