Meet the Cast

Use this handy graphic to keep the bands and players straight.

You will be hearing a lot about these guys and gal over the next few weeks, so here's a Playbill.

Mel Waldorf

I first became aware of Mel through the music of his band The Mel-tones. I met him when he moved to the Bay Area in 1996. We started a band together in 2000 called The Mach IV, and at that time he was also recording the first Meshugga Beach Party album. He needed a band to perform the music live, so The Mach-sters donned the beards and added Karen on keys and we did a handful of shows before he decided to to put together a full time band. Mel is one of the most prolific musicians I know, with 4 Mel-tones CDs, 3 Meshugga CDs, and a Mach IV CD. Mel has taught me a lot of yiddish over the years, but I only remember the dirty words.

Danny Snyder
The first time I really talked with Danny was at Phil Dirt's retirement show in 2004, although he said we'd met at the Hotel Utah surf shows before that. At that point he was thinking about starting up a band after being away from music for 10 years or so, and he thought Surf music was his ticket to fame. Oh well, I'm happy he choose our little genre as has become a huge asset with his brilliant song writing and being an all around great ambassador. The TomorrowMen released their first CD last year and it's widely hailed for it's fresh and modern approach to the surf, while still having the energy and pounding beat of the heaviest trad style. This will be Danny's first trip across the pond.

Stuart Brandt
Stu impressed me so much when I first saw him with the Aqua-Marines. He holds his sticks the old fashion way and is probably the most authentic pure trad style drummer I know. A few years ago, Paul Johnson asked me if I knew a drummer that could back him up for a couple shows, and Stu was the man. Stuart gave up drums for long time before deciding to start playing again, and why a Jewish kid from Canarsie, Brooklyn would be so dedicated to surf music is beyond me, but I'll have lots of time with him in the van to find out. This is Stu's first trip abroad and he is looking forward to smoking Cuban cigars in Italy.

Karen Dobronyi
Karen and I have been married 20 years and it's always interesting, always something new going on. When Mel was putting together Meshugga he asked about a keyboard player and I suggested her. We bought a Vox Continental from Hank Maninger and she found her voice in it. She used to get really nervous playing shows but now she is a pro, and I'm very impressed. Karen is a "foodie" so I hope we explore the realm beyond what the clubs provide (salted pork products and bread). Karen is a little apprehensive about traveling with 6 guys for 2 & 1/2 weeks, but, I think her main job for this tour is to keep the groupies away from me. I kid...

Steve Henderson
It's hard to find a picture of Steve smiling, but I know he is on the inside. Steve has been Danny's musical partner in crime for decades, and they come as a matched set. They drive each other crazy in the most fraternal of ways. Steve is extremely patient. I don't know if it's OK to reveal his day job, but boy does he needs patience for it. While Danny was on musical hiatus, Steve played in some kind of death metal band, I think there's incriminating videos on YouTube somewhere. We'll have to do a little digging.

Tony Bald
I'm not sure if Tony answered Danny's ad on Craig's List or vice-versa, but wow, what a find! Tony played in ska bands in high school and his Dad was a fan of surf music, so joining the TomorrowMen was what he was looking for. When I first saw Tony, he was all about the energy, and in a few years I have seen and heard him mature so much. He still has the energy, but it's so focused now. When Frankie needed a bass player, Danny suggested tony, even though he had never played bass in a band before. He has also become a great power pop songwriter wit his band The Gregors. I think Tony is 25 now, so like a bunch of old vampires we feast on his energy.

Lorenzo Valdambrini
I can't remember when I met Lorenzo, which is strange because we've become great friends even though he lives in Italy. I think it was destiny, we've had a lot of fun in the few years we've know each other. The man is an octopus, all 8 arms handling some catastrophe; juggling a restaurant, a festival, a tour, his band, a booking agency, and making everybody happy all the time. Pollo Del Mar's tour with him in 2009 was an epic good time, everything went so smoothly. When we were putting this tour together I knew exactly who should play drums with Frankie– our man in Italy.

Your Truly, Ference Dobrinyi

I misspelled my name, just like everybody else does. I like instrumental music, particularly surf. I played with Pollo del Mar for 18 years before we decided to take a break last winter. I started Frankie & The Pool Boys to play in a less complicated, 60s vein. Hmm, what else? I used to be a graphic designer but now I work at a middle school, and I love it. I have been really lucky to work with so many cool musicians in the surf world, and that's one of the reason I'm so attracted to the genre. I have found that the more I give to it, the more I get back.