1994 band

Jim Skafish and Aliennation
(June 1994-October 1, 1994)

Dennis McCurine with bass

Bassist Dennis McCurine
Photo by Charles R. Snyder

Performed 3 Chicago Area shows (July 3, 1994-October 1, 1994)

When Skafish put his solo show on hold, he actively tried to form a new band in early 1994. After over two hundred auditions, Skafish finally believed that he had put together a solid new band to begin performing with by June. It seemed a refreshing idea to name the band as a separate unit, and Glinda Harrison dubbed them Aliennation.

Skafish met guitarist David Cannon through an ad Skafish placed in a Chicago paper. Originally from Long Island New York, Cannon had graduated from Hofstra University’s School of Music, later relocating to Chicago.

Cannon introduced Skafish to Bassist Dennis McCurine who had once played with the son of jazz icon Ramsey Lewis, and had even been mentored as a young bassist by Ramsey Lewis himself.

Multi-instrumentalist Waz Lisek added keyboards, rhythm guitar and flute to Aliennation. Lisek, who already knew Skafish from his earlier career, had toured the U.S. and Canada with an Elvis impersonator, as well as playing in several Chicago based projects.

Drummer Bam Bam Lindt was a child prodigy who had studied at Northwestern University, and had worked as a session drummer and on commercials. Lindt met Skafish through McCurine and Cannon, as all three were in the habit of playing together at jam nights in Chicago.

But days before the act was scheduled to open for the Lemonheads on July 3rd, drummer Bam Bam Lindt abruptly quit the group, because he thought the act was too wierd. Luckily, a jazz-oriented drummer who auditioned for Aliennation yet passed on playing in the rock-styled project, agreed to fill-in for the one date.

In search of a new drummer, Chicago based Tony Dale was introduced to Skafish by bassist Dennis McCurine. Dale was an experienced drummer, having played for several legendary acts such as the Chi-Lites on tour. Tony performed one show with the new group, a club performance at the end of July.

Finally, drummer Alonzo Villareal was referred to Skafish by a mutual acquaintance. In August, Villareal, a hard working, accomplished jazz and rock musician, became the last drummer for the group.

With only McCurine, Villareal, and Skafish committed to Aliennation, the group was still splintered when it played it’s last show, a club date on October 1, 1994.

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