[rough demos + unfinished tracks circa 2012]
friends, know that as we enter this most interesting slice of time in Earth history that the new Aeon will dawn before us.
fear not. ❤

It all started with a layoff notice after spending over 12 years at the same company. The melody of the song “Just The Minute” was like a musical mantra to keep Sheldon’s sanity. The words, the recording, and the realization that it was a beginning of something new and good was the result. Sheldon’s other band of 21 years was in a lull, and he knew it was time to try something new. It was a chance to explore and discover his true voice, thus was born the project and name: “The Grand Who Am I”. 

Sheldon Reynolds has been playing music most of his life. He took piano lessons as a child, learned guitar as a teenager and started producing in college, finishing that venture with a theater arts degree. After some searching, he formed a pop industrial band, screaming and screeching with it for 21 years and on. As the years have gone by he became more than a little curious about how his “normal” singing voice accompanied by “traditional” music might be received by the masses. 

If this was a job interview, Sheldon would admit his greatest weakness is staying genre specific. He writes and produces the songs as they come to him, but doesn’t pay much attention to genre until it’s time to promote those songs. His music is a mixed bag. He loves all kinds of music and so his influences can be all over the place. If you listen to one song by “The Grand Who Am I”, you have definitely not heard them all. The most common elements are marching band drums (especially the snare), standup bass, Middle Eastern influenced vocals, strings, piano and a general lack of guitar. The album “I Will Wait For You” has hints of world music, folk, jazz, electronic, ragtime, alternative and pop. Influences include Voltaire, Peter Murphy, Dead Can Dance, Gogol Bordello, and Florence and the Machine. 

The album “I Will Wait For You” is the answer to the question “Who Am I?” It is “The Grand”. The answer may not simple, but hopefully it is a pleasure to listen to and to explore. It’s not meant to be angry, although it is a little melancholy at times, but with each low there is a little hopefulness sprinkled inside. Writing “Happy” is not first nature to Sheldon, but he found much joy and surprise while writing some of the more buoyant tunes, such as “Ups And Downs” and “Bells and Whistles”. “I Will Wait For You” is an album of hope. 

Sheldon is currently working on material for a music video, as well as putting together a performance for live shows. Songs for the next album should also be coming very soon as well.

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