Denny Carlson (alias "Den Carlberg")  Denny, Govenor Whitman, Assemblywoman Heck, Christopher & Betty  The classical composer Hindemith said: "MUSIC IS THE GREATEST OF ART FORMS AND THE WORST OF PROFESSIONS!" He was right. I look back at the times with the Noblemen as some of best of my life! I was at an age of discovery (19) in an age of experimentation and I managed to live through it! The band always had a balance of fine musicianship and enough sense to know we had to play some "tunes from radio" to keep working. There were alot of great bands around in those days. I don't think there was a better time period of music to be a rock bands -- from 1963 (the start of Beatles) through 1973. The band was my life, the band was my friends. Most of guys I played with have stayed in touch over the years and remained life long friends. The last time Mike, Keith, Doug and Larry and I were together collectively was in the mid-70s in the Westminstr Recording Studio.
Iowa After Noblemen (1971-1973):
I left the band in the spring of 1971 joined a band called THE PAGES based out of Cedar Falls at the University of Northern Iowa where I was majoring in percussion music. This band later evolved into CHANCE in 1973 with the change of Steve Soltow on guitar replacing Jim Hines. The music department broadened my scope and I eventually got in the University Jazz Band I which is still one of the best college ensembles in the country. The UNI Band was the backup for the guest artist at regional jazz festivals in Chicago and that's where Gary Burton (vibist) heard me play. The Boston Period (1973-1978): Burton told me I should "go to the big city and leave the Midwest" and offered me free lessons and a teaching position at Berklee College of Music in Boston. I was on the faculty there from 1973 through 1977. I became intensely interested in Edgar Varese, Harry Partch, African/Caribbean and other ethnic music as well as all styles of jazz. I got my bebop and fusion chops together. I did an album with Annie McCloone (sister of Steve McCloone a singer for Zero Ted and Headstone) which flopped miserably but was released on RCA Records in 1975. I formed my own percussion ensemble with students and faculty called DRUM HEADS PERCUSSION ORCHESTRA. We did all my original compositions using multi-mallet vibes & marimba in a jazz/ethnic ensemble mix. A concert was presented annually at the Berklee Performance Center. I also started a publishing company called COSMOS PERCUSSION MUSIC and sold this music to most major music schools throughout the country. I got into heavy fusion and had a successful band called ICTUS in the Boston area. It was a burning band! I started making trips with tapes to New York and realized this was the "next place to go" to "make it in the scene". I left for New York in September of 1978. New York 1 Period (1978-1984): I had to take a day job typing to get the "rent" but eventually started playing the club scene around New York with original bands in various styles of music. I played every "dive" including CBGB's that would have original bands and NEVER made any money doing it. Eventually there was plenty of "general business" ("GB") gigs such as weddings, catering halls which paid the bills along with doing "day gigs" as an office temp. After six years in New York I made visit to Los Angeles and met up with a friend John Robinson, the drummer for RUFUS, Quincy Jones, and a million other studio gigs. I hoped that he could be a good connection to some work and although John had the best of intentions he was unable to help. I met my future wife, Betty in 1981 and in 1984 we packed a 5x8 U-Haul trailer behind my '71 Chevy and headed for LA in August of 1984. Los Angeles Period (1984-1990): After crashing on former friends from college and Boston for several weeks we found a nice house in North Hollywood. I didn't get ANY work for two years! Steve Soltow (from CHANCE) was also in LA and we did a concert with Chuck Berry. In March of 1986 I joined a band called PRESSURE POINT that was reforming after being runner up on "Star Search". We started a tour in Fairbanks, Alaska and traveled all over the Western States. The two female singers did the first tour with Steely Dan and the black singer sang with Duke Elllington. I quit the band in August and when I got back the phone "started ringing". I joined a group that played the "society circuit" of Beverly Hills parties and night clubs but the band leader was also assistant musical director of TV soap opera SANTA BARBARA. Later I started writing for the show doing background music co-writing with Grant Geissman from Chuck Magione's band ("Feel So Good"). I did several studio sessions for television shows "Family Ties" and the show immediately after it "Day By Day". Betty and I got married in 1988 and had the wedding back in her home own in New York. We wanted to start a family but at first did not have success. Politics went bad with the my music scene and the earth quakes started to happen frequently in 1986. We decided this was NOT where we wanted to be! The bad things you hear about Los Angeles are often true but we did make lots of good friends too. I started taking a few computer courses in night school to broaden and increase my income. We decided to move back to the East Coast! New York 2 (1990 - present):
I started working at MCA Music Publishing as a copyright assistant and eventually became the Manager of Mechanical Licensing. I would read artist's contracts (nearly everyone in biz) and compute the rates paid to company, along with tracking their progress. 
Betty and I were finally blessed with a son in 1993 -- a little red head (much to our surprise). He is love of our life. He was born with a metabolic disorder called PKU which is only dangerous if undiscovered or untreated.. He must have a diet low in protein with measured foods and a special supplement. He is a completely normal "wild child" and sings like an angel with perfect pitch. We formed a lobbyist group called NEW JERSEY PARENTS FOR PKU and succeeded in passing legislation reforming the insurance laws in New Jersey. We were invited to the signing of the bill by Governor Christine Todd Whitman. Unfortunately, after all this work we discovered my company was "self insured" and not subject to state laws. We did convince my company to change its policy to cover his needs.In 1995 MCA moved the Copyright Department to LA and of course, I didn't want to go. By this time my computer and database skills had significantly matured. I took a job doing full time database management for a company which processes insurance claims electronically. It was a great opportunity for a "straight job" with wonderful people. I really enjoy working with computers and technology and am thankful I found something that has a growth opportunity AND IS STEADY! I still work with several bands in the New York area several times a month, including a 16-piece big band several times a year.
I greatly look forward to seeing "the other old guys"!
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