Meet Chris DeMarco
Chris DeMarco began his musical career in 1969 with the band North with Denny Carmassi (Montrose and Heart), Jim Alcivar (Montrose) and Michael Wexler. In 1971 Chris joined The Tangerine Zoo in Boston and went on the road for 6 months. Living in Boston when not on the road, he hung with future rock legends, Steve Tyler and Joe Perry (Aerosmith) and was the singer on the first demos recorded by Tom Scholz (Boston). January 1972 found Chris and Roger Prescott (Pop) driving across the country to start a band in Hollywood. Through the 70’s he moved back and forth between Hollywood and New York City playing with a virtual “who’s who” of rock and roll musicians, culminating with the formation of his band Riff Raff and signed with Island Records.
DeMarco has also given his musical influence to documentaries, television and radio commercials as well as two feature film scores. Troma's War released in 1988 by Troma Entertainment featured music composed and produced by DeMarco, including the title track "Alive". Toxic Avenger III - The Last Temptation of Toxie was released in 1989 (also by Troma Entertainment) with music composed and produced by Chris DeMarco based on the music of Antonin Dvorak.
In 1994 Chris and his wife Charlotte left New York and settled in the Atlanta, Georgia area and music took a back seat until 2006 when Chris recorded the album Lost And Found, released early 2007.
DeMarco served his country and was wounded in combat in Vietnam where he was a Recondo LRRP (Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol). Subsequently, his unit became part of the Army’s 75th Ranger Regiment. From his time in the military through his decades long musical career, his commitment to being true to himself and remaining uncompromisingly honest in his music has never wavered. “Waltzing in a World Without Love” from Genetic Marker exemplifies this, a voice speaking out concerning today’s violent world. Each song is personal and reflects Chris’ journey of love, dreams and war. Chris DeMarco’s music and artistry has indeed stood the test of time.
Genetic Marker
Genetic Marker was recorded at Dreamco Music Studio and released June 2016. The cover art includes some thoughts that correlate to the album title and songs: “Where did we come from? Why are we here” Where are we headed? The answers to mankind’s eternal questions may be in our code ... our lives determined by fate written eons ago. Or, are we free to alter our destiny through events… like love and war.”
The majority of the album was written and performed by DeMarco himself; four songs were co-written with Ken Mazur (Robert Palmer Band). Other musicians who leant their talents to these recordings include; Jim Fielder (Buffalo Springfield, Blood Sweat and Tears and Neil Sedaka), Reggie Dantzler (Cosmic Dust), Brandon Thompson (The Waiting), Ethan Jones, Dave Lamar James, Kelley Lubitz and Dan O’Neill. The bonus track “Let Him Be The King” was recorded at Larabee Sound in Hollywood in 1974 and features Billy Joel, Michael Monarch (Steppenwolf), Dick Wagner (Alice Cooper Band), Rhys Clark (Alice Cooper Band and Freddy Fender Band) and Jim Fielder.
Lost and Found
Lost and Found - released early 2007. This album weaves together DeMarco’s past and present musical contributions into one cohesive work, featuring many talented musicians including Dick Wagner (Alice Cooper Band), Tommy Talton (Gregg Allman Band and Cowboy), and Barry Richman (Lynard Skynard) on guitar; Billy Langley on keyboards; Rhys Clark (Billy Joel Band and Freddy Fender Band) playing drums; and Jim Fielder (Blood Sweat & Tears and Neil Sedaka) on bass. Billy Joel and Michael Monarch (Steppenwolf) appear on the bonus track Sail Away.
Chris DeMarco - The 80’s
Chris DeMarco – The 80’s was released by Dreamco Music in 2008 but recorded in the early 80’s at The House of Music in West Orange, NJ and Media Sound Studio on 57th Street in Manhattan. Some of the talented musicians who played on these tracks include Bob Kulick (KISS, Meatloaf), Doug Katsaros (Aerosmith, BonJovi, Elton John), Thommy Price (Billy Idol and Joan Jett, Ron Wood and Blue Oyster Cult), and Yogi Horton (John Lennon, Aretha Franklin, Diana Ross, and The B-52’s).
Times Square Country Sessions
Times Square Country Sessions (demos) - Christopher King (Chris’ alter ego). Recorded at Kid Productions in New York City between 1983-1993.
It’s About Time
It’s About Time (EP) - was recorded at Media Sound Studio in 1978 and released by Dreamco Music in 2015. The recordings feature Yogi Horton , Pierre “Pepe” Brock (Robert Palmer Band), Michael Abene, Michael Brecker (John Lennon, Dire Straits, Frank Sinatra), Ken Mazur (Robert Palmer Band) and background vocals by “Rouge” (Desmond Child).
Riff Raff - Chris DeMarco - The 70’s
Chris DeMarco - The 70’s - Riff Raff - recorded in 1977 at Media Sound Studio on 57th Street in Manhattan and Caribou Ranch in Colorado. The band Riff Raff was comprised of Chris DeMarco, Ned Liben, Ray Hennigan, Jimmy Lowell and David Lanik. The band was formed after Chris and Ned met while visiting a mutual friend in the hospital. Ned and his band mates were looking for a singer and someone to write their songs. In a matter of weeks Chris had turned their riffs into songs and recruited Sid Bernstein as their manager. Soon, Riff Raff began playing gigs at Copperfields and CBGBs in The Village and became the talk of the town. Many famous musicians showed up to see them play, including Led Zepplin, Mick Jagger, Peter Frampton and Paul Stanley from Kiss. Riff Raff was signed to Island Records and the subsequent album was produced by Bob Margouleff (Stevie Wonder and Devo). It was finally released in 2010 by Dreamco Music.
Troma’s WAR Soundtrack
The soundtrack for Troma’s ware was composed and performed by Chris DeMarco. The movie was directed by Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz. Troma’s WAR tells the story of a group of marooned citizens who stumble upon a terrorist plot to take over the United States. With no help in sight and no way to contact reinforcements, it’s up to these ordinary people to save the world! A political satire of the glamorization of war in the 1980s, Troma’s WAR is considered Troma’s “undiscovered masterpiece,” and the film celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2018.
Toxic Avenger III - Soundtrack
Toxic Avenger III - The Last Temptation of Toxie was released in 1989 (also by Troma Entertainment) with music composed and produced by Chris DeMarco based on the music of Antonin Dvorak.
DESCRIPTION
It's the summer of 1966. Rusty Ravenscroft has been drafted by the US Army and ordered to report for training in two months. The war in Vietnam is escalating, and there is little doubt where he will be in a few short months.
When his father hands him the keys to the family car and tells him to take off on a road trip, the first thing that comes to mind is his long-held desire to trout fish in Colorado. Leaving his home and family in New York City with no map, plan…or idea of what awaits him, Rusty hits the road with one question to be answered…how much living can be experienced in sixty days?
REVIEWS
“Every so often, a novel lands in your hands that doesn’t just tell a story--it opens a window into a moment in history, a mindset, a soul. Sixty Days by Chris DeMarco is one of those rare books. From the first page, I was pulled into rusty Ravenscroft’s world--the summer of 1966, a turbulent time in America, and an even more uncertain time in Rusty’s life. He’s just been drafted, the war in Vietnam looms large, and he’s been given sixty days of freedom before it all changes. What unfolds is far more than a road trip—it’s a raw, sometimes aching, often beautiful journey into manhood, self-discover, and what it truly means to live before life demands something of you.
DeMarco doesn’t romanticize the era—he captures it. The confusion, the defiance, the longing for clarity that so many young men felt at the time. But what truly struck me was how intimate the writing felt. There is a quiet strength in the way he builds Rusty’s inner world. I found myself reflecting on my own youth, my own moments of reckoning, those forks in the road that changed everything. That’s the magic of this book—it doesn’t just entertain, it resonates.
The pacing is honest, the imagery vivid, and the emotional undercurrents run deep without ever becoming melodramatic. DeMarco writes like someone who’s lived what he’s writing about—and in many ways, he has. You feel that in every line. There’s an authenticity her you can’t manufacture. By the end of the novel, I felt like I had traveled those highways with Rusty, sat beside him by those trout streams, shared in his fears, his hopes, and his small triumphs. Sixty Days is a testament to how much can happen in a short time when life is stripped down to its essence. It’s a story of courage—not the battlefield kind, but the quieter, braver kind that takes place in the heart.
This is a book I’ll be recommending for a long time—not just because of its historical insight, but because of its emotional truth. If you’re looking for something real, something that lingers long after the last page, Sixty Days is it. Chris DeMarco has written something remarkable.”
By Lewis Morgan, Senior Reviewer, Writers Branding
"This book reads like a movie and reminds me of my teen years. I could not put it down. Check it out; great work, Chris!" - Bestselling Author Run with the Cheetahs, Jerry Freishtat
"Life's lessons are not learned in classrooms; courage is forged in the wilderness. DeMarco takes the reader on a beyond life-sized journey to manhood for a generation!" - Bestselling Author Geysers, Grizzles and Grit, Jeff Bettinger
DESCRIPTION
Imagine a teenager beginning his life's journey in college on an athletic scholarship, but is swept up in the Vietnam War escalation. After volunteering as an Army LRRP Ranger, a job so dangerous and vital that the enemy has placed a bounty on all "Lurp's" heads; he is wounded in a tragic ambush—and survives—barely.
At home, he encounters a country in turmoil. With his childhood dreams shattered and in desperate need of help, he journeys to Los Angeles to find his "brother" Ranger. He doesn't find him, but he does find Charles Manson—and survives—barely.
Out of the hospital, a chance meeting of rockstar musicians sets him on a path in music and a new dream. Still haunted by the "War" he struggles to express himself as a singer/songwriter. The journey takes him to Hollywood, San Francisco, New York City, Paris, Rome, and London in search of love, inspiration, and answers to life's eternal questions.
Nothing comes easy, every step is fraught with dangers of temptation, drugs, jealousy, and more. Come along and meet some of the stars in music and film of the '60s and '70s. Experience the extreme highs and devastating lows in the pursuit of "making it," all the while, attempting to keep a young family together. This is a coming of age story (Bildungsroman) like no other…
REVIEWS
Fabulous book. I was fascinated by Chris’s period of serving in Vietnam and made me remember stories of my friends returning from Vietnam still horrified by their experiences very much like Chris had. Chris’s time after Vietnam to his music days in California to New York and beyond, was so interesting and it reminded me of those years in the 70’s. I thought the author was a very compelling writer. Posted on Amazon by Sophie.
A struggling singer/song writer tries to make it In the cut throat world of 70's show biz while being plagued by nightmares of his time as an Army LLRP Ranger in Vietnam. Chris takes us through his life from his golf and wrestling days to his horrific war experiences and finally to a drug filled party life as an up and coming artist. On his journey, he crosses paths with the the famous and infamous characters of the time. A provocative story that pulls back the curtain surrounding the notorious lifestyles of some in the entertainment industry. This story is told from the heart by the man who lived it. Posted on Amazon by anonymous Kindle reader.
I wasn't sure what to expect, but this book rings with authenticity and the photos are a big plus. The Cherry Boy Chronicles cover a lot of ground: Golf, the Vietnam War, love, and music that spans decades. I have also gifted the book to two very different sons, one a competitive golfer and the other a combat veteran of Afghanistan. Am sure they will enjoy the book as much as I have. Posted on Amazon by Roberta.
