CodyLee + Musician in Chicago, IL

SEEKING

ABOUT

Been around. Toured, recorded, been in bands with people in the RnR HOF,
been on MTV, blah, blah, blah, but I am a pro. I don’t wanna overdo talking about myself.

Cody Lee Bio – 2020/2021

Cody Lee’s music life began as so many of his generation with those historic Beatle/British Invasion bands appearances on the Ed Sullivan Show. Goodbye to his parents’ vision of Harvard law and onto his life’s great adventure. After prep school, he departed from his hometown of New York City’s Manhattan and he tried college in Vermont, hippie central, for what be #`1 of 3 times he tried to go for that college degree. First time, he dropped out to live in England with the legendary Peter Green. After Peter’s troubles became unfathomable for an impressionable 18 year old bassist, he became a roadie for Osibisa with fellow Green acolyte Snowy White. Halcyon days for sure. Back to Vermont for another semester, but the love crowd had given way to the grey, green hues of radical politics. He loved the cause, but guns & screaming at people, didn’t hold that much appeal for our sensitive artist. The opportunity to drop out presented itself in the form of the equally legendary, Mississippi Fred McDowell. Despite the one chord nature of the music, it was a rewarding & challenging experience.

Then we move on to Boston, Masachusetts, co-founding early glam boy pioneers Johanna Wild with Jon Butcher & Jeff Linscott. Let’s just say, it was another learning experience and 3 years later, Cody decided to compromise and placate his parents by attending Berklee College of Music. However, in his final attempt at Higher Ed., it became clear that it was not to be and he quit and joined a funk band and an adjunct gospel group from Boston’s Roxbury neighborhood.

After a while, he moved back to New York City and after much moving about settled down on the Lower East Side in his rent-stabilized 5 story walk-up, castle on Forsyth St. & Grand. After a few forays with some Bed-Stuy funk bands, he answered an ad in the Village Voice for a band with a major label deal looking for a bassist. Passing the audition, Cody found himself in one of the original CBGB punk outfits, the Dictators, with all its legendary characters, Top Ten, Handsome Dick, Ross The Boss and Adny. However, a year of hard Lower East Side living, and only one show(albeit, Rod Swenson’s Ms. All-Bare America-but our hero refused to look to the stage, because even then, pre-woke era, he sensed it was fundamentally wrong), he moved on and eventually, through yet another Village Voice ad, joined what would become his first band love, Falcon Eddy. Falcon Eddy played out a lot, and hit all the famous boite noires of New York’s night life. Max’s Kansas City, CBGB’s, Hurrahs, Private’s, Great Gildersleeve’s and other joints lost to the sands of time. As well as, touring with bands like the Kinks, Meatloaf, Rush, etc. But after 6 years of almost, crushed expectations, bad management deals, falied demos, broken hearts, bad timing, and just plain ol’ bad luck, Falcon Eddy realized it was time to give up the ghost.

The next chapter was a band called Secret Chiefs. Michael Monroe from Hanoi Rocks was the front man, and the rhythm section of Lee Crystal & Gary Ryan fresh from making 4 LP’s as Joan Jett & The Blackhearts and 2nd guitarist, Michael Roy, previously of Tom Dickie & the Desires. The band was tight, crisp and had some great songs courtesy of Cody, Michael R. and Michael M. and Lee & Gary. After a summer tour of Scandinavian festivals, the band came back and it was decided for various reasons, to continue without Mr. Monroe. Renamed Crash Conference, the band persevered for about another year, but the bone-crushing poverty of the rock life, was too much for some band members, and Crash Conference imploded.

Next up was the band named 8 ½. Get your mind out of the gutter. All four members had the same shoe size. 2 years in, the desperate life of a struggling rock’n’roll musician in a rapidly yuppifying Manhattan(and pre-Brooklyn revival), plus one particularly bizarre interview at Capitol records by somebody’s nephew masquerading as an A&R expert, and a marriage to the woman he loved, Cody decided to try the straight life(kinda). He moved to Champaign(with aforementioned wonderful woman) and opened the nationally acclaimed Periscope Records, a taste-making record shop. After a few years, Marci, the best rock’n’roll partner ever, gave Cody an ultimatum; “get your ass in a band or I might have to kill ya.” Being a good partner and a sensible human being, he heeded her profound words. Cody got lucky on the first try. He joined the soon to be named Delta Kings. The DK’s became a hugely popular Midwestern roadhouse outfit. By their end 17+ years later, over 2,000 shows/gigs/concerts/bars/toilets/roadhouses later, 4 CD’s & 1 ep later, great children, grown & gone, our artist grew restless.

Not ready to give up band life, our subject formed the rootsy Cody & The Gateway Drugs(Gateway Drugs Music is still the name of his publishing company), an all acoustic outfit with upright bass, cajon and a harmony singer. They released one LP call “Songs For The New Depression, mixed & mastered by Fred Breitberg, soon to become a recurring figure in all forthcoming Cody Lee projects. C&TGD’s played out throughout Champaign County, Illinois and Chicago as well, and had a nice bit of momentum. However, when it became apparent that in order to raise the profile, touring would be a necessity, it became clear that for the other band members, leaving Champaign, even for a short tour was a logistical impossibility. Combined with other factors(son Nate living in L.A., daughter Lillie in Brooklyn, Cody(& Marci) realized it was time to move to a bigger market and one with airport that actually had airlines.

Cody has said his natural habitat is steel, concrete, glass & asphalt. He & the ever lovely Marci(same wonderful woman) moved up to Chicago. The first time it rained and he smelled the scent of rain on the sidewalk, he knew he was home.

Code got lucky. Quickly, he built up a series of semi-regular gigs at Simon’s, Lizard’s Liquid Lounge, Uncommon Ground and other assorted, random places. Then he would go out and tour. If there was a bookshop, a coffee house, a house concert, a downtown community festival, a wine bar, a small-town arts center, small club or bar, even a religious coffee bar and a institution for our unlucky friends who are mentally challenged. Interestingly, he did OK at that venue. There was even a show at the truly historic 12 Bar Club on London’s Denmark Street.

Returning to the States, Cody’s last tour was with the late(and very sorely missed) super fun Irishman, Gavin Mee. They bonded over a shared love of all things musically deep & wide, a la Ms. Sandy Denny, XTC, Pet Sounds, Love Forever Changes, Divine Comedy, etc. This was another highlight of his music life and his solo years. However, after that tour, and a bad experience (not) getting paid, Cody decided it was time for a rethink. He’s still thinking, but during that time, he recorded an all acoustic record, “Songs For Damaged Hearts”, with aforementioned Freddie, engineering, co-producing and all-round super ally. Some local shows and the support of Chicago’s premier cool radio station, CHIRP Radio/107.1, and even reaching #17 on their airplay charts.

Then it was out to L.A. for a writing sabbatical and then back to Chicago, to record, again with Fred in the driver’s seat, “The Love Songs Of Dario Cohen”. This record was a fun detour recorded with Chicago jazz heavies and Cody playing just his Taylor Spanish guitar in an actual(now defunct-). Videos shot and shared and then onto the next platter, “To Live ¬¬¬& Die In Kankakee”, a quick infusion of rock’n’roll guitars. Again, a big shout out to the gang at CHIRP for the airplay and again, giving our artist a chance to post photos of his chart positions. It felt real.

But, no touring. No videos. And time for more thinking. He was turning into a regular musical Rodin’s The Thinker. Cody realized all the love in the world he had for rock’n’roll notwithstanding, that his beloved art form was in a death spiral, especially for an unproven, older artist. But our hero is nothing if not tenacious. He decided a little reinvention was in order. So, pursuing the licensing of his music for film, video & TV, so far, he has relationships with Tinderbox Music, Fervor, Outbound Music, Broadjam & Taxi. He has recently signed deals with NASCAR, Kardashians, and The Discovery Channel, & Universal Music, placing a track on a greatest hits LP. It’s been a bit of learning some new tricks, but our hero is resourceful and cheerfully stubborn, if nothing else.

During this ensuing time, Cody did tribute nights in bars, rehearse with ¾ of Crown Vic Royal, and eventually joined used to be called The Ire.
As that situation settled in, Cody found his spirit guide Brendan Cawley.
Together, they also played out, and worked on Brendan’s own songs. Cody felt Brendan had unlocked the magic of song.

Settling in with the licensing, collaborations with various artist on licensing requests, Cody was still writing his songs. Well, as the entire world fell under the moving truck that we call COVID-19, Cody decided two things:
1-We’re gonna make a record during the time of the plague
2- but we are gonna find a way to make a change-up

Well, as luck would have it, Cody had reconnected with musician-extraordinaire, Kurt Eger, currently living in Franklin, Tennessee, right outside of Nashville. Cody shared a basic track with Kurt. Kurt came back with an organic production that made Cody feel like Kurt was living inside his head. So, they tried a second track and blammo, the magic had struck twice. After the 3rd musical miracle, Cody decided to pop the question and make it official; “Kurt, would you produce my LP?” Kurt’s musicality blended will with Cody’s street imbued songs.
The cool result is WOODPECKER CRISIS(Periscope #006). 35 minutes, 9 songs, chocka blocka with guitars, energy, edgy, songs, telling their gritty truths. Of course, Freddie had to wave his magic touch and so after Kurt had mixed it, Mr. B. mastered the final mix.

And this, dear & patient reader brings us all the way to Winter 2020/2021. As soon as things allow, our artist will return to live shows and we look forward to sharing the reviews of WOODPECKER CRISIS on this site. Our thanks for reading this. Cody himself loves to read liner notes, etc., so we decided at this late juncture, what the hell. There’s a story there, so go tell it.

Screen name:

CodyLee

Member since:

Dec 10 2023

Active within 1 week

Level of commitment:

Very Committed

Years playing music:

50

Gigs played:

Over 100

Tend to practice:

More than 3 times per week

Available to gig:

4-5 nights a week

Influences

Byrds/Kinks/Stones/Joni Mitchell/Dionne Warwick/Sandy Denny/Southern Soul/Blues/Dylan/Ian Hunter/Paul Westerberg/Laura Nyro

Instrument experience:

Vocalist:

Expert

Rhythm Guitar:

Expert

Lead Guitar:

Expert

Acoustic Guitar:

Expert

Background Singer:

Expert

EQUIPMENT

Too numerous to mention, but primarily, a Gibson ES 335, a Silver Sonic by Victoria Amps, A Gibson J-180 Acoustic and a Shure 58.

MUSIC