Paper Bag: was formed in 1983 by Greg Segal and M. Segal. (A full listing of members, from the band's inception to the present, can be found in Musicians & Lineup history.) The idea was to take improvisational music into new territory and develop a method to expand it as an art form. In 7/85, the line-up solidified to Greg Segal, guitar; M. Segal, drums, percussion and vocals; Kenny Ryman, keyboards, tape loops, vocals and percussion; and George Radai, bass. It is this version of the band that is best known, and which, in the late 1980s, recorded 4 releases for SST records and 26 radio sets of completely original music that received international airplay.
Paper Bag eventually lost Kenny Ryman and gained David McIntire on vocals. This lineup remained stable until the band's semi-retirement in 1991. There have been several reappearances since then., including a reappearance of Kenny in both a musical and a production role. Sadly, we lost Kenny in 2013, to esophageal cancer. We will always miss him.
A new band, Bag: Theory, with M. Segal, was formed in 1999. Bag Theory released CDs and gigged extensively. Bag: Theory strictly followed the Paper Bag: method of improvisation. For more info, please follow the link from the band name to Bag: Theory's site.
A lot of valuable information for this site has been culled from "The Book of Bag", a catalog of our work up to 1991, by George Radai. For example it was George who ascertained that there was around 400 hours of tape. Time permitting, we would like to upload the text of this work, currently available only to the primary band members, to this site.
This website was constructed and is maintained with the input of all available members, past and present, who wish to participate. Friend and fan contributions are very welcome too.
contact:
Greg Segal: phantomairship@yahoo.com