Artist description SMG is chiefly concerned with recording their original music at the bass player's 24 track studio called Megatrax Studios in Franklin, MA. We like to record art-rock instrumentals that can have jazz, blues and latin overtones.The band's nickname is "The Shmegs", a take on "The Dregs". The guitar player felt that this was not the most respectable name so he came up with " Solid Mental Grace", a line out of a Yessong called "Close to the Edge". Nevertheless, we are all shmegs at heart because we love to shmeg out.

Music Style Progressive Rock Instrumentals

Musical Influences Yes, Led Zeppelin, Floyd, Jeff Beck

Similar Artists Yes, Floyd without singing

Artist History Since 1986, SMG has been recording 1-2 songs per year, whenever we get a chance. During this time period, we each had our own cover band and SMG provided a way for us musician's to maintain our sanity. By 1993, after having recorded 12 songs, we put out an album and made 200 cassettes. We gave most of them to friends. Later, in 1998, we got the material on CD

Group Members Nicholas Kushner is the guitarist and primary writer for SMG. Mr. Kushner started out as a traditional rock blues guiter player but he has recently been integrating a jazz approach to his style. By day, Mr Kushner works at the Harvard AIDS Institute as a research scientist. Dean Bagdasarian is the bass player and engineer for the SMG recordings. Mr Bagdasarian is a very good rock bassist who has been influenced by Yes, King Crimson as well as Bela and the Flecktones. By day, Mr Bagdasarian works as an electrical technician. Steve Recchia is the drummer and main comedian for SMG. Known as "Reach" to his friends, Mr. Recchia has been influenced by Neal Peart and aspires to play like Chad Wackerman. When he's not dislocating his arm playing hockey, winning his 100th trophy in model car competitions or driving dragsters, Mr. Recchia works in a machine shop. Paul Bouley is the keyboard player and overall musical genuis who takes about 2 minutes to add his virtuoso parts to the SMG compositions. Mr. Bouley is a Berklee college of Music graduate who teaches piano and gigs for money.

Instruments Electric and acoustic guitars. Fretted and fretless bass, bass pedals and stick bass. Piano, synths and samplers. Drums and alarm clock

Albums SMG, What Were We Thinking?

Press Reviews Home and Studio Recording's Feb. 1990 edition gives band a favorable review

Location Framingham, MA - USA

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