Biography
Curt Campbell is an American Record Producer, Singer, Songwriter/Composer (BMI), owner of the Beast Release Records/Beast Release Publishing and the founder of "The Eclectic Beast Band".
Inspired by the San Francisco Bay Area Music Scene Curt Campbell's influences come from bands such as Steve Miller, Tower of Power, Santana and The Doors. Mesmerized by the harmonica playing of front man Huey Lewis, Curt learned to play the blues by listening to the likes of James Harman, Charlie Musselwhite, and Norton Buffalo. These recordings are for true music listeners. They are for people who can pick apart the instruments and recognize what is being played on a record. The music in this catalog is original and considered a work of art.
In 1990 having come in from the field, Curt was consolidating some special operations gear from one bag to the next, when much to his surprise a Harmonica (gifted by a platoon mate) fell out of the medical kit that was attached to his webgear. Looking at the Harmonica in the palm of his hand Curt realized that the instrument was an omen, a gift and that it was in his destiny to learn how to play. "I really taught myself to play the Blues. When I first started to play I didn't understand the dynamics of playing a Harmonica, nor do I read music. However I discovered that I was naturally playing across the grain of the music. Once I learned how to bend the notes, I felt a deep connection in my soul like I had been playing all along, in a pre-existent state, or in a past life, and playing the Harmonica made my spirit soar". "I seem to play the best when I'm down and of course that's the Spirit of the Blues". "I used to carry the Harmonica on a leather cord everywhere I went. When I first started to play I would play in cars and bars, submarines, ships and planes and in the jungles and the desert and in the middle of nowhere and in places like Sri Lanka and Afghanistan. It makes people happy to hear someone playing a Harmonica". In 1998 I was able to produce my first record album "Kill House" under the Beast Release Records label. Since that time I've been fortunate enough to play with some of the greatest sidemen in the world, produce 6 albums, a single (55 Chevy) a "Best of Beast" Album (Blue Beast) all of which can be heard on Itunes and every digital download in the world. Playing Harmonica has not been without it's challenges however. When my first album was released I was called on the carpet by my Commanding Officer at SEAL Team ONE, who was clearly unhappy that I had not asked permission before producing the album. Interestingly enough my old Commanding Officer called me 10 years later screaming at me from the inside his car while driving down the highway. This shit is great! I had no idea! Strangely enough he was not the first person to open up the cd wrapper years after the album was given to them.
Discography:
1) The Eclectic Beast Band "Beautiful Day" Beast Release Records 2012
2) The Eclectic Beast Band "Living The Music" Beast Release Records in 2009
3) The Eclectic Beast Band "Blue Beast" Compilation Best of Beast Digital Album Beast Release Records 2009
4) The Eclectic Beast Band single "55 Chevy" a Digital Release Beast Release Records 2008
5) The Eclectic Beast Band "Live at the Sweetwater Saloon" Beast Release Records in 2009
6) The Eclectic Beast Band "Unplugged" Beast Release Records 2007
7) The Eclectic Beast Band "Nature of the Beast" Beast Released Records 2004
8) The Eclectic Beast Band "Killhouse" Beast Release Records 1998
a) Songs currently in documentaries: Church Mouse Marlin Invitational Tournament "Granny Goes to Church"
b) Songs currently in movies: 1) Billy Ray Cyrus/Heather Locklear in Flying By: "Faleen, Tramp, Hollywood Dreamer" 2) Afghan Knights: "Shotgun Mambo"
The Eclectic Beast Band: Curt Campbell (Vocals/Harmonica) Chris Pinnick (Lead Guitar/Producer) Chet McCracken (Drummer) Scotty Manzo (Bass Guitar) Albert Wing (Tenor Saxophone) Johnnie Bamont (Alto Saxophone) Garth Webber (Lead Guitar/Producer/Engineer Red Rooster Studios) Tony Lafrano (Keyboards) Carlos Reyes (Fiddle) Bryant Mills (Drums) Sal Cracchiolo (Trumpet) Melanie Jackson (Vocalist) Victor Little (Bass Guitar) Glen Jordan (Guitar) Dan Marsisi (Drums) Gary Davenport (Bass Guitar) Tim Torrance (Lead Guitar) Jeff Minnieweather (Drums) Mike Finnigan (B3 Hammond, Fender Rhoads Grand Piano) Eric Jorgenson (Trombone) John Pappenbrook (Trumpet) and Ben Peeler (Lap Steel) Robert Alpert (Piano/Violin), Marty Grebb (Piano/Marimba), Lee Thornberg (Trumpet) Bill Champlin (B3 Hammond Organ/Synth Pad) Marcos Linares (Guitar)
Chispa (Bass Guitar) Freddy (Drums) Ronnie Bianco (Keyboards) deceased
The Eclectic Beast Band: Bio
- Curt Campbell (The Beast)
Chase'n the Dragon
This song is a story about coming home to find my son in prison for criminal offenses relating to the drug Meth...Seeing him in Prison for the first time nose to nose between a wall of glass just about killed me...I wrote this song last summer...The song came to me when I stumbled across a song by accident that spawned the words...I was writing with a broken pencil scrambling for some scratch paper all while crying to myself begging God not to let me lose the words to this song....I wrote it about 5 minutes...What's that tell you about the Universe? When I was getting ready to name the song I asked a close friend of mine if he knew the street name for Meth. He responded by saying: "I think they call it Chasing the Dragon". I couldn't believe it because my son's name is Chase hence "Chase'n the Dragon"... I think you will like the Live version just as much...I know I do... And it's not even mixed yet...
All the Beast,
Curt