Tony Vick

I have worked in the music business for 45 years as a creator, performer, gadfly and retailer. I currently live & work in Evanston, IL and continue to have connections in the music world around the globe.

I was born in Denver Colorado on March 15th 1960. Spent the first 14 years in Colorado, moving to San Clemente California in the summer of 1974. It was in San Clemente that my creative adventures began.

I started playing bass guitar while working at the House of Music and engaging the world of rock music and modern art whilst attending San Clemente High School. By the time I graduated from high school I was playing in punk rock bands on a regular basis. My first two named bands; Parrot World & Soviet Life played shows in 1978 – 1980. I attended Saddleback Community College, studying History & Psychology. I must admit that the “music” had firmly established it’s grip upon me & I never did finish those higher education goals. 1979 saw my first employment at Tower Records and the formation of my first “real” band, Din. Tower records was the catalyst for what has become my life’s passion and purpose. The Nineteen Seventies created the obsessive music geek that I am. I was fortunate to be in the right place at the right time to experience the Punk Rock explosion of ’76 and open minded enough to appreciate what spawned “PUNK” and the multitude of style(s) that came after.

I spent the 1980’s working at Tower Records and playing in the Din & the Dead Sea Squirrels. I got to release records, witness the sordid side of the music industry, see & hear an incredible amount of life changing music. The beginning of the new decade brought new jobs in the retail music industry. I Spent the early 90’s working for Roxeen, a poster and music ephemera distributor. In 1991 I moved to Phantom Sound & Vision which was an importer of music from all over the world. I worked at Phantom through the summer of 1994 and then took the best retail music position possible. August of 1994 I became the GM of Lou’s Records in Encinitas California. I also was able to restart my performing and recording efforts with new bands. Formula was active from 1997 – 2002 and produced three albums of music. ¡Ex Maquina! formed in 2002 and continues to be the vehicle for my musical production.

1999 introduced me to Nancy, who would officially become my partner in February of 2001. Nancy and I have had 24 years of wonderful, romantic adventures. Our time together has moved us from our home base in Southern California to Evanston Illinois. We moved in the summer of 2006 and chose to stay after Nancy finished her time at Northwestern University. Now having lived and worked in the Chicagoland music community for 18 years, I am settling in to the “new” media and looking forward to starting myriad conversations about the creative endeavors that I am passionate for. Thanks for listening.