Face Dancer -

Face Dancer was an American hard-rock band behind the 1979/80 Capitol albums This World and About Face.

Members: Carey Kress (vocals, drums, 1974-79, 1982-2009), DJ Long (keyboards, 1974-76, 1982-83), Scott McGinn (bass, keyboards, guitar, vocals), Billy Trainor (drums), Jeff Adams (guitar, 1976-82), Dale Marks (bass, 1976-77), David Utter (guitar, vocals, 1977-79), Michael Milsap (piano, synthesizer, vocals, 1980-82), Tim Tanner (guitar, 1982-83)

Background

Face Dancer formed in 1973 from Jack, a Kingston, Rhode Island group built around University of Rhode Island students drummer Carey Kress and Mark Roumelis with keyboardist–flutist David “DJ” Long, Bob Mattera, and Mike Bessette. The musicians took the new name from the shape-changing Face Dancers in the Frank Herbert novel Dune Messiah. The reference suited a repertoire that covered progressive rock, straight rock, country, and dance material.

Long grew up in Cranston, Rhode Island, where childhood polio kept him indoors and prompted self-taught study of piano, ukulele, recorder, and flute. He graduated from Cranston East High School in 1971 and moved to the Washington, D.C., area. Kress attended the University of Rhode Island and initially drummed in Face Dancer.

Face Dancer relocated to the Washington area, where Scott McGinn joined the group and became the principal songwriter. McGinn steered the repertoire from extended progressive pieces toward compact original rock songs, while club requirements kept Top 40 and FM covers in the sets. Kress assumed the microphone and abdicated the drum seat to Billy Trainor.

In November 1976, guitarist Jeff Adams joined Face Dancer in Wheaton, Maryland, alongside Kress, Long, Trainor, McGinn, and bassist Dale Marks. Long soon left for surgery, followed by Marks. Guitarist David Utter then joined as McGinn moved to bass and keyboards, establishing the quintet of Kress, McGinn, Trainor, Adams, and Utter.

Face Dancer worked three to five nights a week across the Baltimore–Washington club circuit, with regular dates at the Sea Gull Inn in Essex, JR’s Inn, Act Four, Hollywood Palace, and the Bayou in Georgetown. The group played the Bayou regularly for roughly three years and built sets around original material with selected covers by The Who, Led Zeppelin, and Jeff Beck. Face Dancer also opened concerts for Robert Palmer and Patti Smith on the pre-Capitol circuit.

The musicians set an eighteen-month deadline in late 1976 to secure a major-label contract. By early 1978, Face Dancer accepted a Capitol offer under manager Bob Aiss and began a producer search. The group selected Richie Wise and started preproduction that summer. In early 1979, Kress, McGinn, Trainor, Adams, and Utter traveled to Los Angeles for the Capitol sessions that became This World.

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