1980
Sean moves to northern VT
and takes a friends guitar with him (a custom moon),
and learns to play it!

 

1982
Sean starts band called
The Last Straw
with - Andy Sheldon on bass and vocals, Sean Kelly
on rhythm guitar and backup vocals. Rob Somers on vocals and guitar,
Pat Kelly on lead vocals and some guitar and Tom Robertson on drums.
They play their first real paying show at the 1984 Burr and Burton High School Prom,
and countless parties at the Stagger Inn.

 

1984 Prom

 

1984 Fall/Winter
Sean starts a new band with
Rob Somers and Pat Kelly
called The Triangle
and won best new song on a local radio station
WEQX in Manchester VT.
The song was Dreams Come True.
Sean played Casio keyboard in this band
and wore a synthetic leopard fur coat.
Seans band nickname was uncle fester. Their
big debut was at Nectar's in Burlington, VT.
Phish was also another local band at the time.

1984 Summer
Sean starts a band called
The Stop with A. Sheldon, P. Kelly
Tad Martin and Matt Langlois.
They played with lights attached to their
foreheads, and their logo was a stop sign.

1984 1984
Sean records Birth Of Words with Clay Britch on drums
and Feel Us Shaking.
This is the third song at this point that had been recorded.

1985 1985
Sean goes solo and starts playing
acoustic songs at all the open mics in Burlington, VT.
One in particular was called The Sheik.
This is where Sean met Charles Hambleton.

1986 1986
Sean and Charles start a band called
"Secret City with Steve Rinker and Larry Stelmatt,
and play at a bar called Finbarsevery Friday night
in Burlington, VT. The band was now actually making
enough money to pay rent. Secret City recorded only one
song So Sorry and was being played on local
college stations WWPV-FM at St.Michaels and WRUV at UVM.

Spring of 1987
Sean and Charles move out to Boulder, CO and
meet up with Andy Sheldon. They play with their first drummer named Bruce Wilson
for a few months, then Bruce quits and Jeep MacNichol and Al Laughlin
join the band with Chat Churbuck on congas. They get the name The Samples
by eating food samples from local supermarkets, Kingsoopers, etc.

1987
The Samples at Tulagis

1989
The Samples sign to Alpha Records in Japan.

1990
The Samples sign to Arista records.

1991
Charles Hambleton leaves the band.

1991-1996 - The Samples record- "Under water people" "No room" "The Last Drag" "Lighthouse Rocket" and "Auto Pilot" Featuring Boyd Tinsley of DMB on the song - Buffalo Herds and Windmills.

1996
The Samples sign to MCA records and record "Out post."

199?
The Samples part ways with MCA.

1997
Jeep MacNichol leaves The Samples.

1997
Al Laughlin leaves the band.

1997
Rob Somers , Alex Matson and Kenny James join The Samples and record "Here and somwhere else" "The Tan Mule"

"Transmissions from the sea of tranquility"

1998 August
Kenny James is replaced by Sam Young.

2000-2002
Sam plays on "Return to Earth" "Sparta" and "Landing On The Sidewalk" "Anthology in Motion" and "Live from Colorado".

2003- Andy Sheldon, Alex Matson and Sam Young leave the band.

2004-Tom Askin. Sean Kelly, Jared Johnson, Len Mooney, Bill Mutchler, Brian Powers on Saxophone Join the The Samples.

2005- Karl Dietel replaces Len mooney and Brian Powers takes a family break. All members record Black and White.Except Brian Powers aka"Snowman" and len Mooney.

2006- Dan Blondin replaces Tom Askin.and tours extensively and contributes much to The Samples Rehearsing for life CD.

Early on in my life, I made a conscious effort to play and record music with as many people as possible. This is one of the ways I challenge myself and seems to always produce my strongest music. It also keeps the heart of the music from going sour for me. I have learned and produced so much from each and every musician that I was fortunate enough to play with over the years.

Sean Kelly

OTHERFACTS

1988 The Dirty Doves Sean Kelly, Tim Kyne, Rich Katz, Heath Whitney, Andy Sheldon and Brian Ahern. The Dirty doves was just like spinal tap. We played the infamous Dead Clown Gig where the band was laced with Ecstasy.

The Boulder Police Department stopped one of our shows that was known as Banquets And Things.
Andy Sheldon played drums in this band. The Samples took the summer off so Andy and Sean started this band. Most of the other members were from a great local band called 80 West. Another big local band at the time was called "Band DuJour"

1988 Rob Somers' Modern Day Hipsters formed in Boulder, CO, with Duane Carabello, Glen Rohr, Tom Adrienson and Allen Stoulemen. Highlight show was playing the Glenn Miller Ballroom, Boulder CO.

1992 The Czars (Rob Somers, Alex Matson, Tom Adrienson) recorded one CD called Chameleon.

1995 Rob Somers does a full national acoustic tour with Sean Kelly

1997 Carnival Disaster featured Sean Kelly, Rob Somers, Alex Matson and Doug Murray