Richard X. Heyman: Biography

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Genres:

Rock Music, Alternative Rock Music, Adult Alternative

Decades Active:

1980's|1990's|2000's

Artistic Quality

Low

Ratings Guide

Richard X. Heyman is one of the sadly overlooked pop craftsmen of the '90s but his albums are widely regarded in power pop circles as instant classics. Heyman began recording in the late '80s in the tradition of the studio nerd/one man band, playing all instruments himself in his upper west side Manhattan apartment living room, named Brontasaurus, presumably after the classic song by the Move. He released the independent Actual Size EP in 1987 and followed with the full-length Living Room in 1988. Considerable word-of-mouth exposure led to the album being reissued by Cypress Records in 1990 in slighltly modified form. He signed to Sire in 1990 and released one album for the label, the Andy Paley produced, Hey Man in 1991. Poor sales led to him being dropped by the label but he has continued recording (several albums' worth by his estimations) while shopping for the elusive new deal. Cornerstone was completed by 1996 but it wasn't released nationally until early 1998 by Permanent Press Records. In late 2000 Heyman issued Heyman, Hoosier Herman, an EP featuring former Herman's Hermits Peter Noone on vocals for the title track and six outtakes from the Cornerstone sessions.

- Chris Woodstra, All Music Guide