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Robert Lazaneo: Bio

Robert Lazaneo - vocals, guitar

Robert Lazaneo became interested in playing music at a early age. In 1964, his friends, Jim Dotson, Steve Rascon, and later Jorge Santana formed their first band, Jim & the Gents with Robert as the lead singer. They rehearsed weekends and after school at Steves dads house in Glen Park in San Francisco. They performed at talent shows, house parties, YMCA dances, and in 1966 at the Cow Palace in a city wide battle of the bands sponsored by Pepsi Cola. In 1967 they added Tom Lazaneo on guitar and Steve began playing bass and changed their name to the Sounds Unlimited Blues Band. During this time Robert was beginng to write songs by himself and as a lyricist with the band co-writing with Tom Lazaneo and Jorge Santana. Sounds Unlimited Blues Band performed regularly in the bay area. Opened for Country Joe MacDonald, Soul & Blues Festival at Golden Gate Park, Straight Theater, Filmore Auditorium, and many one nighters at bars, clubs, and lots of gigs at the Presidio for the Army. Towards the end of 1969, Jorge Santana left the band and joined a group of musicians which would become the latin rock band Malo. Robert began playing rhythm guitar while his brother Tom switched to the lead guitar position. With Fred Pratt on bass and David Lonie on drums, the music began to change adding elements of folk rock, country, and jazz to the sound. The band performed as Whiffenpuf during the early 70's. Robert co-wrote a song for Malos final album for Warner Brothers records with Jorge Santana called Everlasting Night that was released in 1973. Throughout the next two decades, he played and toured with many bands: Fusion, Cerebus, Solar, Wildwood performing in Nevada, Wyoming, Utah, as well as California. 2004 saw the release of his first solo record, A Funny Notion, on the indie label, P- Boy Records. He continues to perform at open mics and as part of the Sound Exprezz band which released a CD, In The night, in 2007 on the indie label, P- Boy Records

2008 saw the begining of the Tommy Torpedos Direct Hits project which came about through rehearsals with long time players Jim Dotson, drums & vocals and Tom Lazaneo, lead guitar & vocals and featured Roberts son, Galin, playing bass. The band performed at the Townhouse Club in Vallejo and in a expanded lineup in San Francisco at the 2009 Cherry Blossom Festival billed as Sound Exprezz. Tommy Torpedos Direct Hits recorded a full length cd which was released in 2010. That Cd is available at CDbaby under Tommy Torpedos Direct Hits. Robert resides in the city of South Lake Tahoe and continues to perform his music at open mics in town.