Members:
Kerry Leigh - Guitarist, lead vocals
Kate Leigh - Keyboards and backing vocals
George Xanikis - Bass guitar
Garry Browning - Drums - Backing Vocals
Meet Kerry Leigh & Expresso Lane
Kerry's father was a jazz guitarist who played at the Tivoli and toured all over Australia and New Zealand in big show bands in the 60's. Kerry started learning a variety of instruments in high school - tenor/alto sax, trombone & tuba. He played a little guitar as well, but wasn't really interested in it's sound at this stage. The interest came later, after listening to his fathers guitar collection of Bruce Forman, George Benson and Johnny Smith Jazz records at the age of 18.
After taking lessons from a local teacher for a year to build up guitar chops and theory, Kerry was accepted at The Guitar Academy at Bondi after a brief practical test by George Golla and Don Andrews. He stayed there for two years studying jazz with another good teacher Peter Toohey. Although he found the jazz scene to be full of knowledge and fun, Kerry soon learned that it was very clicky and more of an elitist club than an open conversation. That, added to the fact that jazz was not where he wanted to stay musically, caused him to explore other options in a search to find a musical environment he felt comfortable in.
Comfort came when he got involved in recording studios in the early 80's. Kerry teamed up with others, writing jingles and learning how to use the classic vintage recording gear at "Sound Recording Studios" at Camperdown. This was a great introduction to the world of pro recording bands like Midnight Oil, who passed through the hallways.
Having always had a desire to play in original bands, Kerry joined "Wayne Gillespie and the Gallery," who had a recording contract with CBS/Sony, in the mid/ late 80's. Doing supports with Dave Dobbin (Slice of Heaven tour) and appearing on the midday show with Kerri-Anne Kennerley and MTV, Kerry was with the band for a year.
Kerry Leigh - From Player to Teacher to Studio Owner
After Wayne Gillespie and the Gallery, Kerry found himself teaching guitar at the Guitar Factory, and he could once again afford to pay rent and eat. The problem was that teaching was not the road he wanted to go down. He soon grew bored with it all and decided to explore the studio world again.
A lucky break came in 1995, when Sun recording Studios in Sydney, owned by Peter "Count" Contini, was selling some classic 70's recording equipment. This equipment was used to set up Air-raid Recording Studios, which was built in an actual 1939 bomb shelter, at the back of Lindsay's Toy Museum in Leichhardt. Being pretty much broke, getting loans and taking credit cards to their limit, Kerry and his keyboard partner Kate started up a cover duo that played six nights a week. It wasn't an easy time as he was also working a day job so he could afford to build Air-raid Studios. The studio recorded over 900 bands with some international artist along the way (such as the likes of Jackson Browne with his son Ryan and USA singer/songwriter Tom T. Hall).
The First Album
Air-raid Studios closed in 2000 due to the digital home recording invasion and Kerry's conclusion that eight years was enough time to be a shop keeper. A this time, the Seattle grunge sound was everywhere and Kerry couldn't help but notice the lack of pride and playing skills in the new bands coming up. It seemed that they just wanted to immolate popular trends for record companies or be fashion statements, so it was a good time to get out.
Without the distractions of running a business, Kerry used the time to write and record his own material. The first album Kerry Leigh & Expresso Lane Walking Through Walls was finished in 2005 with the help of his keyboard partner Kate Leigh and a lot of other helpful friends. The album was tracked by Kerry Leigh, and mixed and produced by John Sayers, who has a track record of mixing hit songs for bands such as Mondo Rock, Russell Morris, Sherbet, Mi-Sex, Australian crawl, Troy Casser Daley, Olivier Newton John.
Kerry Leigh & Expresso Lane Websites:
web: kerryleigh.com.au
showcaseyourmusic: showcaseyourmusic.com/expressolane
myspace: myspace.com/expressolane
reverbnation: reverbnation.com/expressolane