Rhino Fish

About Rhino Fish

Those in Northern Nevada who love Classic Rock—but who long for modern interpretations from this genre—will be well-served to explore a group of throwback musicians purveying their craft under the name Rhino Fish.
Led by longtime songwriter-guitarist M. Kessler, originally hailing from Sacramento and now living in Reno, Rhino Fish proves the old adage that what was once old can be new again as evidenced in their eponymous effort, all of which were written or co-written by Kessler.
“I have been writing songs since I was a kid, and I still believe in the power of a good song,” Kessler said. “I have noticed that trends come and go—and new and different isn’t always better—and if the songs are there, people will respond to the music.”
Kessler should know: Growing up as a musician in Sacramento in the 1970s and 1980s he played with or wrote songs with friends who had national success including members of Steel Breeze, The Tubes and what later became Tesla.”
“I had a band called The Jumpers, and we drove over the hill to Reno many times to perform there,” Kessler recalled. We were honored to be invited to open for Steppenwolf and Tommy Tutone at the Grand Ballroom.
“I always liked the people in Northern Nevada, and I lived in Reno and Lake Tahoe at different times over the years, and a few years ago I moved to Reno. I joined a few bands and had some fun playing around town, but what I really wanted to do was form a new band around my songs. I noticed whenever I was able to play any of my original material, people really seemed to like hearing something fresh and new that wasn’t just trying to be different for differences sake.”
Towards that end, Kessler—always a good judge of talent—assembled the best local players he could find that shared his desire to pump some new life into Classic Rock. Vocalist Mark Anthony had fronted many Reno bands including Fast Forward; Steve Hatley—who has performed all over the country with numerous recording acts—was brought in on keyboards; longtime Los Angeles session and club veteran Grant Rudolph, who has played keyboards and saxophone at The Whisky and Troubadour, and many others, was tapped; and newcomer Tamsen Pollock can be heard on backing vocals.
“It was a dream come true for me to have a chance to breathe life into Mike’s songs,” lead vocalist Mark Anthony said. “His guitar playing, arrangements, and studio experience helped our Rhino Fish experiment exceed all my expectations, and I can’t wait for people to hear these songs.”
Kessler drew some of the best songs from his catalog, with 11 songs making the Rhino Fish album. Obvious standouts include Two Hearts, Big Money and Out of Love, which would sound perfectly at home on radio playing alongside any Classic Rock artists, but they have the advantage of being new in a time in which there is mostly a dearth of new material from Classic Rock artists.
All the basic tracks were recorded in Reno in Kessler’s home recording studio, affectionately dubbed Rancho el Perro Studios, or “Dog Ranch,” a nod to his friends.
In Kessler’s view, what put the Rhino Fish recording over the top was when he brought in his old friend from Sacramento, Bruce Turgon. A native of Rochester, (expired link)., Turgon was signed to Capitol Records in the 1970s with his childhood friend Lou Gramm in the Black Sheep. After two albums, the critically acclaimed group failed to find sufficient traction at radio, and Gramm hit the jackpot when he accepted guitarist-songwriter Mick Jones’s invitation to form Foreigner.
But Gramm never forgot Turgon, and in 1987 the duo co-wrote 8 of the 10 songs on Gramm’s solo record, Ready or Not including the Billboard Hot Singles chart No. 1 smash Midnight Blue.
Now living in Redding, Calif., Turgon is the proprietor of After Hours Recorders. When it came time to put the finishing touches on the Rhino Fish tracks, Kessler asked Turgon to produce and master the material.
“We were putting together a promising project,” Kessler said of his Rhino Fish cohorts, “but Bruce took what we were doing and helped us refine and improve our creation. Bruce is a consummate professional as a songwriter, player and collaborator, and it’s obvious when you hear these tracks that this was a polished production because the tracks shimmer in all the right places.”
Turgon co-wrote Edge of Madness with Kessler, and he contributed bass guitar and a first class lead vocal performance for the Rhino Fish on the bonus track, Out of Love.
Beyond contributing the songs, Kessler provides flawless guitars to the project that have an original signature. While echoes from the past are unmistakable, Kessler’s an innovative player that makes everything his own.
“I have always called myself a rhythm lead player. I guess that’s because everything I do is to highlight the riffs and hooks that make songs memorable. But I never want to be derivative, so I am dedicated to being inventive at all times. I like it when people are surprised by one of my arrangements, and that’s my goal. I always try to put a unique signature on everything I do.”
Kessler has also had success with his songs at television and movies, and Transition Music Corporation has just entered an agreement to pitch new Rhino Fish songs Girls Like to Rock, Edge of Madness and Out of Love.