Well I'll tell you.

Once upon a time there was this guy named John Keating.

There was also this guy named Tony Traguardo (whom you are now familiar with if you've reached this point).

Now some stories would begin and end there. And that actually was the situation, until some time in 1993 when fate found them in a band called Shindig! together.

For a number of years they played some great cover tunes at some fine establishments on sunny(?) Long Island. Some time around 1995 or so, they thought it would be a good idea to try and combine John's melodies with some of Tony's lyrics. Seemed logical, right?

Well ... after a few weeks, two songs, Whatever You Do, a pop ditty, and Simple Shame, a slower rock ballad, were added to the band's setlist. "Y'know something ... ", thought John and Tony, simultaneously (and that seemd to be the way things were heading!), " ... there's definitely something to this combination!"

They dillied and dallied until, finally, opportunity knocked! Owing to an impending nuptial situation (not his!), Doug Hegeman ... drummer/guitarist/all-round-musician-guy-and-buddy-extraordinaire ... arrived in the New York area (from his digs in Seattle) for a week in the beginning of June. It was time! So, after enlisting the aid of Doug's partner in crime (and auxiliary Shindig! bass player) Don Mangels, the foursome rehearsed for one solitary evening of silliness, and then made their way into Late Nite Studios in Plainview, New York. Kevin Kelly twirled some knobs, young Evan ... the sharp-as-a-tack apprentice ... rolled some digital tape, and the working backing tracks for five songs were captured for posterity.

John Keating, Doug Hegeman,
Don Mangels & Tony Traguardo

AND THEN ... (Tony now jumps from the 3rd to the 1st person!)

Alright, so truth be told ... like, er ... that's been it so far in the exciting world of multi-tracking. We've written thirteen more songs, Shindig! has been put on hiatus for the time being, and more ideas swirl about as an album begins to gel from the murky depths of the minds that have merged to form ... well ... Mirage Project. It's not really a band ... it's more like ... an idea. There will be a number of musicians who will have their hands in this insanity, and we're looking for things to continue in the studio environment fairly soon.

Acoustic ... Electric ... Traditional ... Eclectic ... A little bit of what I listen to ... A little bit of what John listens to ...

It's the noise we make together. And I think it's pretty good. And yes, I'm biased ...

But hey ... I'm also my own toughest critic.

And y'know Mr. Keating, after twenty years of doing this stuff on my own ... thanks for taking on these little pieces of paper that my pen, my typewriter, and most recently my word processor, have spit out during all this time and adding your fine musical sensibilities to them.

Now let's get this show on the road!

For now ... back to Tony's home page!