What's His Name & the Other Guy

press release: What’s His Name & the Other Guy are Greg Valde & Brian “Looper” Lucas. They are the only surviving members of “Dr. Rhythm & the Harmless Heterosexuals,” the critically ignored and marginally musical 1990s blues rock band.

Originally led by Dan “My Way” Haney (soulful vocalizing) and Dave “the Psycho” Griff (too loud guitar), they missed practices and argued like children. Dan, previously of the Platteville Singers, toured nationally when his family visited U.S. historical markers during the summer of ‘68. Found dead in his apartment in 1996, his career lagged. Dave, discovering he had no mojo, entered the Al Gore Clinic for the Charismatically Impaired, where he is used as a teaching tool for psychotherapists.

Greg “not cool enough for a nickname” Valde (guitar, banjo, mandolin, vocals) joined the group after they played at Happy Acres Home for the Emotionally Challenged, where he was “visiting.” Previously in the trio “Peter, Greg, & Mary,” Greg was unceremoniously ousted by Mary after she had an extended fling with the flashier Paul. Left homeless, Greg took work as an itinerant preacher until joining Jimmy Swaggert’s Holy Rollers, where he began his song-writing career, penning such evangelical classics as “God is Broke,” “Send Us Your Pension” & “Even Jesus Don’t Love You.”

Brian “Looper” Lucas (harmonica, bass, guitar, mandolin, vocals) was born into status and wealth in London. The son of a shipping magnate and mining heiress he traveled to Chicago to study cello. Moving to Milwaukee to study brewing, then to Oshkosh to study alcohol consumption, he steadily worked his way down. Left without a harmonica player when Dan died suddenly, the band was desperate. Brian’s big break came when his summer job mowing lawns branched out into raking and bagging.

The rest, as they say, is history.