STAGE LEFT. WILLIAM HUGH MARTIN:
Like john, billy sits in the center of his own musical universe on stage - surrounded by his drum kit, scraps of metal, various wood blocks, percussion pieces from africa, brazil and asia, and other random "stuff" that he's collected through the years. while his partner to the right seems to orbit the galaxy and back, billy's stage presence appears more grounded to the roots of this planet: with a steady nod and a boom-bat bounce. he is also the voice of mmw (he became the speaker by default after ill-fated attempts by both john and chris). the 44 year old martin is the elder statesman of the crew and was the tacit leader of the band in the beginning, booking the gigs, getting out press kits, and even making records. no stranger to the professional world of music and entertainment, billy's path to the L train started early.

In his early years on the planet can be broken down into two periods - new york and new jersey. the new york era witnessed billy's birth and his first 11 years as a human which were spent around manhattan's washington heights neighborhood. by day, a mild-mannered catholic school kid at manhattan's GOOD SHEPARD. but when billy got home and took off his uniform he was exposed to the life and times of the NYC arts world via his pop (a classical violinist) his mom (a radio city rockette) and his two older brothers who combined to give billy a dose of popular culture of the late 60s and early 70s.

Although he hadn't begun to play music during his new york period, billy had many opportunities to hear music and was exposed at a very early age to the classical world. his father was working in ballet, opera and the theater at the time (often taking billy in the pit with him) resulting in early influences by everyone from Stravinsky to Gershwin. despite the barrage of creativity spewing from his family AND life in new york city, billy answered to a higher calling, and was MOST influenced by nature (through lots of reading and fishing trips with his uncle). two of billy's first heroes - JACQUES COUSTEAU and JOHN DENVER.

In 1973, that seventies show was the one were the martin family packed up the city life and headed for the hills... of new jersey. yeah, there was a little culture shock, and it wasn't easy being the "new guy" in 7th grade (plus there was the added drama of going from catholic school to public school) but it was during this move that billy discovered his older brother KENNY'S drum set. while the family was unpacking and moving in, billy was inspired to set up the drums in the basement and soon started jamming along with some of his brothers records: FRANK ZAPPA, KISS, ZEPPELIN, AEROSMITH, SLY STONE, JAMES BROWN, JIMI HENDRIX...et al. this was, after all, the seventies - a time that was all about experimentation, creativity and style...a time that billy recalls with great fondness.

Billy took this 70s vibe and the newfound space in the suburbs and started conducting his own experiments. the basement of the martin house was where billy tinkered with the drums, his father's recording equipment (pop was an early audiophile), his junior chemistry set and even with pot (a seventies thing?). together the two would indulge, listen to records and make (and record) music. by the time billy got acclimated to life on the JERSEY side, he had fully shed his good shepherd ways.

By 10th grade martin was fully marching to the beat of his own drum both musically and personally. during the day he started taking jazz band at school and at night he was jamming with local, mostly older kids in various formations. he met a guitar player named DAVID FIELDS who turned billy onto new forms of music, especially jazz. the two formed a power trio that did covers ranging from VAN HALEN to GEORGE BENSON. by his junior year, billy began to feel a strengthened sense of self and wellbeing which became apparent in his music and his feelings about being a musician. he began writing drum cadences for the marching band, conducting the band itself, and started to expand his musical pallet. by his last year of high school, billy started attending the preparatory division of the MANHATTAN SCHOOL OF MUSIC where he studied music theory and performed in the orchestra and percussion ensembles.

In 1981, billy martin graduated from high school and made NEW YORK CITY his college. He bought an old toyota corolla station wagon and started commuting back to where it all began. his schedule quickly filled... and so did his resume. billy joined the music union and started playing everywhere - from night clubs, to off broadway productions, conducting at JULLIARD with VINCENT LA SELVA or jamming with cats like BOB MOSES, DAVE LIEBMAN, BILL FRISSEL, CYRO BAPTISTA, DELMAR BROWN, JEROME HARRIS and JOHN SCOFIELD. billy continued to study privately with such masters as PAUL PRICE, MANOEL MONTIERO, FRANKIE MALABE, EDIE BOBE and BOB MOSES who in turn turned him on to more creative musicians in nyc and around the globe.

Billy started to tour as a regular in various bands - he and montiero formed the samba group BATUCADA and played the brazilian circuit in nyc for 2 years. around 1987, Billy took his next stint touring and recording with CHUCK MANGIONE for 2 years until finally settling down in the burgeoning NYC downtown scene playing with BOBBY PREVITE, NED ROTHENBURG'S double band, JOHN ZORN's cobra projects and JOHN LURIE'S lounge lizards......and that's pretty much where john and chris found him that fabled day that they all decided to get together and rehearse in preparation for the Village Gate gig....it was the summer of 1991.