Perry's second album was both a commercial and critical success,
chock full of catchy tunes. It was even picked up by WEA in Thailand
and distributed there. "I went on a vacation to Thailand
and was told by my partner that I should call the people from
WEA and let them know I was there. To my surprise I was picked
up from my hotel in a limo, the day after I arrived, and taken
to one of the top radio stations where I was interviewed while
they played cuts from the album. I was literally treated like
a major pop star - - even more so than Hong Kong. I'd had no idea
that I was even known over there. People were calling in to talk
to me and ask me when I was going to tour etc. Incredible!"
During production of Perry's third, and last, Hong Kong album
two things happened that were to contribute to his decision to
come to the United States. The first was a chance meeting with
someone who was in town from California checking out the studio
scene for a possible project. She happened to come to the studio
where Perry was recording and, as an example of their work, they
played a couple of the completed tracks. She was impressed with
the sound but more impressed with the singer and the songs and
wanted to meet Perry. They met and he was urged by her to come
to America where she would introduce him to an entertainment lawyer
friend of hers whom she felt could help Perry. The second was
the unexpected, and untimely death of his father. "My dad
and I were very close and it hit me very hard. I felt I needed
to get away from where the memories were and that, coupled with
the possibility of making it big, influenced my decision to leave
Hong Kong for the U.S."
Unfortunately the "deal" with said entertainment lawyer
didn't pan out. However, Perry had been in the business too long
to quit now so he found his way around the local Orange County
music scene in California, setting up a small recording studio
in Newport Beach and, in between doing projects for others, kept
writing and recording songs. It was at this time (1990) that he
ran into Clif Miller, a singer-guitarist, who wanted to record
a demo of his cover band. They forged a friendship which eventually
led to the formation of the duo "Two-Way Street". "We
started off as a duo, playing covers of old Beatles songs, Simon
and Garfunkel, America, Seals and Crofts etc. and after a while,
as we gained experience and popularity, we started writing our
own songs and recorded a CD of original material"
By the time that first CD came out they had become fairly well
known around the OC and were playing 5 or 6 days a week, sometimes
at 3 different venues in one day. They added a bass player and
drummer and recorded a second album that was actually released
in Korea. "I guess I still had some Asian vibe going on for
that to happen!" They played the Coach House several times
and were the opening act for such great bands as Ambrosia and
Little River Band. "We performed for 7 years and we did really
well, but I just felt we were a little out of step musically.
I personally had been revisting country and was really liking
what I heard. I felt I could write in that genre and my voice
certainly lent itself to that style. In fact, my second, and most
popular album in Hong Kong, owed more to country than it did to
rock or pop. I felt at home in that genre and it felt right to
me." Unfortunately, none of the other band members felt that
way and "Two Way Street" finally disbanded. "It
was an amicable split. Clif and I have remained good friends until
this day and still support each others separate musical endeavors
whenever possible."
Perry played solo for a few years and recorded two CDs of original
country songs. Then, for a couple of years he stopped performing
and concentrated on recording projects. "I became a bit of
a musical hermit. I would write and record stuff and try and shop
it around but I wasn't performing. I never thought it would happen
but I just lost the urge."
However, a chance meeting with Gina Quartaro changed all that.
"I remembered Gina from when I was in Two-Way Street. I'd
seen her perform with her band once and bought her CD "I'll
Always Be Your Girl". I loved her songwriting and recall
thinking that I'd love to work with her at some point." Well,
ten years elapsed from the time Perry had that thought, but their
paths finally crossed. Gina initially just needed somewhere to
record some demos of her songs, and Perry had a small studio set
up at his house. "I was listening to her songs and thinking
how similar our styles were. I played her one of mine that I was
working on and she fell in love with the chorus and wanted to
help me write it. At that point we got the idea of writing songs
together. After a while she told me she really loved performing
and suggested we team up. We played a couple of small functions
- - just a few of her tunes, plus one we'd co-written - - and
it just clicked. It "clicked" with the audiences to,
who are always telling us how good we sound together".
That led to the formation of SWAY, which eventually became MARSHALLTOWN.
"I am really enjoying playing again. Gina is great to work
with and we play off each other very well and keep the audinece
entertained. Gina likes to call us "The Un-Artists"
because we don't exactly fit the music industry criteria in a
number of ways. I like that. We'll make it anyway. In fact, we'll
make it because of that!"
