Dylan Keefe
Encyclopedia
Dylan Keefe is the bassist
and one of the founding members of the multi-platinum selling alternative rock
band Marcy Playground
.
and drummer Jared Kotler, founded Marcy Playground in 1994.
Although Keefe grew up in the same city as Wozniak, the two never met until both moved to NY and met through a mutual friend, acclaimed jazz guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel
. Before joining Marcy Playground, he attended the Berklee Music College of Boston with the band's ex-drummer Dan Reiser, with whom he played in various jazz projects together.
Keefe is known for being the shy yet funny guy in Marcy Playground. Aside from providing bass guitar for Marcy Playground, he contributed backing vocals on many of the songs on the band's second album, Shapeshifter. His musical influences include Radiohead
, classic rock, and jazz.
"I can divide my personal history into two distinct parts; pre and post May 31, 1995.
On that day my father, an accomplished artist and architect, took his own life. He had always been my greatest inspiration, my wisest confidant, my biggest fan, and my best friend. He was insanely talented, amazingly kind, and aggressively charming. But most of all, although we played in different mediums, he was my artistic soul mate. Somehow, with him in the world, it was easier to a life in the ridiculous pursuit of artistic endeavors. Being totally and completely understood by someone has a way of dissolving self-doubt into bite size pieces.
That very same late spring day, before I received that heart-crushing news, I also met John Wozniak. As Minneapolis ex pats living in New York City, we quickly learned that we were from the same town, grew up with similar record collections, and had poor but intellectually stimulating parents that sent us to experimental grade schools. The Marcy Open School was the sister to mine on the other side of town. We were kindred misfit guinea pigs that had been tagged and released into to wild of the normal world.
In these times, when its easy for the Privileged such as myself, to just up 'n run away from one's hometown in search of a new identity, its not everyday that you meet those people that REALLY know where you're coming from.
I'm sure some of you that have lost loved ones are familiar with the feeling of being shaken by the irreverence in which life just goes on without them. To this day, I cannot believe that my dad never got to know about Marcy Playground the band, or that Woz and he never met. Because it seems to me as though they had always known each other. Instead, they just passed each other by a few hours along my personal time line.
On that day, when my whole world was falling to shit, I got lucky...or maybe blessed or something. Because somehow, just when I really needed some sense of where I came from, and a reminder of why I do what I do, spoken in a language that I can understand, I met Woz. And although John is far from a father figure to me (he's more like the little brother I need to protect from others so I can beat on him myself later), my dad, like a successful drug deal, delivered something to him from under his sleeve as he passed from my street corner. What I got was a musical soul mate. What you get is Marcy Playground."
, based in New York City
, and the Technical Director on another NYC-based public radio program The Takeaway
. He is currently busy touring the continent, rocking crowds with the band that gained him his stardom, as well as drawing and painting.
Bassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
and one of the founding members of the multi-platinum selling alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band Marcy Playground
Marcy Playground
Marcy Playground is an American alternative rock band consisting of three members: John Wozniak , Dylan Keefe , and Shlomi Lavie . The band is best known for their 1997 hit "Sex and Candy".-Early years:...
.
Marcy Playground
Keefe, along with vocalist John WozniakJohn Wozniak
John Keith Wozniak is an American musician, best known as the lead singer, guitarist and songwriter of the band Marcy Playground. He is the son of a developmental psychologist dad and a free spirited Bohemian mother....
and drummer Jared Kotler, founded Marcy Playground in 1994.
Although Keefe grew up in the same city as Wozniak, the two never met until both moved to NY and met through a mutual friend, acclaimed jazz guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel
Kurt Rosenwinkel
Kurt Rosenwinkel is an American jazz guitarist and keyboardist who came to prominence in the 1990s.-Biography:He attended the Berklee School of Music for two and a half years before leaving in his junior year to tour with Gary Burton, the dean of the school at the time...
. Before joining Marcy Playground, he attended the Berklee Music College of Boston with the band's ex-drummer Dan Reiser, with whom he played in various jazz projects together.
Keefe is known for being the shy yet funny guy in Marcy Playground. Aside from providing bass guitar for Marcy Playground, he contributed backing vocals on many of the songs on the band's second album, Shapeshifter. His musical influences include Radiohead
Radiohead
Radiohead are an English rock band from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, formed in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke , Jonny Greenwood , Ed O'Brien , Colin Greenwood and Phil Selway .Radiohead released their debut single "Creep" in 1992...
, classic rock, and jazz.
May 31, 1995
A quote from Dylan Keefe about a day that forever changed his life:"I can divide my personal history into two distinct parts; pre and post May 31, 1995.
On that day my father, an accomplished artist and architect, took his own life. He had always been my greatest inspiration, my wisest confidant, my biggest fan, and my best friend. He was insanely talented, amazingly kind, and aggressively charming. But most of all, although we played in different mediums, he was my artistic soul mate. Somehow, with him in the world, it was easier to a life in the ridiculous pursuit of artistic endeavors. Being totally and completely understood by someone has a way of dissolving self-doubt into bite size pieces.
That very same late spring day, before I received that heart-crushing news, I also met John Wozniak. As Minneapolis ex pats living in New York City, we quickly learned that we were from the same town, grew up with similar record collections, and had poor but intellectually stimulating parents that sent us to experimental grade schools. The Marcy Open School was the sister to mine on the other side of town. We were kindred misfit guinea pigs that had been tagged and released into to wild of the normal world.
In these times, when its easy for the Privileged such as myself, to just up 'n run away from one's hometown in search of a new identity, its not everyday that you meet those people that REALLY know where you're coming from.
I'm sure some of you that have lost loved ones are familiar with the feeling of being shaken by the irreverence in which life just goes on without them. To this day, I cannot believe that my dad never got to know about Marcy Playground the band, or that Woz and he never met. Because it seems to me as though they had always known each other. Instead, they just passed each other by a few hours along my personal time line.
On that day, when my whole world was falling to shit, I got lucky...or maybe blessed or something. Because somehow, just when I really needed some sense of where I came from, and a reminder of why I do what I do, spoken in a language that I can understand, I met Woz. And although John is far from a father figure to me (he's more like the little brother I need to protect from others so I can beat on him myself later), my dad, like a successful drug deal, delivered something to him from under his sleeve as he passed from my street corner. What I got was a musical soul mate. What you get is Marcy Playground."
Today
Although Dylan is still a part of the rock trio today, for a limited time he was the Technical Director for the weekly public radio program On the MediaOn the Media
On the Media is an hour-long weekly radio program, hosted by Bob Garfield and Brooke Gladstone, covering journalism, technology, and First Amendment issues. It is produced by WNYC in New York City...
, based in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, and the Technical Director on another NYC-based public radio program The Takeaway
The Takeaway
The Takeaway is a morning radio news program co-created and co-produced by Public Radio International and WNYC-New York Public Radio with editorial partners the BBC World Service of the United Kingdom, The New York Times, and WGBH Radio Boston of the United States...
. He is currently busy touring the continent, rocking crowds with the band that gained him his stardom, as well as drawing and painting.