Solly

Marc Solomon (aka Solly) knows how to keep himself occupied. Since 1990 he has consistently thrown himself into his songwriting and performing with enough passion and energy to counteract the collective “whatever” shrug of the decade. After graduating from the famous Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing Arts in Dallas and gigging in clubs in which he could not drink, he did what any self respecting rock n’ roller trapped in Texas would. He packed his bags and moved to Austin. Once there he wasted no time in rounding up his talented friend Eddie Muñoz (Plimsouls) and founding one of Austin’s most beloved, if underrated gems, The Clowns.

The inherent wanderlust of his trade led him to relocate to LA in 1994. The Clowns officially quit their clowning, much to the dismay of their small but ardent circle of admirers. In 1995, Marc joined Tommy Stinson (The Replacements, Bash N Pop) and Gersh, in starting a new band sardonically christened Perfect. In 1996, they released the When Squirrels Play Chicken EP which was produced by the venerable Don Smith on Peter Jesperson's Medium Cool label. In 1998, when parent label Restless shelved their Jim Dickinson produced LP due to corporate restructuring, Perfect called it a day.

True to form, Marc has stayed very busy, fronting his own band even while playing guitar in Perfect. The “side project,” named Clumsy, consisted of a disparate bunch of moonlighters including Robert Cooper (Perfect, Pete Droge) on bass and drummer Mike Malinin (Goo Goo Dolls). The one thing these notable sidemen had in common was a respect for Marc’s songs. As much fun as Clumsy was, Marc moved to N.Y. and eventually back to Dallas in 1999. Clumsy was revived with the help of Michael Brien and Kinley Woolfe (The Cult), releasing the Center of Attention Deficit Disorder LP on Idol Records. Once again the reviews were glowing.

Line-up changes marked the end of Clumsy. Meanwhile, Marc spent the next few years writing and recording as he also established himself as an adored music teacher in Dallas, building a lucrative business, and eventually founding his own "school of rock." 2004 saw the release of the long anticipated and somewhat mythic Perfect record Once, Twice, Three Times a Maybe on Rykodisc.

Solly is Marc's latest project, and by far his best. Solly has placed Marc in the pantheon of great Texas musicians. With the capable help of drummer David Mabry (End Over End, Pleasant Grove), Chad Stockslager on keys, Robert Cooper and producer Casey Diiorio, Solly’s debut LP Get It Wrong, It’s Alright magnificently showcases a truly original singer, songwriter and performer in a great rock n’ roll band.

Solly played its first show January 15, 2005 at the Granada Theater for a tsunami relief concert.

Information from the band's site

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  Marc Solomon: guitar, lead vocals, vocals
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  Eric Neal: bass, vocals
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  Mike Saunders: keyboards, vocals
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  Dave Mabry: drums

Beth_McCabe