OBE's Bill T Miller (BTM) adventures as a ghost bentman at Headroom Studios
began in the 80s recording the early Bentmen radio hit Penatration Laceration.
At that point, Bentmen featured Des, Kathy, Woody and a Roland 707 drum machine.
Really before that the very BENTMEN meets BTM moment was when DES brought some four track cassette recordings he and Woody had cut for a proper mixdown (including the song Rumours Abound and more.)
Next, BTM recorded BLUE JAY WAY, bringing his bandmates from his Out of Band Experience (OBE) rhythm section with Andy Deckard on drums and Jeff Cohen on bass as session players. Then BTM later overdubbed and mixed the song NORWEGIAN WOOD. Both songs were released on the "BOSTON DOES THE BEATLES" compilation LP.
Then BTM (as engineer/co-producer) recording and mixing the the song "ULCER GULCH" (featuring Des on hammer dulcimer) for the "MAGIC ROOM" CD, which was released in 1992.
A few years later, BTM engineered/co-produced overdubbing and mixing for the BENTMEN song "BLOODY BENDERS" from the PATIENT ZERO" CD, which was released in 1996.
A bit later, BTM remixes for "BLOODY BENDERS" and "ONE ARMED TEXAN" were
also whipped up during this era. Still unreleased.
Once in mid/late 90s, Des popped into to visit BTM at Headroom Studios (which at that time was in the Sound Museum Rehearsal Complex) and remarked that he hadn't seen BTM around... and BTM said "I live in the shadows..." - later that evening Des wrote the lyrics for a new Bentmen song during band rehearsal down the hall with lyrics referencing the SHADOWMEN in a nod to BTM.
Also, on another visit to BTM's Headroom around 1997-98, a later incarnation of KINGS OF FEEDBACK with BTM on bass & samples with Andrew Wilson on guitar and Mark Mastrella on drums was in the studio when DES popped into to say HI. KOF "singer" Vernon Tart wasn't there, so BTM tossed the VOC MIC (plugged into his Lexicon delay) to DES and jammed out live to cassette and nailing a few great takes. These lost KOF tracks were unearthed recently and are ready to be released.... soon-ish.
LT. DAN is yet another Bentmen related band that cut trax at Headroom with engineer/producer Bill T Miller in the late 90s. Lt. Dan features: Dan Mullen (C-60) on vocals/guitar - Andrew Padua (Bentmen - C-60) on bass - Mark Mastrella (Kings Of Feedback) on drums and Des (Bentmen) on vocals.
There are many lost treasures recorded and/or mixed/overdubbed by BTM tucked away in the Bentmen vaults. Most are probably lost forever.
Another rare treat flashback recorded in the 80s by BTM in Headroom is the album "ICELAND," featuring Bill Desmond on hammer dulcimer, Patty Barkas on vocals, Jeff Cohen on Chapman Stick, Johnny Cunningham on fiddle, and David Gilden on kora.
Also, early BENTMEN guitarist WOODY TRENHOLM recorded/mixed some of his solo band BRAINTICKET at Headroom with BTM as well as shooting a 3 minute super 8 film of BTM - OBE. ....and BTM joined in with Woody's all SYNTH ensemble, the Analog Synthetic Colliquim for a live show/recording in 90s.
In late 80s, early guitarist JEFF FRIEDMAN, produced ERIC MINGUS (the son of acoustic bass jazz legend Charlie Mingus) at Headroom Studios with BTM engineering.
Fast foward to 2002-03, Des cut solo trax into Pro Tools at Headroom
with Bill T Miller as engineer/co-producer. The songs range from
a no age ambient soundtrack soundscape to heavy electro industrial groove.
Bits of some of these tracks were incorporated into new songs and released by Des later on.
Bentmen members: Des, Reeves Gabrels, Larry Dersch, Woody Trenholm and Frank Coleman have made guest appearances on various OBE - Out of Band Experience songs during the 90s. Original Bentmen drummers Larry Dersch and Ken Winokur both appear on BTM's Drum Army CD. Later on in 2000s, Dersch also appeared with BTM's Orgy Of Noise band. Plus, Geoff Chase recorded a couple of live Orgy Of Noise concerts and joined in to jam.
Bill T Miller has been the shadows from the earliest days of the BENTMEN and continues to be a ghost in the mix chanting BENTMEN BENTMEN BENTMEN beyond the end of time....
