History
Born and raised in San Francisco, the older son of two artists, I grew
up with very little spiritual influence. My mother had been studied
some eastern teachings as well as having grown up christian. My father
was and is what I consider a non practicing catholic - having been born
in England in 1939.
My father's family left the UK in the mid 1940's when WWII was
happening. His father, Jack Almond, my grandfather - whom with I
shared
the same birthday - was a Paymaster General (an accountant) in the Royal Navy. He managed to
get his family out on a ship which was part of a secret convoy leaving
Europe and heading for South America via Africa. One day into the
journey, a ship in the convoy with one thousand men on was sunk by a
german sub. The ship with grandmother Nina and her three sons, Antony,
Roger, and Chris sailed down the coast of Europe past France and Spain.
When they got to the equator, they had a party. My father had just
turned five years old and somewhere I have a picture of him at this
party.
When they reached Africa, the people bought fruit and things from the
Africans who actually swam with them out to the boat. My grandmother
also told me that there was another Mr. Almond on the boat who got off
there - and had been mistaken as Nina's husband.
Grandpa Jack had gone ahead to
set things up in South America. When they finally arrived in Buenos
Aires, they had been given up for lost. My grandma, father and uncles
made the front page of the paper when they arrived. They later
settled in Rio De Janiero, Brazil and lived there for several years.
My father lost his english accent as they were teased in school there by
the Brazillian children. Later, Jack took the whole family to the
United States, and moved to Orinda California. My father graduated
from San Jose State with a Bachelor's Degree in Arts and also served in the Marines.
My mother's father was born in Honolulu Hawaii in 1907. The son of
English parents, John Grace spent time in both Jamaica and England
growing up. He became an architect and had seven wives. I don't think
that he was around much when my mother was growing up in Northern
California in the Guerneville area. She went to art school as well as
Mills college and graduated with a Masters Degree in Arts.
My parents met in the late sixties through other artist connections in San
Francisco. I was born in 1972.
Growing up in San Francisco, I had a strong foundation with two loving
parents. They had purchased a house in the south part of the city
where
my brother (born in 1974) could grow up. However, my parents separated
in 1976. I recall them fighting in the living room, and it had
probably
gone on for awhile because I stepped in, and pushed them apart, telling
them to "Stop Fighting". I think that they realized that there was a serious problem, and they filed for divorce sometime later.
I suppose that I was born with my artistic skills and developed them at an early age. I recall a lesson at the Junior Randall
Museum, where my brother and I would take art and otherwise interesting classes during the summer. They brought out a chicken
(or possibly it was a rooster), and then took it away, telling us to paint it from memory. I did a nice watercolor painting of it
which I gave to my grandma Jane. I also remember drawing alot in school. Not so much because I was in art class, but just doodling
alot. When I got to high school, this took on it's own life as I began taking art classes. I think I failed geometry because I spent
more time drawing, than actually doing the work. At one point, I used and eraser, and had some fun with my school year book,
erasing parts of the teachers faces, then drawing them back in. That was great, and everyone I showed it to, loved it - until one day
when it got confiscated and ended up in the teachers lunch room. Great. I'm sure that they thought I was very creative (not too mention
a little punk kid!) This artistic endeavor continued with me painting a jean jacket, which I wore, and attracted others. I even
got asked to do some for a store. However, after I had turned in my art sample, they never called me. After my Sophomore year, I wanted to
get into the school of the arts in San Francisco, but unfortunately, we applied too late. I did get in for my senior year, and that year ever
eye opening.
Art
My senior year in high school was one of many changes in my life. New friends, old friends.
J Eugene McAteer High School housed several different alternative schools including School of the Arts, where I would attend.
Most of the regular classes - you were mixed in with everyone else in your grade, but then for two periods of the day, you would
have art, or theater, or music. I took visual arts from Mrs. Panone. She was a bit wacky, but then, aren't all artists?
I did my first painting in that class. I also met two friends in that
class who I would end up hanging out with quite a bit, and eventually, play some music with. One of them, Daniel, was an East German
foreign exchange student, who while spoke quite good english, did have a thick accent. Tony, the other guy, was an incredible
artist, however looking back, was pretty "dark". They both were new to the school, as was I, so over time, shunning all the other
cliques that had developed over the years, we had each other. Art was what it was all about then. Getting to Sixth and Seventh period was
all I wanted to think about during the day.
Music
Probably the
first instrament I ever played, was my grandpa Ron's (the guy my mom's mom married after John Grace) grand piano. I would tinker
around on it, and make little melodies. My family was very supportive, and made me feel good about myself early on.
I tried to take up trumpet in the fourth grade, but it only lasted a month. When I became a teenager, I got more and more
interested in playing an instrament, so my mom bought me a guitar. We went down to this old, funky, guitar shop in Bernal
Heights with Jeff Weber, a guitar teacher, who insisted that he help pick out my guitar. I took lessons for two years, but
it was never really my thing. In late 1989, I got my first bass and amp with some help from mom and my aunt Renie and uncle
Dave. They chipped in and matched the $300 that I had saved up. I still have the amp and the bass (however, the bass doesn't work
too good now).
Electric Bass
With that set up I started playing, and learning the bass on my own. I was growing tired of taking lessons, and realized
that they hadn't made me better (or so I thought then). Only practicing would make me a better player. Eventually I learned that it's playing
with others on a regular basis is what can really help in making you a better musician. I tried to get together with a few
other musicians during the course of my senior year in high school, meeting several that I would eventually jam with. I recall the first guy I
jammed with, was really good, and he asked me "are you really serious?" I remember being pissed that he said that, but realized that I must
suck. I even met some guys that I would perform with in bands. I was really bad on bass, and didn't have much in the way of skills when Rick, a friend of Tony, hosted
a jam at his house with Daniel (who was a drummer). Tony was our "singer", even though he didn't really sing. He kind of yelled
into the microphone. However, I still think he could've given even some of the vocalists of the late nineties a run for their money.
He was colorful and interesting - everything you would want in a front man. So what if he couldn't really sing that well. There
are plenty of people on the radio these days who can't sing. But he lacked on thing, confidence in himself - as far as doing being
a frontman for a band. As far as art went, he has incredible talent. But we were just high school kids jamming on a Saturday.
we made alot of noise that day and there's still a recording
of it - somewhere... heh heh heh.
Bands
1991 - After then attempt at a jam band didn't really work with those guys, Rick, the guitarist, wanted me to
play in cover band which he was starting, so I tell him "Okay,
Rick, if ya get the rest of the members together...I'm in". This group
was more or less a stepping stone to my first real band, Obscurity, because Rob, Rick's younger brother,
got a chance to see me play when we were practicing in their living room.
I first saw Obscurity at a night club called The Stone on Broadway Avenue in San Francisco. They were playing with another friends'
band, Corruption. The bass player of Obscurity, half-jokingly asked if I wanted to be their singer. I think I jokingly said yes, but
I never went to try out. The next time I saw them, boy, did they look obscure. They had a petite female singer, with quite
a voice. A muscle bound bass player. A mop-topped drummer with a pieced together drumset. Rick, who, I hate to say it, looked like
a cave man, and his little brother, a wicked guitarist with hair all in his face. Anyway, a few months later, Sod, the bass player deceided
to call it quits, and I joined the band.
Also in 1991, sporadic over the years, The Cobwebbs weren't really a band, but was my old guitar teacher, Jeff Weber,
and some other various musicians that would get together and jam on some covers every now and again.
I met some very good musicians this way, including Tony Flores, the former drummer of local blues group, Sidewinder.
And learned as well as taught during the sessions. For more on other bands I was in, click on the links below.
Leaving The Band
After being in bands from 1991-2001, I chose to hang it up, and left my band at the time, Left Out Lamont (does that make me Lamont?!)
It was really hard to leave, but I felt a calling to do other things, as well, as I needed a break, and after eleven straight
years, with only abut 6 months off in 1993, I didn't want to tell Miguel and Dave of Left Out Lamont that I needed to take a break - even
if I didn't know how long it would be. I didn't want to hold them back. I also felt at the time that I needed to be more creative, musically,
and that the band only afforded me to be creative in a certain style of music. While I was still in the band, in 2001, I bought a digital
recorder and began making some of my own music. Being able to experiment without any outside influence was very rewarding, yet
hard work. I recorded three CDs in 2001 on my own, and realized that I could step in that direction if I were to leave the band. I think that
with all the shows that we played in 2001, I just got tired and needed some time to myself. Between work, the band, and anything else
that was going on in my life at the time, I had to step away.
Paintings
Prior to that, in 2000, after about ten years of not having done any art, I got back into it. After high school, I took one
class at City College and realized that I was burned out on art. I stopped completely. I think I got real turned off of having someone
direct me - to tell me what to do. I only made band flyers until 2000, when one day I found an old scrap canvas of my mother's in her studio. I did
a painting on it, and thought, ya know Josh, you should really not waste this talent you were born with. That being said, I
began to get back into it. I was methodical about it, going to the art store and buying lots of pre-stretched and primed canvas ready to work on.
I've painted over 200 paintings since 2000. All of them are small frames doen with acrylic paints, and
I have received some positive reviews from folks who have seen them and have sold a few. In 2004, I showed my work at three different places.
Renewal
2006 - I have recently joined a new group, this time playing lead guitar - which will afford me a much needed creative outlet. I have really missed
playing in a band over the past few years.
2008 - I have left that band (in Nov 2007), and am currently working on music for my next solo CD.