Big Dog Mercer - Meet the band


Marty, Feel free to add, delete, phrase or edit as you think would be appropriate.. Most of it is correct. Playing since: The "tween" years Influences: The Doors, Jimmy Smith, Steely Dan, Miles Davis, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd. Performed with: Billy Branch, Ronnie Baker Brooks, Eric "Guitar" Davis, 40 Miles to Chicago, T-Bird Huck, Vance Kelly. Nickname: The Captain Profession: Captain Hobbies: Cooking, cleaning, taking out the trash, mowing, sleep, rinse.. Repeat... Goals: Live long enough to travel around via matter energy transfer, otherwise known as "beaming", like on Star Trek.. Or in the absence of said technology, invent such a device. Favorite song: Odd Couple TV show theme song. Least favorite word: Tween Sent from my iPad
Mike has been playing bass since he was a teenager. Playing in rock bands until he hooked up with the Chicago KingSnakes in the late 80s. Byther Smith hired the KingSnakes to be his band for a couple European tours and play on his 1993 release I'm A Mad Man on the Bullseye Blues label. The album featured the Memphis Horns. Mike moved on to Mike Gibb and the Homewreckers for a few years and gigged with many other bands since. Eventually he became a member of the late great Son Seals Band. Mike has been blessed to share the stage with many blues greats such as Buddy Guy,Phil Guy, Lonnie Brooks,Sam Lay,John Primer,Larry McCray and many others.
Dan Wile Has been playing drums for 37 years, taking breaks for naps.He started at age 11. ( Do the math - he's a geezer). By the time he was 13, he was in a band w/ adults & he hasn't looked back since.He's played across the America, playing everywhere from basements to bleachers, to barns. He's the only Chicago area drummer known to have played above the artic circle voluntarily (Greenland Oct-Nov '78) & to an audience of 2,000 deaf people (O'Hare Sheraton Nov. '78). He's worked with all kinds of bands from Polka to Punk,Country to Cole Porter, Big Band to Bagpipes (ok, no bagpipes... yet). Opened for Jimmy Buffet, KC & The Sunshine Band,& backing garage rock legend Rudy Protrudi of the Fuzztones.His recorded work extends back to 1977 & can be found in cut-out bins & second hand stores across America. His hobbies include pizza delivery & windown cleaning. He lives in an abandoned farmhouse outside of Joliet with a retired ferret. He really enjoys toast... .