Artist Information

Instrumentation
John Parker - Lead Guitar & Vocals
Danny Costello - Guitar & Vocals
Steve Halter - Keyboards
Tommy Costello - Drums
Brian Dunnagan - Bass

Biography
Forced Call's John Parker is the leader and driving force behind the popular LA group. All the group's members have much more in common than just the love of great "Hot Rock & Blues" music - they are all Union brothers and work in the Film and Television Industry as well.

Five years ago, when they originally got together to play at a "JAG" wrap party, the band never anticipated the popularity they are currently enjoying.

John & Forced Call have performed at the following music festivals:
Redondo Beach Pier Summer Concert Series (4 yrs)
Santa Clarita Valley Blues Festival
Write 4 Hope Blues Festival
Blues For The Cause Festival
Ride Across America
South Bay Navy Days
Calimigos Ranch Concerts (5 Yrs)
Lake Elizabeth Music Festival
Celebration on The Hill
Ventura Art Walk
Orange County Cultural Fair
Ventura Street Festival
Beach Cities Summer Spectacular
Lousiana Lovesong Benefit
San Clemente Fiesta
Santa Clarita Valley Relay For Life
North Hollywood Relay For Life
Burbank Relay For Life
Beach Cities Relay For Life

They've also played at some great showrooms:
The Sunset Room
The White Lotus
BB King's Blues Club
Cozy's
The Sportsmans' Lodge
The Highlands Club
Arcadia Blues Club
Yesteryears
The Pearl Room

And of course, they've performed at numerous Film and Television Union events and wrap parties. A couple of years ago, John & Forced Call had the opportunity to open for The Beach Boys at their LA concert.

The band absolutely loves playing at the big outdoor events - some of our crowds have been from 8,000 to 12,000 people. "What an adrenaline rush that is!!"

John Parker & Forced Call is more than just a group of musicians who love to play together. The individual talents of each member have a lot of history...

John Parker was raised in the Santa Cruz area, playing for hire at age 14. He grew up loving the sounds of Django Reinhardt, BB King, Freddie King and Buddy Guy. A score of bands later, he wound up in the Atlanta, Georgia music scene where he found the blues calling. Now, he's back in California playing what he loves about Georgia the most - "the Blues". Respectable names he's had the pleasure to perform with include Chicago Bob Nelson, Big Joe Jackson, Butch Travette & the Alley Cats, the Late Piano Red, Tinsley Ellis, Delbert McClinton and Doug Kershaw. He's opened for Juice Newton, Eric Burdon, Bobby Bear and Coco Montoya.

Danny Costello is originally from New Jersey and began playing at age 13. His early influences were Jimmy Hendrix, Eric Clapton and Johnny Winter. Their great technique and use of raw emotion was a great inspiration to Danny as he was moving on in his career and performing with members of Toto and Joe Cocker. Danny has also been privileged to open for Edgar Winter, B.J. Sharp, Dick Dale and Three Dog Night.

Steve Halter started playing piano at age 5 and worked as a full time session player/arranger for over 20 years. Steve grew up under the influence of the old time Rock & Roll piano and organ players like Jimmy Smith. When it's time for his solo, he just closes his eyes, feels the vibe and let's his soul take over.

Tom Costello also hails from New Jersey. His early influences were The Beatles, Jimmy Hendrix, Toto and drummers Jeff Pocaro and John Bonham. Tom's had the good fortune to work with such great artists as Ike & Tina Turner, The DiFranco Family, Christopher Cross, Eddie Money, Rick Springfield, The Elton John Band, Joe Cocker and Jace.

Brian Dunnagan was born in New York to Kentucky parents who exposed him to a family full of Bluegrass Musicians and he started playing guitar at a young age. In his teens, he fell in love with the Bass and he switched from 6 strings to 4. His influences are Cream, Jim Hendrix, John Mayall and Tommy Shannon and he studied with Tim Bogert and Bunny Brunel. He's spent his time in the So Cal music scene playing blues, rock and country and has opened for Joe Diffie, Tammy Wynette and Ricky Van Shelton.

The Band's first cd "Off the Clock" was released in January, 2005 and has a little something for everyone; blues, rock and a little country gospel, all wrapped up in their own unique sound.

John is not only in the midst of laying down some new Blues Instrumentals for his own Solo CD but is also preparing some new songs so he and Forced Call can go back into the studio during the Summer of 2007 and cut their second cd. "We have some great new songs and can't wait for the rest of the world to hear them. It should be released in the Fall of 2007". And that, for this talented group of union brothers, is nothing short of spellbinding!

Interview with John Parker & Forced Call
By: Dennis M. Kelly

Now John, you’ve played music for hire since the age of 14, when did you realize that music was in your blood?

I was always fascinated with music when I was growing up. I flirted with several instruments like tenor sax and piano before I found the guitar and their mystifying spell.

What types of paying jobs did you get at age 14, anyway?

I played with a kid band, which was managed, and with a twelve piece soul band…”Corny and the Corvettes”, which also featured a 13 year old drummer, “Little Eddie Wonder”. We played fairs , VFWs and Dance Halls. I learned so much in those days and it was then that I realized I was born to be a band leader.

What about these performers (Django Reinhardt, BB King, Freddie King and Buddy Guy) influenced you most as a child?

Django is the best single line player I’ve ever heard.

BB’s taste and vibrato are classic.

Freddie makes me want to play guitar all night long.

Buddy gave me raw emotion and showed me how to “bust loose” with it.

You can hear each one of them in my playing, but not because I put them there.

What prompted the moves to Atlanta and back to California again?

I was touring with a band that ended up in Atlanta and fell in love with the people and the music and stayed for a few years. I began my “2nd Career” in the film industry while living there and met my soul mate who was also in the industry. We worked together for three years and then got married and she agreed to move to California so we could pursue our dreams together.

I am originally from Santa Cruz, California, having a lot of family here; of course, I have a deep love for the ocean. I’ve been sailing yachts most of my life. I currently have a 52’ ketch which means it’s a 2 masted boat. I also race boats and even “win” from time to time.

What did you like most about Atlanta’s music scene and what did you like least?

Atlanta was full of great people and lots of talent. The neighborhood where I lived was a hot bed of musicians and everybody from that group of friends has gone on to great things musically. What I liked the least was the constant rumor that something big was going to happen in the “Big A”, like becoming the “recording hub of the South”.

What are some of the positive experiences that you’ve gained from being in several bands prior to forming Forced Call?

You grow by playing with other musicians, both musically and spiritually. You learn to participate in the thoughts and feelings of others. I absorb a lot from other players. Like someone can play a riff, then I’ll pay a riff that’s different, but it sounds the same because it’s colored the same. Playing is so personal. Personality and soul are reflected in your efforts and, to capture a little of someone’s “mojo” is what makes your “gumbo” spicy.

I understand you all have some Hollywood backgrounds as parts of your day jobs, is that correct?

Yes, every one of us works on the “dirty side” of the camera. Most of us met on the set of the CBS television series “JAG”. I ran the Fixtures Department, our sax player was a prop man, our drummer was a set painter, our other guitarist ran the Backlot Labor Dept. at Universal Studios and our first bass player was a Union organizer. Our current bass player is a television show distributor and our keyboardist is a studio session player.

And, in a sense, we all have Hollywood to thank for Forced Call’s formation, right?

Hollywood was definitely responsible for “Forced Call”. We used to sit around playing for fun during lunch breaks and John Jackson, who played Admiral Chedwiggen on JAG, encouraged us to put a band together for JAG’s 100th episode party and gave us the name “Forced Call”, which is a television term. We decided to give it a try, rehearsed a couple of times, played the huge JAG party…and “blew the roof off”!!

Are there any Hollywood movie themes or influences that you inject into your music in any way, shape or form?

Yes, one of my new songs, “The Price of Fame” is about a celebrity-type who is always being hunted and just wants to find a place where nobody knows his name. “City Nights”, from our Off the Clock CD, sets up the action for a music video scene.

When searching for band members for Forced Call, what were the biggest concerns for you; what qualities mattered most?

Forced Call fell from the sky; the band was just blessed from the start. All these guys had incredible resumes - from Joe Cocker to Elton John - but they now all have wives, kids and jobs that makes traveling and touring tough. Luckily, there are lots of clubs and festivals in Southern California, so we continue to stay busy.

Aside from being good with your instrument, my main concerns were that everybody got along, were committed to excellence and most importantly, we all agree on what “one” is…like 1, 2, 3, 4…you know, the basics.

Being that Danny, Tom and Steve all started playing their respective instruments at such a young age, do you think you could you have done as well with a younger, less experienced musician?

It would be tough. I don’t have the excess time to have to go through that whole learning curve again.

It didn’t state in the bio when Chris started on Bass, so when did he get started?

Chris also started as a teenager. He actually grew up with Danny and Tom during the time that Danny was playing with Toto.

Have the rest of the band’s playing influenced your playing style as well?

Yes! Danny is a total rocker and I’m a bluesman. We started writing together and what we ended up with was an aggressive sound covering blues, gospel and Christian rock. So now, Danny plays more like me and I play more like him and we both play more like Steve, our genius keyboardist. We all continue to grow from and because of each other.

Besides what is already listed on the bio, what more can you tell me about the rest of the band? What sort of personality dynamic do you all share with each other?

We all get along well, do BBQs and get together on birthdays and anniversaries, etc. It’s important to all of us that our families are involved. My wife has always been wrapped up in promoting us. She does all our websites, graphics, photography, videography, mailings, emails, advertising and cd sales as well as still working full time in the television & film industry. Lately, she’s even had me doing solo gigs at her friends’ restaurants so I have no spare time at all.

You’ve got an album out called, Off the Clock that was released in 2005. It has ten tracks and has been on sale through CDBaby, and downloadable through Broadjam and iTunes. How has the album done for you thus far?

The album is still actually doing pretty good. Since it was our debut CD, I decided to let all the songs play in their entirety so you don’t have to purchase it to hear the whole CD. We have a lot of downloads of singles and still make quite a few online sales of the entire CD. Eight of the ten songs continue to get great reviews on Broadjam and most are receiving airplay at radio stations all over the world.

We, of course, make our best sales at our concerts and festivals. [People] want to take home the memory of what they just heard.

Quite a few of our customers tell us that they keep Off the Clock running in their car most of the time. The songs all just seem to flow very well from one to the other and it’s very easy to listen to.

I understand you are putting together your second album now. How is that progressing?

I’m in the studio right now. All the material is written and sung by me. It’s all blues with a gospel song or two thrown into the mix. Doug James, aka “Mr. Low”, who plays with the Duke Robillard Band, will be playing some sax on the CD. Also, Steve Annan will be adding some slide guitar on a couple of tunes. It’s really turning into a dream project.

Do you have a name set for the album yet?

No, but a couple of songs were inspired by my battle with cancer, which led to a liver transplant, so “Survivor” might be appropriate.

Are you looking for a larger distribution on this album than on your previous one? Or are you going to stay the course with your distribution/selling methods?

I’m definitely going to maintain the distribution that I currently have and would love to get even more exposure and a much larger distribution.

The music speaks for itself and I’m sure with a good agency, the music will soar. I’m a musician not a publicist, and any serious recording musician needs one. It’s extremely important to get your music out there so it can be heard and there are times that you need a professional to help get it there.

You already have a presence on iTunes, Broadjam, CDBaby and MySpace as well as your own site at www.forcedcall.com; how important is a digital presence for you and the band and how important do you feel it is for other bands too?

I actually have presence on about 30 more sites that you didn’t name, as well. The “Digital Era” has changed distribution tremendously. I would be nowhere without it. I think CD stores should be turned into showcases to promote the music they are selling. I see online record sales making retail stores a thing of the past. This is the genesis of a new age that will bring all bands to the playing field. You don’t have to be a lawyer to get your music out there anymore. I highly recommend that every band get a digital distributor.

Where do you (personally) find your greatest satisfaction, writing? Recording? Performing?

I’m a performer and I love performing the songs I’ve written. Recording takes endurance, it takes time to build a song X 10 or 12, but the satisfaction of going the distance and holding that finished CD in my hands is such a rush and gives me an incredible sense of accomplishment and is extremely exciting.
Looking back two years now, how would you say the music has changed?

I think everything ripens with time, making it sweeter. My subject matter has gotten deeper with more messages relating to the present times and my guitar playing has gotten more tasteful and has really matured.

How would you describe your concerts?

Really fun! Everyone in the band is an entertainer. Steve, “The Lord of the Boards”, is a very exciting keyboard player. He’ll stand his keyboard on end and rip up and down the keys. Danny and I play a lot of stuff, so when we’re not doing a harmony riff together, we are dueling. We always have a great time and our audiences all seem to really enjoy the show. We are constantly adding new moves to the show. They just sort of happen and then evolve into the act. A lot of the moves we make on stage usually have some funny story behind them.

You’ve had a lot of great shows including opening for the Beach Boys. What other highlights would you want to mention of your live shows?

The Beach Boys concert was great! We were pretty new on the scene at that point but we gave a flawless performance in front of thousands of people. Since then, we have played with a lot of national acts and at quite a few blues clubs & festivals. I want to say that we have really been blessed to grace the stages of some of the best clubs in LA and all over California.

Do you play outside of California much?

Not a lot up to now, but when I finish my next album, I’m going coast to coast with a road band.

Your calendar is set all the way through November; do you have anything else lined up after that?

In November, I’ll be putting the finishing touches on my CD, like mastering, artwork, printing and so forth. Then, by mid January, I should have the new product in hand. That’s the plan and I’m just starting to book next year now. I always have some repeat concerts and festivals that book us every year but most haven’t set their definite dates for 2008 yet and I don’t normally include them on our calendar until I have a set date.

What are your future plans both musical and personal?

Musical - I plan to play and sing as long as I can.

Personal – I live one day at a time, that’s the way it is living with cancer. I book a pretty ambitious schedule and so far I haven’t missed a downbeat. I’ve played while sick and even did a huge two hour concert only twenty one days after my liver transplant surgery, while still stapled together. I wasn’t about to cancel the booking and I was determined that the show would go on.

Where do you find your greatest enjoyment in music as well as in life?

I think watching and listening to the kids play - the next generation of the blues.

What is your greatest achievement thus far and what would you still like to accomplish yet?

I do a lot of work with The American Cancer Society, not only as a performer and as an entertainment coordinator but also as a Legislative Ambassador and that work is extremely fulfilling. To date, Forced Call and I have helped raise over 3 million dollars in the last four years.

I’m also currently the President of the Santa Clarita Valley Blues Society and am very involved with all our projects. I’m working on starting an annual blues festival here in LA that will target different charities every year like the homeless shelter, battered women, our schools, to name a few. I want to focus on fixing things that need our help here in LA.

Thanks so much for this opportunity. I’ll be sure to send you a new CD as soon as they are wrapped.

Sincerely,
John Parker

John Parker & Forced Call