Maybe you’ve noticed that I’ve recently worked on three projects with the wonderful Andy Toomey. Here’s how that all started — it’s a great example of how chance and curiosity can lead to meaningful musical partnerships.
When I was on the road with Stick Men in early 2024, we passed through Jacksonville, Florida, and stayed there for a couple of nights. Andy, who had already worked with Jerry Marotta and Tony Levin, noticed that we were in town — and very cleverly booked us for a recording session.
He had prepared some lead sheets — mostly chords, time signatures, and bits of melody — and we recorded together. It felt good, though maybe a little constrained by the setup, and I could sense that Andy was still finding his footing as a producer. I decided to lend a hand with the post-production, and that became the first EP, Perseus Calling. Even then, I could tell Andy had something special: a strong voice, genuine intuition, and a kind of musical courage that I really admire.
Fast-forward to August 2024, when Andy invited me again — this time to Scott Petito Productions/ NRS Recording in Saugerties, NY together with drummer Zachary Alford. We recorded a new EP called Masterpiece which was about 95% improvised. The pieces grew out of long drones and textures that eventually turned into what I’d call “drone songs.” Andy added his vocals the next day, and Fabio Trentini mixed the record (as he also did for Perseus Calling).
Then, in May 2025, Andy suggested recording in Berlin. I immediately thought of Guy Sternberg’s LowSwing recording studio where I had already worked twice that year. It turned out to be the perfect place. Andy flew over, and we brought in Shawn Crowder (Sungazer) on drums and Bernhard Wöstheinrich on keys, synths, and all sorts of sonic craziness.
This time we composed the music live in the studio, section by section — completely intuitive. We recorded seven songs in a single day, then Andy wrote the lyrics overnight and recorded them the next morning. I also added layers of piano, Wurlitzer, Mellotron, and synthesizers, in addition to my Touch Guitars® parts.
The result is the new full-length album Crank — a vibrant, energetic indie rock record with a touch of prog, full of adventurous time signatures (the opening track is in 11, but you wouldn’t even notice). Everything came together with a wonderful sense of flow. Fabio Trentini mixed this one too, beautifully tying together all the sonic details.
I’m incredibly proud of how Crank turned out, and of Andy’s evolution as a quick, intuitive, and inspiring musician. It’s been an honor to help him shape these ideas and bring them to life.
Thanks for reading and listening — this isn’t meant as an ad, but as a little window into how these collaborations actually unfold. Music continues to surprise me every day.
Markus