| 1980 - 1990 |
Music always had a mystical effect on RLM even before he picked up an instrument. The environment of the 70’s
rituals of actually listening to an entire album’s worth of material, huge posters, black lights, and a strong
imagination had grabbed his heart and mind and didn’t let go. Being from a musical family, he was surrounded by
music. His father was a jazz and marching band trumpet player. His mother was an assistant music teacher at a
music school who was owned by his Great Aunt. His grandfather would spend his evenings after dinner and a
hard days work playing the standards on the family’s piano. Countless cousins and relatives played or sang in
some form or another. Holidays would be a variable music-fest. In the 3rd grade, Rich took violin at school. In 4th
grade, the drums. To him these were miserable pursuits. He hated practicing. So he gave up, much to the dismay
of his family. But in 7th grade, his music teacher, who knew his father, asked if he wanted to try guitar. Rich was
really into rock music at this time, at least acting like it. He made a cardboard Les Paul guitar a few years earlier,
air strumming to KISS in the mirror. When his tastes changed to ELO and Queen, he would set up pillows around
the living room couch and air drum with various kitchen utensils. So, it seemed the guitar may do the trick. It did,
but only slightly.
It wasn’t until a Summer camp in 1980 that led to a friendship that would define Rich as person and a musician.
William Coursen, a kid who loved the Beatles and played guitar would invite Rich into a personal relationship with
music. They spent the rest of the Summer learning guitar chords and emulating the Beatles. Rich picked up the
bass, they found a drummer, and formed a band called PEACE and started playing little gigs locally in Bethlehem,
PA. This brought Rich into a performing situation with the drummer, Kris Kraihanzel who so happened to have a
great voice. The two would play at church services and functions well into their late teens. His school days were
spent writing lyrics and songs. RLM started taking formal lessons at a local music store. Bill and Rich grew apart
and Rich started playing with other bands, most notably a band called CIRCUS from Allentown, PA. They played
classic 60’s and early 70’s rock and Rich was put out of his comfort zone by the good musicians in the band who
were older and more versed in music. Rich worked hard and stepped up to the challenge beautifully. He left
Circus to form his own band. He wrote and performed a few songs for school functions with his new band
SURRENDER. Through this band he met MATTHEW SHELLY, long-time collaborator and music confidant that
endures to this day. In between various band scenarios, most notably TEMPUS FUGIT, he joined the High School
Jazz Stage band. This brought him to new musical heights and he received many competition awards and a few
scholarships to Berklee College of Music in Boston, Mass. in which he would enroll in the Summer of 1985 after
graduating high school.
At the end of 1985, he married his high school sweetheart, Leticia. His experiences at Berklee influenced a lot of
his compositional interests. Along with Matthew Shelly, he formed a band called CONQUEST with drummer Sean
King. As the material became more complex, RLM decided to buy a synth to expand the band’s palette. This led
to more synths and a drum machine in which he could start performing totally solo after the band broke up in
1987. In October of that year, he bought a 8 channel multi-track and this finally gave him the chance to record
and create to a fuller extent all on his own. His first journeys into his solo material was the ETHSIGRE PROJECT,
heavily influenced by new age music and progressive rock.
In 1988, he ventured into recording other bands. In October, he started MASTER TRACK studios. A recording
space that he could record bands and other interests in a professional atmosphere full time. Though not
financially successful, it did provide a sanctuary to totally immerse himself sonically and artistically. Along with
recording his solo efforts, he made a special dialogue appearance on SHADOW GALLERY's first album. Rich got
back with Matthew Shelly and formed OPEN CONCEPT, a funky, slightly jazzy pop-rock band. The group lasted a
few months, but the material that arose from those sessions were strong and memorable.
A group called JOHNNY LAW, a band out of Philadelphia, called upon the services of Rich as a keyboard player.
Though it wasn’t Rich’s cup of tea musically, the amount of live performances and pro recording situations would
provide the experiences in which he could cut his teeth on and prepare him for the next steps in his career as an
artist and performer. RLM is foremost a lover of music. Being a musician, a composer, and a producer is an
extension of that passion for sound and expression.
rituals of actually listening to an entire album’s worth of material, huge posters, black lights, and a strong
imagination had grabbed his heart and mind and didn’t let go. Being from a musical family, he was surrounded by
music. His father was a jazz and marching band trumpet player. His mother was an assistant music teacher at a
music school who was owned by his Great Aunt. His grandfather would spend his evenings after dinner and a
hard days work playing the standards on the family’s piano. Countless cousins and relatives played or sang in
some form or another. Holidays would be a variable music-fest. In the 3rd grade, Rich took violin at school. In 4th
grade, the drums. To him these were miserable pursuits. He hated practicing. So he gave up, much to the dismay
of his family. But in 7th grade, his music teacher, who knew his father, asked if he wanted to try guitar. Rich was
really into rock music at this time, at least acting like it. He made a cardboard Les Paul guitar a few years earlier,
air strumming to KISS in the mirror. When his tastes changed to ELO and Queen, he would set up pillows around
the living room couch and air drum with various kitchen utensils. So, it seemed the guitar may do the trick. It did,
but only slightly.
It wasn’t until a Summer camp in 1980 that led to a friendship that would define Rich as person and a musician.
William Coursen, a kid who loved the Beatles and played guitar would invite Rich into a personal relationship with
music. They spent the rest of the Summer learning guitar chords and emulating the Beatles. Rich picked up the
bass, they found a drummer, and formed a band called PEACE and started playing little gigs locally in Bethlehem,
PA. This brought Rich into a performing situation with the drummer, Kris Kraihanzel who so happened to have a
great voice. The two would play at church services and functions well into their late teens. His school days were
spent writing lyrics and songs. RLM started taking formal lessons at a local music store. Bill and Rich grew apart
and Rich started playing with other bands, most notably a band called CIRCUS from Allentown, PA. They played
classic 60’s and early 70’s rock and Rich was put out of his comfort zone by the good musicians in the band who
were older and more versed in music. Rich worked hard and stepped up to the challenge beautifully. He left
Circus to form his own band. He wrote and performed a few songs for school functions with his new band
SURRENDER. Through this band he met MATTHEW SHELLY, long-time collaborator and music confidant that
endures to this day. In between various band scenarios, most notably TEMPUS FUGIT, he joined the High School
Jazz Stage band. This brought him to new musical heights and he received many competition awards and a few
scholarships to Berklee College of Music in Boston, Mass. in which he would enroll in the Summer of 1985 after
graduating high school.
At the end of 1985, he married his high school sweetheart, Leticia. His experiences at Berklee influenced a lot of
his compositional interests. Along with Matthew Shelly, he formed a band called CONQUEST with drummer Sean
King. As the material became more complex, RLM decided to buy a synth to expand the band’s palette. This led
to more synths and a drum machine in which he could start performing totally solo after the band broke up in
1987. In October of that year, he bought a 8 channel multi-track and this finally gave him the chance to record
and create to a fuller extent all on his own. His first journeys into his solo material was the ETHSIGRE PROJECT,
heavily influenced by new age music and progressive rock.
In 1988, he ventured into recording other bands. In October, he started MASTER TRACK studios. A recording
space that he could record bands and other interests in a professional atmosphere full time. Though not
financially successful, it did provide a sanctuary to totally immerse himself sonically and artistically. Along with
recording his solo efforts, he made a special dialogue appearance on SHADOW GALLERY's first album. Rich got
back with Matthew Shelly and formed OPEN CONCEPT, a funky, slightly jazzy pop-rock band. The group lasted a
few months, but the material that arose from those sessions were strong and memorable.
A group called JOHNNY LAW, a band out of Philadelphia, called upon the services of Rich as a keyboard player.
Though it wasn’t Rich’s cup of tea musically, the amount of live performances and pro recording situations would
provide the experiences in which he could cut his teeth on and prepare him for the next steps in his career as an
artist and performer. RLM is foremost a lover of music. Being a musician, a composer, and a producer is an
extension of that passion for sound and expression.
