In January 1980, Norm Pratt and Mark Naylor met at the Warehouse Deli in Tempe, Arizona at Norm’s standing Sunday night gig. We discovered our mutual love of and passion for the same music; folk, rock, reggae, and country, but particularly the local singer/songwriters around town. We spent countless nights (no doubt the reason it took a couple of extra years to finish our undergrad work at ASU) soaking up the local talent playing at such clubs as Dooley’s, Chuy’s, Tony’s New Yorker, Bandersnatch, and Long Wongs. The musicians one could see on any given night were astounding; Hans Olson, Bob Meighan, and Walt Richardson to name only a few.
Two years ago we were bemoaning the state of music in Phoenix, and the fact that there was nowhere to hear the music and the musicians we cared so deeply about. We knew people were still creating it, but all the venues were either gone or had turned into dance clubs and pickup bars. Radio had long since become a cultural wasteland. Gone were the days of Bill Compton and KCAC as well as the early days of KSTM. There just no longer existed radio stations that played local singer/songwriter material. Growing weary of listening to each other whine about the state of music, we decided to launch our own label, Perfect Circle Records.2 Hours From Anywhere is our first release and is a direct result of the void which we feel exists. The artists on it are Arizona singer/songwriters who have continued the craft of creating inspiring lyrics and music. It is our hope that this is the first of many releases on our label, as we continue to bring to the forefront exceptional artists who reside here in our state.
You don’t need MTV, VH1, Rolling Stone, or corporate radio to tell you what is good and what is worth listening to. A good song stands on its own without hype or being tied to the latest fashion trend. It will move you in its own unique way. If you have a copy of this record then buy another for a friend. Help us spread the word about the wealth of talent we have here in Arizona. If you are a club owner then book these artists, and if you are a radio programmer, for God’s sakes, give them some airplay
