Gary Russell Wertz

Gary Russell Wertz (GRW) started his musical career as a youngster in the New York Punk scene of the early 1980s. At 20, Gary joined the quirky pop combo the Mommyheads. He spent the 1990s in the artistic firmament of the Bay Area scene, playing drums for the psych-noise groove music disaster known as Mars Bonfire. The dawn of the 21st Century saw Gary emerged as lead singer and creative force behind the “classic rock” inspired band Hot Mute. The “Aughts” also saw the release of his first solo album (The Natural) under the initials “GRW” – producing, writing and playing every instrument. 2007 heralded the beginning of an intense musical relationship with the fine artist and songwriter Kyle Ranson. Recording as Strawberry Smog, they released "Purgatorious"", "2 & 3" and 2018’s "Forevers", all produced by Gary. In 2011, another GRW L.P., the hard rock inspired “Wet Rocks” emerged on the desert rock label Treasure Craft. Gary has had a long and fruitful collaboration with David Catching of Eagles of Death Metal fame, recording at Rancho De La Luna in Joshua Tree, Ca.- contributing several tracks to Catching’s solo L.P. “Shared Hallucinations Pt.1” Gary produced many artists at his Sacred Dog Studios, including the reggae of Desmond George Smith, art rock band Arms + Legs, the spooky folk duo Pale Horse and, under pseudonyms, two stylistically different solo records: the electro-pop “Secret Projex” in 2016 and Beatlesque “Beat The Orphans” in 2015. In 2018, Gary and Sacred Dog Studios relocated to Nashville, with Gary overseeing production on Kyle Ranson’s first solo LP. GRW’s third solo LP, the Country and Rock flavored “Hybrids” will be released in 2020.