Spotlight: The Band
	  Taken from: Midnight Star  Vol. 3  No.  1  January 1995

Ruben Valtierra
1.  Who were your musical influences as a kid?
	Beetoven, Stravinsky, Esquivel, Santana, Who, Zepplin, Chick Correa,
	Oscar Peterson.

2.  How old were you when you realized you wanted to get serious with music?
	You call this SERIOUS?

3.  What other bands have you played in?
	No bands of reknown, but I've with great artists, i.e.: Jeffery 
	Osborne, Mary Wilson, Peter Duckin, Stevie Wonder (hey!) and members
	Tower of Power.

4.  What other instruments do you play?
	Just keys.

5.  Do you write songs/movie scores, etc?
	Pop songs.

6.  Who besides Al have you done session work with?
	Did a session with the Chili Peppers (Wow! No attitude here!), a
	great artist name Gavin Christopher and various LA and SF artists.

7.  What brand of keyboards do you prefer and why?
	Steinways are nice, but I MUST have Kurzweil to do Al's show.        

8.  How did you come to work with Al?
	I was recommended for the keyboard chair in the Dr. Demento 20th
	Anniversary Tv special, where Al and I discovered my ture calling...
	the Eye-poke!  Genius!  Thank you.
		
9.  Do you have a nickname?
	I think I get a new one each major tour.  I am VERY proud to be 
	either "sandwich boy" or "Butter Man".  (Don't ask.) 
	(We wouldn't DARE ask...CB)

10.  Closing comments?
	Many!!  You know I'm 27!  Who's the redhead in the video?  Who's Binky?
	Where's my riser?  Lunn, where's my P.D.?  Maria's nice.  I got THE
	picture...Joey!  Hey, who got Nash's number?  Hey, $25,000 cultural
	trivia contest for fans- who goes uack oink moo and most importantly 
	hratche-plche?  Send in those answers?  See ya!

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