After migrating to New York City in my youth to seek my musical fortune, I co-founded Left Field, along with Liz Emmert, Bill Bly, and Deborah Griffin Bly. The four of us, often joined by Mark Dann, became known for our repertoire of obscure cover songs and original tunes covering a bewildering array of topics, delivered (in offbeat vocal arrangements with tight harmonies) with utter and happy disregard for stylistic consistency.
We eventually developed a following of devoted listeners who came to hear us play at places like the Speakeasy in NYC and the Minstrel Coffeehouse in NJ. We also made several guest appearances on radio legend John Weingart’s Music You Can’t Hear on the Radio (103.3 FM Princeton and WPRB.com). John was an early supporter and was instrumental in helping us reach a wider audience.
Left Field produced two recordings: a live album, Left Field: Still A-Live!, and Extra Innings, a studio recording of original songs. Prior to these, several of my tunes were recorded by Left Field for Fast Folk Musical Magazine, a monthly album of original songs produced by The Musicians’ Co-op (a/k/a the CooP) in Greenwich Village.
Below, you’ll find the songs that I contributed to these recordings.
“LEFT FIELD is quite possibly the best choice of a name for a band I’ve seen in ages . . . insane, but delightful.” —East Coast Rocker
Science and Technology (You Owe Us an Apology)
“‘Billions of Brain Cells’ [Ago], which has become Left Field’s signature tune, is a wickedly accurate lament that many . . . Baby Boomers will instantly recognize . . . .”
— Michael J. Fressola, Staten Island Advance
Fast Folk/Smithsonian Folkways
Say It Ain’t So, Sam
Left Field EP
Father Abraham
We of the Folk Project were always very happy to welcome Left Field.
Someone better informed than i says Bill & Liz have moved [!] to Ireland, and Bill moved away as well. I guess we’ll have to keep on playing our cassettes & CDs. Their music is too good to languish. To my mind, the best of their rep are
Weltschmerz, Big Mistake, Skeptics, and Billions, though i don’t remember any clunkers either. Thinking people folk is to where i gravitate.
We have a radio show “Soundings” on wdvrfm.org. It’s a small station out of Sergeantsville, NJ. Just want you to know we are playing “Media Ecology” tonight and will play more in the near future. Great stuff. Our favorite is “Thru Askin”….a real message and just beautiful music! Wish we could play it but you know…FCC.
We have “Ballads, Bromides and Broadsides”. If you have anything more send it to “Soundings” c/o WDVRFM.org, PO Box 191, Sergeantsville, NJ 08557. WDVR can be streamed.
Thanks, Bill and Mary