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Seymour
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Seymour is an eclectic four-piece good-time rock band with drums, bass, keyboard and assorted guitars. All the band members sing, and vocals are prominently featured in many of their arrangements. Based in Portland, Oregon, U.S.A, the band was founded in 1969 (as the Seymour Rock Orchestra & Freak Circus), "freeze-dried" in '72, reconstituted in '91 and has been active ever since.
Their roots go back to the days when the youth of Portland cruised Yaw's and hung out at places like the Headless Horseman, the Crystal Ballroom and Springer's to catch live music.
Back then, they played private parties, high school and college dances, concerts in the park, venues like the Pythian Ballroom and Neighbors of Woodcraft Hall, and miscellaneous clubs. These days, it's mostly private and corporate functions, with the occasional club or outdoor concert here and there.
Their current song list comprises over 100 50's-60's-70's-80's-90's good-time rock covers and about a dozen originals, each pleasantly flavorful and unique. There are two songwriters in the band (and two band alumni who still contribute interesting and catchy original tunes). The band's cumulative musical experience adds up to about 150 years.
The Members
John "J.D." Dalrymple is the band's music director, a founding member (1969), one of the two songwriters, and engineer / co-producer of the band's records. He sings lead on about two-thirds of the songs, and his instrumental duties are divided about equally between keyboard and guitar.
Along with Seymour Lovejoy, he's been in local Portland bands the Southmen, Music Box, Sunflower and Smoke from the mid 60's till the early 80's. Back in the 60's, the Music Box won a locally televised "Battle of the Bands," recorded at Capitol Records, and played in such notable Portland venues as the Memorial Coliseum, the Civic Auditorum and the Masonic Temple, opening for acts such as Johnny Rivers, The Fabulous Wailers, Iron Butterfly and the Sons of Champlin.
Bill Piland plays the bass and sings lead and backing vocals for Seymour. He's the newest member of the band, having joined in the summer of 2004. His playing style is a perfect fit for Seymour, and his massive instrumental and vocal chops have taken the band to a higher plane.
Bill has been a regular fixture of the Portland live-music scene since the 1970's, having performed with Steve Bradley, the Sleazy Pieces, the Sludge Brothers, the Hard Days Knights, and several other bands. He first met up with J.D. in the 80's when they shared the stage at a few Sludge Brothers gigs.
Jim Badenoch (Montana native and truly mellow fellow) first joined the band when it re-emerged in 1991.
Jim plays the drums and helps out with backing vocals and occasional lead vocals. He's also visually creative -- he put together the artwork package for the band's first (1995) original CD. And he has another outstanding quality -- he's a big fan of The Firesign Theatre.
Seymour Lovejoy (known to Portland old-timers as Paul Stanton) is co-producer of the band's recordings and the other of its two resident songwriters. He sings lead on about one-third of the songs and plays lead guitar.
As mentioned above, he and J.D. co-founded the original Seymour band in 1969, and they were also in several other Portland bands of the 60's, 70's and 80's.
He also practices the Chinese martial arts: Tai Chi and Pa Qua Palm, and actively promotes a joyful, loving perspective as his pseudonym suggests.
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