VJam is an internet band. We're all friends who met through a music recording forum. As far as we know, only 2 of us have ever met face to face. It scared them so badly, none of us have ever dared meet again. Seriously, we're just musicians and songwriters who wanted to record some good music on line. Snard set up an FTP site, BBS and chat area we use to discuss and upload song contributions. It has been a haven where we can hang out, be creative and have fun. Our members are:

Guy Richardson (Mad Scientist) from England, Jack Helser (Snard) from Illinois, Mark Jackson (Em Jay) from Wisconsin, Phil Giordano (Mr. F-Bomb) from Canada, Bert Masino (Tiger Rue) from New Jersey, Jack Plaggenberg (Bassmusician) from Missouri, Dan Helser (Bone-Pile) from Washington and Mark Fulwider (Velvet Frog) from North Carolina.

We have all contributed at one time or another to the songs on this CD, but mostly, we just have fun!

The VJam guys on:

Guy: He's the kind of person you wouldn't want to house-sit while you're away for the weekend as you'd likely come home to an empty liquor cabinet and notice your cat was missing even as Guy says in his thick English accent: "I prepared the most wonderful kebabs while you were gone". Guy's demented genius however shines in his musical laboratory where he breathes life into our bits and pieces of inspiration like a digital Dr. Frankenstein. Many times Guy's creativity and skill at the console has left us saying "HOLY CRAP! We did that?!?"

Phil: His nickname is "Mr. F-Bomb", for obvious reasons. No one, and we mean NO ONE has a better command of the appropriate use of an F-Bomb, it's varied tenses, inflections and the ever-so-subtle impact of a silent, mouthed F-Bomb. But this is a bio about the band's musical talent, about which we have yet to discover Phil's. Nevertheless he is a valued creative member of the VJam team, as he encourages us with a frenzied fugue of F-Bombs. We should mention that Phil claims to play a “swinging three-thirty-f-f-f-five (335).”

MarkJ: We actually know very little about MarkJ. Either he kicks off a tune with a stunning, nearly complete drum/rhythm/bass/lead track, or he adds awe-inspiring guitar work to an existing tune. None of us have ever actually seen MarkJ play. We think either he takes the songs we record and slows them down to half speed to play all the licks he gets in, or, MarkJ really is that fast, in which case we figure he can play “Flight of the Bumble Bee” in under 10 seconds. Taking no chances, we come up with what we call the “MJ RULE” which is “NO 128th NOTES!”

JackP: We don't hear from JackP as often as we'd like, because he's a home-steadin' hill-billy whose only communication with the outside world is dialup. While the rest of us swap files via FTP server over broad-band connection, JackP contributes bass parts, vocals and lyrics by floppy disk sent via Pony Express. Whenever we get together, JackP is always good for a jug of 'shine and some entertaining stories about his toothless neighbors and out-runnin' the revenuers. About his favorite TV show The Beverly Hillbillies, JackP says: "a man can dream, can’t he?!?”

Bert: He’s often the first member to jump on a new collaboration with a funky rhythm part, searing lead solo, or dizzying bass part. He's also the first person to jump on an open can of beer if you should happen to leave it unattended for a moment. Of all our members, Bert is the one most likely to have a dedicated Keg Kooler® in his studio. Have you ever seen those hats with can holders on either side and a tube that reaches your mouth? Once during a gig, Bert forgot he was wearing one and started head banging. It took the band 30 minutes to clean up the foam.

Dan: He's JackH's brother. You'd think at 50, JackH's parents would stop telling him to "take your little brother with you", but no. Every good band needs a roadie, and in VJam, it's Dan. "Polish your wah-wah pedal, Mr. Bert?" "Why yes Dan, that'd be nice. While your at it, get me a can of beer." "Yes sir, Mr. Bert!" Recently, we discovered Dan writes some good lyrics, often dark and moody. We think Dan's lyrics may be rooted in a childhood of torment at the hands of his older brother. As luck would have it, Dan can play bass without drooling, so we let him in the band.

MarkF: We think MarkF might be Amish or something because of his Lincoln-like beard and preference for King James English. Between cutting wood for the winter and plowin' the back 40 with his mule team, we don't know where MarkF finds the time to set music to the lyrics of JackH and Dan or come up with his own tunes. After singing at so many barn raisings, MarkF has developed an amazing voice and demonstrates his talent on guitar, drums and keyboards. His recording studio is powered by a windmill MarkF built himself.

JackH: Our resident wing-nut, JackH displays 3 personalities (that we know of). One of them Cornjerker (aka, Corny), is utterly obsessed with capturing the elusive sound of corn growing. Snard, another of his persona's, is considered to be largely responsible for the mental disorders of his younger brother due to the torment he inflicted upon him as a child. JackH thinks he has us all fooled by his angelic singing voice, incredible lyrical talents and beautiful compositions. But we all know he's just a poser.