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Touch Of Grey - About The Band
 Doc Glatz (Harmonica)
Peter “Doc” Glatz was born in Chicago in 1953. He received his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois in 1975. He graduated from the University of Illinois College of Dentistry in 1979. He served as a clinical instructor in Fixed Prosthodontics at the University of Illinois College of Dentistry and as a guest lecturer in implant dentistry at Northwestern University. He opened up his dental practice in Springfield in 1979.
Doc Glatz lives in the farmhouse of a once prosperous apple orchard on the outskirts of town. Years ago he remodeled the old apple cooler building into his dental laboratory. Attached to the cooler was the tin shed used to grade and sort apples. It was the perfect place to install a 21 foot walnut bar he had bought at an auction. Doc Glatz named the building "The Last Chance Bar and Lab." One day Doc decided; "What my bar really needs is live music." After opening the bar with a party featuring blues great Fenton Robinson he realized, "Bands are expensive. Why not start my own?" So in the early 90’s he formed the Last Chance Blues Band, which included Touch of Grey guitarist Gary Halford, Every band needs an audience so the Last Chance Blues Band began hosting parties for family and friends. This eventually led to bookings at clubs, benefits, and community festivals. Performance highlights include 1999's ill-fated "Cornstock" Labor Day festival that made national news due to an E. coli outbreak (The band hosted a benefit the following November to raise money for medical bills for the victims), the 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002 Sherman Homecoming's, the 2000 Athen's Rodeo, the 2001 and 2002 Sangamon County Fair's, the 2000 Springfield Septoberfest, the 2001 Chatham Homecoming and the 2000 & 2001 Illinois State Fairs. It was named “Best Cover Band” in the Illinois Times 2002 Reader’s Poll.
Gary Halford (Rhythm Guitar)
Gary, along with Doc played in the Last Chance Blues Band. It was an outlet to get to play many gigs from garage parties to playing Blues Festivals, State and county fairs on big stages.
Influences include British Invasion, during pre teen and teen years, music from The Who, Beatles, Led Zepplin, Rolling Stones, Jeff Beck, Yardbirds and many others. As kids, my brother and I were sent to bed early where we secretly plugged in our transistor radios and ear plugs to listen well into the night the Top 40 every evening from 1964 on. 1990, brings a new neighbor who noticed a guitar and amp in my front room. Talk was initiated and a blues band was formed! A lot of new music was “discovered” As time goes on newer avenues into other music brought on the formation of the Touch of Grey band.. What is great about the Touch of Grey is the fact that we can play blues music but can “Touch” a lot on the past music that brought a lot of excitement in my life. Rod knows this and has some of this stored in the back of his mind somewhere. It does come out in rehearsal and has come part of our set list! Interestingly enough is the fact that Steve and Les know a lot of the 60’s and 70’s tunes as well as 80’s and 90’s that are cool! Equipment includes Fender Hot Rod Deville, 1993 American Standard Strat w/Texas Special pickups from Fender and 1999 American Standard Telecaster
Larry Harness (Percussion, Drums, Backing Vocals)
Growing up as a child, his father owned a night club, and Larry frequently sat in with some of the traveling show bands that played his father's club.
In the mid 70's he was a member of a group called "Riff" that played alot of Allman, Doobie Brothers. He also played in the Jazz band and Concert band at Chatham Glennwood High school who used to perform on weekend for business groups in larger metropolitan areas. In Jan of '04 he joined the Last Chance Blues Band and played with them until they disbanded. Now in his 50's, he is plays congas with a Santana cover band called the Screamin Vatos. He also enjoys playing with the new group, Touch of Grey, where he plays drums and back up vocals and having the time of his life.
Rod VanSandt (Lead Guitar)
I got my first guitar when I was 13 (I won't mention what year that was!), and have been playing on and off with various bands ever since. My early influences were Jimmy Page, Skunk” Baxter, Joe Walsh and other great guitarists of the era. Later influences were Todd Rundgren, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Robbin Ford, and Warren Haynes.
Since moving to Springfield in the mid 80's I have been involved with a number of bands including The Max, Those Guys, Area 51, and now Touch of Grey. I am somewhat of a gear junkie and change my setup frequently, but for now I am playing a Tom Anderson Drop Top Classic or a PRS Custom 24 into a Fuchs Overdrive Supreme 30, sometimes adding a Keeley modded Tube Screamer or Maxon AD80 delay into the mix.
Leslie Hardy (Bass Guitar, Backup Vocals)
I've wanted to play bass in a band ever since I discovered "The Police" in the early 80's. I dabbled with many instruments along the way and have gotten decent at using many of them, however, I keep coming back to bass. Less hard-work to do!
I've performed with PEAPOD JUNIOR (keyboards/vocals), "DEAR ANNA" - formerly DEAD PORNOGRAPHY (bass/vocals), the short-lived "GLASS ONION" (bass) and a high-school talent show band (bass). I produce electronic dance music under the moniker A.M.C.A.A.T. and write/record 80's inspired pop music as "THE HONOUR SYSTEM". Check me out at www.myspace.com/lesliehardy.
Joe Mucciante (Saxophone, Flute, Percussion)
I have always liked to listen and sing along with the radio. Like Gary, I would listen to it at night in bed on my small Arvin radio with an ear plug. I studied accordian with the local legend Roy Bentelli at age 10. I sang in the grade school church choir in sixth grade (I was asked to join, boy what happened to my voice!). I started on sax at 16 and have played sax or clarinet in marching and concert bands, in jazz, rock and a clown band.
The rock bands I've played with include Rectrospect, H, Inc., Libra Mama and Sister Rose, Quasi Mojo, Last Chance Blues Band, Al Rone Band and Touch of Grey. I like a wide variety of styles and believe a musician should be flexible. And, "if you're not having fun, you're doing it wrong." Music can give life to your soul. |
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