1812 Studio (1988-1991)
* Sgt. Friday members, Billy Plucker, Jim Helm & Rob Ryf joined together to write many songs under the 1812 Studio name. The trio never performed a live performance but won numerous awards for their songs in Nashville Songwriting Contests. They also signed a publishing contract with Big Wedge Publishing in Nashville, TN.
The 1812 Studio songs have never been released to the public until now! These songs are now all free for listening and downloading. Enjoy!
Dave DeHart (1988)
Click Note
INFO
Sgt. Friday Keyboardist, Dave DeHart, wrote "Big Bright Yellow Moon" in his basement studio featuring; Jeff Johnston on the guitar.
SKP (1992)
* Sgt. Friday members, Billy Plucker, Jim Helm & Rob Ryf were joined by Jack Rein to record 10 songs under the name SKP. The cassette release was called "Love is Hell" and recorded at the Irish Sounds Creative Studio with Jim Hendrick, who also engineered/produced Sgt. Friday's first album, "G-Men Go Surfing." The album was produced by; Plucker, Rein & Hendrick.
The song Prisoner was awarded a Top 25 Place certificate from the Music City Song Festival in Nashville, TN in the pop/rock professional division which had over a thousand submissions. The song Do You Believe won a Top 10% entry at the MCSF song contest. The song Other Side Of Love featured Sgt. Friday's Keith Knepfel on lead guitar
Side One: Love Is Hell, Down in Flames, As The Night Falls, Prisoner, Just A Boy
Side Two: Home, Do You Believe, When You're Gone, Carry Me, Other Side of Love
Ellis Junction (1993-1994)
* Sgt. Friday's Billy Plucker, partnered with his cousin, Jack Rein to record a 9 song cassette release called "Caged Chaos" and it was recorded in 1993 at the Irish Sounds Creative Studio with Jim Hendrick, who also engineered/produced Sgt. Friday's album, "G-Men Go Surfing" and the "SKP" release. The album was produced by; Plucker, Rein & Hendrick.
The song's I Owe it to Myself, True to This Heart, Right Here and Now & I Just Can't Lose were all published by JK Jam Music (July ©1993), New York, NY. | Time Traveler & Politician's Creed were powerful tracks that received positive reviews and were part of the driving force of this album.
The material generated a Record Contract/Proposal Offer on (May 12, 1993) from Statue Records (CBS) in Hollywood, CA. (Music Web Agency). The extended offer was to release an LP regarding the material submitted. Subsidies were as follows; travel out to Los Angeles, CA and engage in a two-week recording session where it would have been produced in "Studio City" with one of CBS Records' prestigious producers. The only 'glitch' was back in 1993, signed artists were required via contract to tour extensively throughout the United States. There was no band and both had families. Once again, they chose their families without any regret.
Side One: I Owe it to Myself, City Tonight, Right Here & Now, I Just Can't Lose, Politician's Creed
Side Two: Time Traveler, Arrow of Darkness, True to This Heart, My Friend
SMOKETREE (2003-2006)
ROB RYF
// drums, percussion
BILLY PLUCKER
// guitar. lead vocals
JEFF RADKE
// bass, vocals
JACK REIN
// lead guitar. vocals
* After the Sgt. Friday Reunion shows in the summer of 2003, Billy Plucker (Lead Vocals, 12-String Guitar) and Rob Ryf (Drums/Percussion) of Sgt. Friday teamed up with Jack Rein (Lead Guitar, Vocals) and Jeff Radke (Bass, Vocals), who both joined Sgt. Friday for the Reunion shows, and formed together as SMOKETREE. This group of players pushed forward after the reunion dates with added incentive by their friend Frank Crispigna III. The name "Smoketree" came to fruition because Frank & his wife Julie lived on Smoketree Ave. in Fox Crossing, WI. * Crispigna was just like another member of the band, acting as the band's manager and attended all the group's recording sessions and live performances.
Crispigna and Plucker acted as the popular 80's MTV band, The Producers (What's He Got, She Shelia), booking agents & promoters for two years in the early 2000's. This led to Smoketree opening up for The Producers at a few shows. Smoketree played many top festivals including; Celebrate DePere (2005 w/ The Gin Blossoms | 2006 w/ The Smithereens, Seven Mary Three), Octoberfest in Appleton, Waterfest 2004 & 2005 in Oshkosh (w/ The Producers, The Fixx, The Little River Band & Todd Rundgren), Walleye Weekend in Fond du Lac, Houdini Plaza AT&T show, Madison's Art Fair on the Square, Riverfront Rendezvous (Firehouse) in Stevens Point & The Summer Palooza.
SMOKETREE released 3 CD's, * "RAIN" © 2003-2004 | 9-song album recorded at SR Studios & Cinemedia Productions, Des Moines, IA (some instruments were recorded @ Des Moines studio 1) & Rock Garden Studio, Appleton, WI. | produced by: Marc Golde & Smoketree | The song Stand Waiting was published by Abalone Publishing / LA Records/ CD package 4/12/2004. The song One appeared on Fox-11 TV Morning Show as the band appeared live in the Rock Garden Studio on Lawe St. in Appleton. * "SMOKETREE- Self Titled" © 2005 | 12-song album recorded at Rock Garden Studio, Appleton, WI | Recorded, Mixed and Engineered by Marc Golde | Songs The Notice, See Right Through You & Lift Me Up were all featured on 105.7 WAPL. Mike Popke, (Shepherd Express) a Madison-based independent music critic, was able to get a review published in POWERPLAY, the UK's #1 Independent Music Magazine as the CD would receive 9 out of 10 Stars! * "I STAND ALONE" © 2006 W-P Records | 6-song EP recorded at Rock Garden Studio, Appleton, WI. | Produced by: Marc Golde & Billy Plucker | Songs Taking The High Road & Hard Luck Lady received radio airplay on WAPL. | Additional Musicians: Marc Golde - B3 Hammond Organ & Keyboards
