GOLD BOX KINGDOM
Gold Box Kingdom is the brainchild of bassist Corey Wentworth and Amy Bruckmeier. Wentworth has relocated to New Hampshire, so the new GBK recorcd, FLOWERS, out now on Strawberry Canyon Records/CTC Records, features singer/songwriter/guitarist Amy Bruckmeier and collaborator Justus Dobrin.
Working with producer Jim Greer, Bruckmeier and Dobrin have created songs with unforgettable hooks; part indie-pop, part trip hop.
This time around Bruckmeier sings about brainwashing machines, gambling with fate, and global warming; she sings about escapism and realism. On half of the album, they recorded with a live band at Studio C/Hyde Street Studios in San Francisco, while the other songs are a mixture of studio science and live instruments, recorded at Bowl Noodle North, SF. Guest musicians include Jude Gold (guitar), Dave Tweedie (live drums and percussion), Jim Greer (bass, all production and mastering) and Steve Bradley (trumpet).
A singer, songwriter and guitarist, Amy Bruckmeier is from Berkeley, CA. She has released two full length CDs to date; Gold Box Kingdom's debut album called HEAVY & LIGHT, and a record under her own name,
Amy B., called A FAN OF TANGERINE.
Amy Bruckmeier - (Bio: Long Version) Songwriter, singer, guitarist
I grew up in Berkeley, California. I played under the eucalyptus trees in the bright, green grass at La Loma park, pretending to dry abalone on the rocks on the hillside. I sang in the Oakland Children’s chorus and dreamed of being told I was ‘too loud’ by the choir director. But, I was kind of a quiet singer, so I just sang my parts along with everybody else. I played kick the can. I tacked pictures of palm trees and sunsets onto my walls. I played piano, under the tutelage of my Dad, a classical pianist. In high school I sang. I sang solo. I sang for dance performances. I sang in front of the mirror. I sang with my friend who was tone deaf. I learned from various wonderful teachers. I sang in the Gospel Chorus, even though I am not a religious person.
Then I went off to college at UC Santa Cruz and discovered Jimi Hendrix and John Frusciante. My world changed and I wanted to play guitar. My first electric guitar was a plastic piece of junk called The Growler. I took lessons from a bunch of guys: a guy in a guitar shop on Pacific Ave., from a guy who lived on a boat in the Santa Cruz Harbor, from a guy with long, black hair who let me pay for my lessons with chocolate chip cookies, from a guy who lived with his girlfriend who hated me, and from a guy who was in jail until recently when I saw him at the Farmer’s Market. I drove a Fiat Brava around until the clutch fell through the floor of the car and it just sat parked, with the door opened out onto the sidewalk. I sold that car to a heroin addict named Ralph for $50 and hitched a ride back to Berkeley.
Once in Berkeley, I holed up in an apartment and wrote as many songs as I could. I worked as a waitress at Saul’s Delicatessen. Once, when a group of four guys pointed out a piece of parsley on an appetizer plate, I licked it off, put it back on the table and said “That clean enough?” I got a large tip. I must have served up at least 1,274,395 Pastrami sandwiches. Then, when the idea of serving one more side of coleslaw made me want to cry, I headed south. Not to Los Angeles. I moved to Baton Rouge, Louisiana. I played at open mic night’s at Tabby’s Joint and at Rayful Neal’s Starlight Diamond Lounge. Rayful’s daughter could silence a room with her hips. My gracious host, a Louisiana native named Bru Bruser, introduced me to the music of The Meters, James Booker, Professor Longhair and the Wild Magnolias.
I returned to California. I played at every open mic I could find. At these open mics I met a vast array of local musicians: people like Larry, who played drums on a selection of white plastic overturned buckets, or Tom who once showed up to play with no teeth (he later got a full set of dentures). I also met some ultra-talented up-and-comers like The Moore Brothers and Etienne de Rocher. I also went to every jam session I could find. At one of these I saw a red haired kid behind the keyboard, who stopped me in my tracks. His playing was nothing short of amazing. This was Justus Dobrin. We became friends.
I began fronting my own bands. I began making a name for myself as a funky songstress who loved to play the wah-wah pedal. The San Francisco/Bay Area is full of incredible musical talent and I was lucky enough to play in bands with, share a bill with or work in the studio with a large number of musicians and/or producers whose work I admire and am inspired by: Justus Dobrin, Dave Tweedie, Jude Gold, Jim Greer, Etienne de Rocher, Geoff Tyson, Corey Wentworth and Justin Phelps to name a few…
I recorded two demo tapes and a collection of songs called “A Fan Of Tangerine", on which Justus Dobrin played keyboards, Jude Gold played some guitar, and a number of other amazing musicians contributed their talents (read about this in detail on the MUSIC and BUY MUSIC pages). I quickly became disenchanted and frustrated with the business end of music. I had no idea what to do with all of these songs that I had poured my heart and soul into. With no manager, no money and no plan, I began looking for some answers.
I kept writing, recording and performing. I started a band called Gold Box Kingdom with a bass player named Corey Wentworth. We recorded a collection of songs called HEAVY & LIGHT, produced by Dave Tweedie (Chocolate O’Brian productions). Justus Dobrin played all the keyboards on this release, flying in for a week from Berklee School of Music to make the recording session happen. This record has been slowly gaining fans since its release in 2003 as a regular feature on podcasts, personal blogs and iMixes, as well as enjoying steady support on Myspace.
After releasing Gold Box Kingdom's HEAVY & LIGHT, I traveled to Indonesia, France and England and completed my certification as a Pilates teacher.
In 2006, Justus Dobrin (co-writer/keyboard player) and I started work on a new bunch of songs about lazy days, dice, airplanes and a lass named Adeline. In February 2008 we released Gold Box Kingdom's second full length album called FLOWERS on Strawberry Canyon Records/CTC Records. Produced by Jim Greer and co-produced by Bruckmeier and Dobrin, this collection of songs is part indie-pop, part trip hop, with unforgettable hooks.
Now, finally, I am all caught up, in all manners of speaking.