Dave Kerzner (K. Emerson, S. Hackett, A. Parsons, Genesis, etc.). Don't forget to subscribe.
Published 2023-02-16
Dave Kerzner (aka “Squids”) is a songwriter, producer, keyboardist and vocalist who is best known for co-writing and co-producing Sound of Contact’s award-winning concept album “Dimensionaut” and he is also well known as the founder of the sound production company Sonic Reality. In addition to Dave’s career as a solo artist Dave is part of several projects including the UK-based band “Mantra Vega” with Heather Findlay and his fantasy band/tribute project “Sonic Elements” that combines sampled Sonic Reality artists with special guests from the Prog World. As well as In Continuum and Arc of Life.
New World Album CoverOver the years Dave has worked with many artists and producers ranging from Kevin Gilbert to Keith Emerson and ELP, Steve Hackett, Steven Wilson, Alan Parsons, Crowded House, Genesis, L. Shankar, Bono and The Edge, Ginger Baker, Nick Mason of Pink Floyd, Neil Peart of Rush, Jerry Marotta of Peter Gabriel, Billy Sherwood and Jon Anderson of Yes, David Longdon (Big Big Train), Rolling Stones, The Who, Durga and Lorelei McBroom (Pink Floyd), David Kilminster (Roger Waters), Joe Lynn Turner of Deep Purple, Ken Scott (Beatles, Bowie, Elton John), Hugh Padgham (The Police, Genesis), Heather Findlay (Mostly Autumn), Nick Davis (Genesis, XTC), Ringo Starr, Bob Siebenberg (Supertramp), Woody Woodmansey (David Bowie), Sam Phillips, T-Bone Burnett, Francis Dunnery (It Bites, Robert Plant), Phil Ramone, Billy Cobham, Terry Bozzio, Rod Morgenstein, Danny Gottlieb of Pat Metheny Group, John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin and Them Crooked Vultures, Smashing Pumpkins, Tom Waits, Barbara Streisand, Madonna, Beyonce, Pearl Jam, Aimee Mann, Jon Brion, Nick Raskulinecz (Foo Fighters, Rush), Allen Sides (Ocean Way Recording), Rik Emmett (Triumph), John Wesley, Colin Edwin and Gavin Harrison (of Porcupine Tree), Carmine and Vinny Appice, John Blackwell (Prince), Ed Greene (Steely Dan), Alastair Greene (Alan Parsons Project), Russ Parish (Steel Panther), Toss Panos, Corky James, Nick D’Virgilio (Tears for Fears, Genesis, Big Big Train, Spock’s beard) and others.
After many years working in sound design and production with SR and as a keyboardist with other artists, Dave decided it was time to take center stage as lead vocalist and put out his first Progressive Rock album as a solo artist.
Dave Kerzner Discography
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Studio albums
2014: New World
2017: Static
2022: The Traveler
Remix albums
2016: New World - Instrumental
Live albums
2016: New World Live
EP albums
2016: Paranoia
Compilations
2019: Breakdown: A Compilation 1995-2019
With Sonic Elements
2012: XYZ—A Tribute to Rush
2018: Yesterday and Today: A 50th Anniversary Tribute to Yes
With Sound of Contact
2013: Dimensionaut
With In Continuum
2019: Acceleration Theory Part One: AlienA
2019: Crash Landing (EP)
2019: Acceleration Theory Part Two: Annihilation
With Arc of Life
2021: Arc of Life
With other artists
1995: Kevin Gilbert, Thud
2008: Simon Collins, U-Catastrophe
2011: Steven Wilson, Grace For Drowning
2012: Steve Hackett, Genesis Revisited II
2020: The McBroom Sisters, Black Floyd
All Comments (2)
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Wow. For 40 minutes I just saw my life as it could/should have been. I did what your friends did: I gave up on music and went to USC. But I have an excuse. I was a high school kid playing at Gazzarri's, at backyard parties in Pasadena/Altadena, and at generator gigs up the Angeles Crest. I really thought that I was going to be a ProgRock & Roll guitarist for the rest of my life. But one night when I was 17, I was at a party and watched Eddie Van Halen stagger out of the house, barely staying upright, disconjugate gaze, completely inebriated (qualudes were popular then). His brother was yelling at him in Norwegian or whatever. There were about 150 kids in the house and another 2,000 in the street ( a typical turnout for the yet-to-be-signed band) who had all come to be part of the Van Halen experience - and the police helicopter had just arrived. Alex wanted to play so he pulled a keg out of a trash can full of ice, picked Eddie up and turned him upside down, and started dunking his head into the ice water. Eddie took a few swings that missed, and Alex put a guitar in his hands. Within 30 seconds I realized that no matter how hard I worked I could never do what this kid was doing in his sleep. Nearly 50 years later I'm retired from an ER job that paid me well enough to purchase a Meyer Sound concert system and mix some of my heroes live, and I have regrets. Could'a, Should'a, Would'a . . . Kacey Musgrave sings a line in Slow Burn that goes, "Old soul, waitin' my turn. I know a few things but I've still got a lot to learn". Maybe, the next time around, I'll get Tony Banks' (or Lyle Mays') keyboards. Thanks for the inspiring stories about what could have been!
