Album Notes

Pie-Eyed Pete was born during the Cold War era, with a song in his heart and an extra digit on his left foot. Well, the War ended and the digit was burned off, but the song remained intact. Throughout his life, Pete has pursued his many passions with gusto: music, coffee, smokes, bocce and coffee... in that exact order. He has played bass for countless bands, from the wildly famous to the quite insignificant: Gin Blossoms, Ike Reilly, Lost Luggage, Diplomat 6 and others way too insignificant to even mention. Today, he is a fixture in the Chicago music scene – perhaps a nice lamp or a wall sconce. He “gigs” around “town” quite “often,” and appeared recently as “the bassist” on Ike Reilly’s latest release Hard Luck Stories. Much to the amazement of his friends, Pete is married to Sheila, a wonderful woman, and has an adorable son Peter John. He goes by the name “Pie-Eyed Pete” not because he is often drunk (which he is) but because his eyes are often crusty… and filled with fruit compote.

Pete’s newest release, Lake County All-Star, is chock full o’ the classic pie-eyed, musical nuggets you’ve come to expect. Equal parts tobacco-soaked vocals, whiskey-soaked guitars and urine-soaked quintessence, the result is A heady brew of a life lived to its limits, both with and without regrets. It’s a little bit country, a little bit rock and roll and a whole lotta barroom sing-along. Recorded in Libertyville, IL by the supple hands of Ed Tinley and rounded out with strong supporting performances by luminaries Ike Reilly, multi-talented John Pirruccello, long time guitarist Jim O’Donnell and his trusted drumming friend Phil Levin, Lake County All-Star is a disk that’ll make you want to stay up all night and drain a keg or three. Sure, you’ll wake up dehydrated and jonesin’ for a hot cup of joe but, like Pie-Eyed Pete, you wouldn’t want it to end up any other way.