Bands to Watch: Brown Eyed Susans

Matt Fink was a prince to work with, says Erie native Susan Gray.

While living in Minneapolis, she recorded "Brown Eyed Susans"-- her multi-hued pop debut -- with a little help from Fink. If the name rings a bell, it should. For 13 years, he played keyboards and wrote songs with Prince.

"A friend of mine knew him, and we went over to his house and played him a couple of my tapes," said Gray, who's back in Erie and performing as Brown Eyed Susans with guitarist Ray Reilly.

"He liked them, and said he'd be willing to work with me. Of course, he had a fee, but ... he was really good to work with. We worked really well together."

Fink worked on three tracks --"Upside Down," Goodbye," and "Fade Away," a lush pop gem with a gorgeous bridge. Karl Demer, who works at Atomic K Records in Minneapolis, helped produce and program the other songs.

Gray grew up in Erie immersed in classical music. In high school, she wanted to learn jazz and how to improvise, so she studied with Basil Ronzitti. Afterward, at the University of Pittsburgh, she earned a bachelor's degree in psychology with a concentration in music.

For seven years, Gray toured the South, Midwest, and Southwest with assorted bands, including reggae group Ipso Facto.

"Then, I just got tired of doing everyone else's music," Gray said. "I got bored and decided to do my own thing. That's when I started writing."

She programmed most the parts herself, crafting songs that reflected her interest in pop, funk, classical music, and danceable synth-pop. Just after she finished her CD, Gray had a baby girl and decided living in Minneapolis was too expensive. She moved back to Erie and resumed her music career, enlisting longtime friend Reilly to flesh out the project.

She and Reilly talked about Brown Eyes Susans with Showcase.

HOMETOWN Erie.

BAND MEMBERS Susan Gray, vocals, keyboards; Ray Reilly, guitar, backing vocals.

THE INSPIRATION After moving back to Erie, Gray decided she wanted to play out again -- except do her own material.

"I hadn't really done any of my original music here," Gray said. "I was always in someone else's band. I did a couple jazz bands and cover bands, but I never did my own thing."

Gray needed a creative foil, however. Enter Reilly, who plays guitar and shares her love of classic pop --especially Beatles and Todd Rundgren. They'd known each other since high school. After he heard her CD, he knew he had to join.

"I liked the songs," Reilly said. "She has a knack for writing good pop songs and hooks. And I like a lot of the classical introductions to her songs, too."

MUSICAL STYLE Pop with classical flourishes. For the live show, Gray programs bass, drums, and keyboards, then plays additional keyboards and sings. Reilly plays guitar and sings backing vocals. They play Gray's original songs and a few covers, such as the Beatles'"Only a Northern Song" and the Rolling Stones'"As Tears Go By."

INFLUENCES "At the time I wrote this music, I was listening to Prince, Blondie, Garbage," Gray said. "Some of the guitar influence is from the Beatles. And both Ray and I like Burt Bacharach for the melodies and the chords. Also, I put a little bit of classical music in my songs. Chopin's one of my favorites."

FIRST CONCERT YOU SAW Todd Rundgren at Gannon's auditorium, Gray said.

Said Reilly: "Byrds at Allegheny College in 1972. Gram Parsons, Clarence White, Roger McGuinn -- he was the only original member -- and Skip Batton.

FIRST CD"When I was really young," Gray said, "I bought the Monkees' first album. Then, I think the next one was T. Rex's 'Electric Warrior.' I loved that album."

FIVE DESERT-ISLAND CDS Gray: "Love Songs" by Diana Schuur; "Greatest Hits" by Blondie; "24 Preludes" by Chopin; "Ray of Light" by Madonna; "Greatest Hits"by Burt Bacharach.

Reilly: "Revolver" by the Beatles; "Pet Sounds" by the Beach Boys; "Odyssey and Oracle" by the Zombies; "Side 3" by the Raspberries; "The 3-Way" by the Lilys.

CDS "Brown Eyed Susans" (2004), available at Moonsense Cafe, Graham's Records, and Barnes & Noble.

WEB SITE Still to come.

UPCOMING GIGS Saturday at 10 p.m. at Scotty's Jazz and Cigar Bar, 301 German St. --Dave Richards