Throughout my childhood I tormented my parents, siblings, friends, neighbors,
teachers, and classmates by incessantly banging, pounding, and tapping on
those magic surfaces that would produce the loudest, most obnoxious tones.
Finally sealing my fate, I assume in a moment of demonic possession,
my parents gave me a drum kit. My life went from wanting to pilot the next
SATURN 5 to the moon, to worship of the likes of Keith Moon.
Yes, there would be conflict... At the tender age of 9, I was "permanently removed" from the school marching band for the minor offense of taking
all the band's dozen drums and cymbals, re-arranging and re-tuning them into
one huge rock kit. And for an act or acts "I just don't recall",
I received death threats from my sixth grade music teacher!
Now I was on my own. To practice, I rigged a medieval vinyl disc player to a 400 watt
P.A. system, insuring that satisfying ear-bleeding concert-like level. I
rehearsed sometimes
until I broke all my sticks! I emulated the styles of Moon, Bonham, Bruford, Palmer,
Copeland, and Bozio for hours daily. This was cause for countless interruptions
by music hating neighbors, angry police, and murderous parents! What's a boy to do?
My first experience with music was my mother's heartbeat. It was at this early
crossroad I realized my destiny would be to play drums...
In my teen years, the desire to perform jelled. My first real band was
called the "Red Devils" appropriate I think, but I could also be found with such
oddities as " Ma-Sane", "Cold Sweat", "Provincetown Band", and "Race Point".
We rehearsed daily in living rooms, bedrooms, basements, garages, a refrigerator trailer, the parish hall, and a summer cottage during winter with no heat !
We played in clubs, schools, colleges, and arenas, many gigs before we were old
enough to drive !
The height of my Higher Education was at U-Mass. @ Amherst working in the "Electronic Music" Studio in the basement of the Fine Arts Center as a student of Dr. Charles Bestor. I was on payroll at U-Mass as a Technical Assistant to the cinematography classes of Carolyn Anderson. In these years, I was deeply involved with producing short 16mm films / videos, their soundtracks, and experimenting with holographic imaging. These experiences prepared me for my immediate future...
Feeling the time was right for the grand pilgrimage to Hollywood, I left Amherst for Los Angeles. Once there, I'd find myself making a living in photography and starting a family. I was one wide-eyed nano-cog within the huge Hollywood image machine... It was my daily charge for quality of all work being outputted to record and film companies, such as Capitol, EMI, Warner Bros., Paramount, Disney and Universal. Also during this time, I did graphics work for many of L.A.'s major ad agencies and product photography for industry.
Musically, we had a few years of minor success performing in Los Angeles' notable dens of iniquity. Finally we got a record deal ! We all got locked up in one of L.A.'s more well traveled recording studios, for almost 24 hours a day...for 2 months straight! As the days and nights became a wash, stress levels increased exponentially, until that clandestine evening when the producer asked for that * "One More Take"...! ( * "One More Take... THE FILM" Find out what happened? The name of the band, the producer, and the studio involved, will be made public upon release of the film.)
Untarnished, we moved on, acquired our own multi-track recording equipment and set-up
a studio in the garage... Thus the birth of
S.O.E. Studios. While based in California, S.O.E. Studios recorded the likes of
"The Mode",
"Cairo", "Drama
", And "
Main Frame" transparently imprinting S.O.E.'s unique style and technique...
Our original music library spans well into the last century. From 1979-present our recordings can be found on countless audio cassettes , vinyl, and CDs. A vast cross section of our Songs and Videos are available to stream or download free right now, in an array of file formats. There's more free streaming videos on our TV Programming page. All videos are originally created in conjunction with our production / publishing company A Kaos Group (A.S.C.A.P. publisher).
All told, I have composed a couple electronic symphonies, produced several short films, various soundtracks, and scores of music videos. The bands I have performed live with, have startled audiences from Los Angeles to Boston... In recent years, I have been either, and, or a drummer / vocalist / keyboardist with the likes of "Link Montana", "Landing Party", "The Penetrators", "Section 8", and presently "Radio Silence". We continue to receive kind feedback from fans around the world... Thank You !
It is also worth noting, it has been my continuous pleasure to webmaster and co-sponsor
a promotional web presence for local musicians pro bono
to the artists. Now in its 8th year! These pages average well over 4000 hits a month and lists
some 90+ local artists and their websites! You can view them beginning at
Homegrown. Please give them a look and listen ...
I am presently a grandfather, father of four, married over 24 years to the same wonderful woman that gave birth them all. I have evolved into a true 'Jack of All Trades' working and enjoying my life while residing in coastal New England on a small 18th century farm.
 Paul DeSilva |