DAN REED NETWORK, The

Homebase: Portland, OR.
Stats: 1984-1993...
Misc Notes: The Dan Reed Network was a funk-rock band formed by Dan Reed in Portland, Oregon, in 1984. They released several albums during the mid- to late-1980s and scored a top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1988. Dan Reed (born February 17, 1963, Portland, Oregon) met Dan Pred in high school in Aberdeen, South Dakota, and after a time pursuing music studies at Northern State University, the pair returned to Portland and formed the Dan Reed Network in 1984. In 1986, they made their first recording, a six-track EP called Breathless which spawned a No. 1 single, "Steal Me," on Z-100 in Portland. The lineup at this point was Dan Reed (vocals and guitar), Brion James (guitar), Melvin Brannon II (bass guitar), Dan Pred (drums), and Rick DiGiarllonado (formerly of Portland platinum rockers Quarterflash) on keyboards. The band's diverse ethnic and musical backgrounds (Reed is of German, Hawaiian, and Native American ancestry, James is of Jamaican ancestry, Brannon is African-American, Pred is Jewish and DiGiarllonado is Italian-American) were reflected in the music, which, though discernibly hard rock, was blended with soul, funk, and jazz arrangements. DiGiarllonado was replaced by Portlander Blake Sakamoto on keyboards; Sakamoto, of Japanese heritage, had returned from Los Angeles where he had been playing with future Atlantic Records artists Dear Mr. President). The Dan Reed Network made a name for itself with the live performances. The Washington Post described the band in one performance as "easily charming its ... audience with an unlikely brand of heavy metal-ish rock sharpened by junk funk and plenty of rock 'n' roll theatrics," and that "the Network's strength lies in its infectious temperament." The band signed to Mercury Records, and were managed by legendary concert promoter Bill Graham. In winter 1987, the group released an eponymous debut album which was engineered and mixed by Mike Fraser at Little Mountain Sound Studios in Vancouver, B.C. They released their first single "Ritual", which peaked to No. 38 on the Billboard Hot 100. The Dan Reed Network album received positive reviews, not the least of which being a four-star write-up from Rolling Stone magazine. Most reviews lauded the band's ability to blend elements of heavy funk with a gritty rock edge peppered with pop hooks, pulled together in an '80s radio-friendly production. While at the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony in January 1989, Dan Reed met up with Nile Rodgers. The second album, Slam, produced by Rodgers, better represented the Dan Reed Network's live sound and accelerated the band's growing status in Europe. However, the new collection did less well in North America, due to internal problems at Mercury/Polygram. The band toured Europe and the UK in the winter of 1989/1990 to support Bon Jovi. The success of this tour led to the Rolling Stones selecting the band in 1990 as their main support for their first tour in almost 10 years. The Dan Reed Network's third album, The Heat (1991), was their biggest success in the UK, but their American record label still hadn't figured out how to promote the band. The label was unhappy that Reed had shaved off his long dark hair, which they had viewed as a prime marketing attraction. The band soldiered on without tour support from Mercury/Polygram. In October 1993, the band members were starting to take different paths in their lives, but agreed to go on a hiatus and not officially break up. A live album called Live at Last was released in 1997. A companion video, filmed live in Portland on New Year's Eve of 1991, also called Live at Last, was released as well. The Dan Reed Network played a one time only reunion show on New Years Eve 2012 with all original band members on stage. The band announced on January 12, 2013, that they will play further concerts together in both the US and Europe. That culimated at their first UK show for two decades, headlining the Enchanted Festival at Greenwoods Spa, Chelmsford on October 12, 2013. The band reunited Saturday, November 9 in Portland at the Roseland Theater. On February 26, 2013, Dan Reed released a solo album called Signal Fire.

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