Greg, Zero's fearless leader, co-founded the band along with guitarist
Steve Kimock. Before that, Greg played in numerous bands and on record and
soundtrack projects with a host of Bay Area luminaries including John
Cipollina, Nicky Hopkins, Greg Douglass, Barry Melton, Mickey Hart and John
Lee Hooker, to name a few. He was a member of the Heart Of Gold Band (again
with Steve Kimock) and the Ghosts, both projects of Keith and Donna
Godchaux. He's played with Screamin Jay Hawkins and has played and composed
with poet/ lyricist Robert Hunter.
"It's unbelievable to work with the guy."
says Anton of Hunter. "I'm always impressed by him-- how good he is at
putting words to music. And that marriage of words and music...that's the
ultimate." Of writing songs with Hunter, Greg explains, "I usually give
Hunter the music first and he adds the words. Most of the time I gave him
just a solo piano which I'd record. I'd give him the tape, then he would
come up with a song. We'd go back and forth, polishing up. We'd change a
chord, he'd change the words and Steve would add the frosting with a bridge
or chorus, adding the glue that would make it a song."
Greg also composed
the soundtrack for a theatrical performance in Los Angeles of the Rod
Steiger film, "The Pawnbroker," later released as "Zero Blues".
When Zero
enters the studio to work on their next album, it will mark the 10th
recording project for Greg and Steve Kimock, dating back to their days with
the Heart Of Gold Band. Not all Anton-Kimock projects take place in the
studio or on stage, though. Greg remembers the time that they removed an E
string from Kimock's stratocaster and installed it as an accelerator cable
on Greg's Harley so they could make it home after a gig. Greg spends his
non-Zero time as an environmental lawyer and producing the Whirld's best
organic chicken eggs at his ranch.
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