Sam Lapides

Sam Lapides (born David Samuel Lapides, August 14, 1962, Irvington, New Jersey) is an American singer-songwriter, known as the guitarist and lead vocalist for the bands Ghosthouse and Folkminers. He cites Paul Westerberg, The Replacements, The Rolling Stones, and Bob Dylan as influences. His folk-rock sound has been classified as Americana (music). [ [http://cdbaby.com/style/176/106 CD Baby: Type: Acoustic and Rock: Americana ] ] Throughout his career, he has produced a variety of recordings and completed numerous tours of the United States and Europe.

Early Career

As the youngest of five children, Lapides was raised on the East Coast, moving between New Jersey and Maryland. He settled in Ann Arbor, Michigan where he attended Community High School where he played drums and joined local band The Evaders. He began playing guitar and started busking on the campus of the University of Michigan. In 1987, he recruited a band to play his songs. The Folkminers developed a rapid local following and released a cassette recording and a self-titled EP. [ [http://www.last.fm/music/Ghosthouse Ghosthouse – Listen free at Last.fm ] ]

History

The Folkminers disbanded in 1988 and Lapides moved to Boston and then Los Angeles in pursuit of a music career. Like on the streets of Ann Arbor and in the subway stations of Boston, Lapides continued the folk tradition of street performance and occasionally played on the boardwalk of Venice Beach. One day while performing a song by Dream Syndicate, the song’s author and indie-rock legend Steve Wynn (songwriter) happened to walk by. Wynn liked the rendition so much that he decided to produce several songs. [http://www.inbetweens.com/index1.php?page=/rec_cd_detail.php&cdid=IRCD014 Inbetweens Records & Bookings ] ]

At this time Lapides had just formed his band Ghosthouse. Another of Lapides’ heroes, ex-Rain Parade guitarist John Thoman, joined the group. They released their self-titled “Ghosthouse” on Italy’s Club de Musique Records. [ [http://www.clubdemusique.com/clubdemusique/html/index.html | Club de Musique | ] ] They toured Europe several times in 1994 and signed with European label Semaphore. Ghosthouse released their third full-length recording “Thing Called Life” in 1995 on Semaphore. It was released in the United States on Birdcage Records in 1996. [ [http://www.birdcagerecords.com/gh_012.html BIRDCAGE RECORDS: Ghosthouse Thing called Life ] ] They toured with label mate Stan Ridgway several times. The band continued performing and recording until they disbanded in 1997. [ [http://cdbaby.com/cd/lapides CD Baby: SAM LAPIDES: We've Walked These Streets ] ]

During a brief move back to Boston, Lapides put together a band to record new material for his first solo CD, “Wake up from the Wasteland” on Bluerose Records. [http://www.bluerose-records.com Blue Rose Records ] ] The release was met with critical acclaim and Lapides moved again to Los Angeles. After another solo CD, “We’ve Walked These Streets” on Inbetweens Records and several European tours and the successful re-release of the original “Ghosthouse” CD, Lapides decided to reform Ghosthouse.

In 2003, the band reformed. In 2004 they released “Devotion” on Bluerose Records. To support the CD, Sam toured the Netherlands and Denmark. In 2006 he released a CD of cover songs “Ghost in Me” in tribute to some of his favorite artists and to commemorate his history doing covers and busking.

Sam Lapides lives and works in Los Angeles with his wife and artist Maureen Maki.

Discography

#Devastated, Cassette, 1986
#Yesterday’s Dreams, Cassette, 1986
#Folkminers, EP, 1987
#2 Feet Down 1,000,000 Miles High, Office Records, Cassette, 1988
#Take a Place, Cassette, 1988
#Ghosthouse, Club de Musique Records, CD, 1993
#Everything is Fine, Live, Club de Musique Records, CD, 1994
#Great Expectations, Live, Lazy Eye Mini Album, 1995
#Thing Called Life, Semaphore, CD, 1995
#Thing Called Life, Birdcage Records, CD, 1996
#Wake Up from the Wasteland, Bluerose Records, CD, 1998
#We’ve Walked These Streets, Inbetweens Records, 2001
#Ghosthouse, Inbetweens Records, CD, 2002
#Devotion, Bluerose Records, CD, 2004
#Ghost in Me, CD, 2006

References

#http://cdbaby.com/style/176/106
#http://www.last.fm/music/Ghosthouse
#http://www.inbetweens.com/index1.php?page=/rec_cd_detail.php&cdid=IRCD014
#http://www.clubdemusique.com/clubdemusique/html/index.html
#http://www.birdcagerecords.com/gh_012.html
#http://cdbaby.com/cd/lapides
#http://www.bluerose-records.com
#http://www.inbetweens.com/index1.php?page=/rec_cd_detail.php&cdid=IRCD014
#http://www.bluerose-records.com