Thank You, Goodnight by Brent Daniel

It was fun at the time, actually a killer song, but I couldn't fit that with Better Late or Thank You Goodnight either. So, we may not be at the end yet of this particular era. I may throw out the bones and the misfits yet, as we can all agree an unheard tape is useless. Maybe those ragamuffins can all hang with each other down the line.

What we do have is document number 2 from the time right after I had spent my first dozen years after high school playing music full time with the various projects mentioned here: www.readysetgo.tv main page. The last official concert with Shebang was December 28th, 1988. I'll never forget looking in the Cotton Club dressing room mirror thinking two thoughts: With my jet black hair dye I look more like Roy Orbison than ever and he died three weeks ago....and....what the hell is next???

What was next song-wise was for the most part this material and the Better Late box. Thank You Goodnight opens with Next 2 U. My brother Jon would always write us a great intro that we could loop thru the PA in order to get us onto stages and prepare to rock. This track was a concert lead off for its time (until Baby Step knocked it off). From there we go into our "Vertigo" pre-dating Bono by at least a dozen years. The interesting point to me looking back is that this entire album and Better Late were in their day never considered for release! These were all just "demos" for major record labels to hear and then hopefully green light us to re-cut "properly".

So here dear friends is what we (BD, Jon Daniel, Brandon Bell, Mitch Flanders) were doing in that time. Next 2 U, A Warm Heart, by LilyMarie and Fate where actually all cut live to tape in one go and had to be later separated for this release. That hardly ever happens now! A lot of what you hear on TYGN and Better Late was put down the whole band at once with minimal corrections/overdubs later if at all.

From www.brentdaniel.us BACK STORY on the Thank You Goodnight track Candy In New York:

BACK STORY: Scene: Central Park West

and West 61st street, New York City. July 1985.

Shebang had recently returned to our home base

of the Mayflower Hotel from Live Aid in Philadelphia. I was already dressed down for sleep planning to watch Johnny Carson and crash as the sounds of Manhattan continued on thru my open park-side window. Before Ed McMahon had a chance to say "Here's Johnny" the phone rang. It was my management team of Perry Statiras and Danny Hamilton calling from the Hard Rock Cafe nearby on West 57th street. What was odd and very cool about this particular call was that I could hear my own music blaring in the background obviously on the Hard Rock's PA system. The message was a clear "you need to get down here right away".

Of course I was already dressing before hanging up the phone when Danny and Perry added: "come down here and thank the DJ. He's played your album once and is going to start it over again". Deciding to walk the few blocks I used the cool night air to help wake me up. Arriving at the door, sure enough I could hear our record (Shebang the debut on Ivory Tower) playing loudly as well as seeing Danny and Perry curbside to usher me thru the line around the block. My briefing occurred as we all walked in quick lock steps thru the door and immediately up the stair case as my mission was to "thank the DJ". Thanks indeed. This chap was using our material to rock the house. Great exposure for our group. Apparently he also liked us enough to have a second spin. Gotta thank this guy.

Step after step I ascended quickly switching into "On" mode ready for promo/small talk. It took only a flash of an instant to identify this particular "DJ". My managers were well aware of what a huge John Candy fan I was. I'm sure they worked all the magic they needed to in order for me to have this great moment.

There was the man himself John Freakin' Candy playing my record while tending bar and serving up good times and laughter left, right, and center.

He called me by name, "Brent, come back here

and help me out will you?". For the next couple of hours I tended bar with John Candy while we both mugged for cameras and my record played over

and over.

I'll never forget the warmth and graciousness

of this fabulous man. With love and admiration for the man himself, I invite you all now to enjoy: Candy In New York. - BD. Los Angeles, Ca. 2006

From UBL Artists Direct: Brent Daniel

Brent Daniel joined the popular Atlanta based touring act Fragile in 1979. Fragile paired for the first time the guitar and vocal team of Brent Daniel with Doug Bristol. This duo would resurface in 1998 during the MessMakers Better Days tour and endure to present day. In 1980 he replaced Brian Bartlett as lead guitarist of Choice, then one of Atlanta's most popular bands (Choice Cuts/Polydor). As a member of Choice, Brent found session work in Atlanta at Axis recording studio. He played lead guitar for members of Mother's Finest and The Dixie Dregs among other Axis clients during 1982. In 1983 Daniel formed White Boys In Black with Joe and Larue Riccio. WBIB were based out of Atlanta's legendary Bistro theatre where they lived and performed original music concerts. In 1984, Brent toured with Derek St.Holmes re-creating the lead guitar riffs made popular in Derek's songs by Ted Nugent and Brad Whitford. After Derek's tour, Brent began recording at Tom Durnford's Rival Studios and Jerry Gibson's Beaver Tunes with Keith Christopher on bass, Mauro Magellan on drums and Jeremy Graf on guitar. Van Temple contributed vocals with Brent. These demos were re-cut at Axis Studios in Atlanta during the winter of '84 featuring Jeremy Graf, T.Lavitz on keyboards, Benny Rappa on drums, Barry Dunaway on bass, with Chuck Fedonczak producing. As Keith Christopher relocated to London, England Brent began to look for a touring band he could assemble in Atlanta. Joined by his brother Neel on bass, Peter Stroud on guitar, and Steve Pace on drums, Shebang began to play club dates in Atlanta. When Steve Pace left to honor prior commitments Timothy Gardner joined on drums. Once Brent asked Keith to return to the states to play rhythm guitar, Shebang recorded their first album with Rick Price producing in July of '85. Keith remained with the band through the summer before moving on to a solo project. In 1986 Shebang recorded "Is This The Top" and "Waiting For The Magic" with Stefan Galfas at Big Apple Studios in New York City. "Is This The Top" was filmed for an MTV video clip, which aired in early 1987. While headquartered in New York, Brent added vocals to Savatage' "Fight For The Rock" on Atlantic and wrote songs with Fiona Flanagan, also on Atlantic. Shebang toured and recorded through 1988 releasing "Ice On The Wings" and "Get It Right" produced with Brendan O'Brien recorded at Studio One in Doraville. In 1990 Brent, Neel, brother Jon, and sister-in-law Shala and wife LilyMarie united to perform as Talkshow. From 1991 thru 1994 Brent performed in the Atlanta area with brother Jon Daniel on keyboards, Brandon Bell on bass and Mitch Flanders on drums under the name Circle Of Fins. In 1996, Brent formed MessMakers with Wade Berry (guitar), Gary Wolfe (bass), and Wayne Lynn (drums). MessMakers released "Better Days" in 1998 and "Way Cool" in 1999. During 1998, Wade Berry left the MessMakers and was replaced by Brent's longtime collaborator Doug Bristol.

Since 2003 Brent has written, recorded and released Ready Set Go/Keep Moving and its followup Ready Set Go/Audible Lift (2005) as well as catalog material from his archived recordings Brent Daniel/Better Late. Both Ready Set Go albums are available on CDBaby and feature Doug Bristol on guitar and vocals. Audible Lift features Neel Daniel and Peter Stroud both ex-Shebang members. Brent now lives in Los Angeles, California and will begin working on his first all new release for Eripsa Records in the summer of 2006. There is also a possibility of new MessMakers music being recorded as well as concerts booked in 2006.

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