Today Was Yesterday is on a mission to create timeless music that transcends genres and generations. The aptly-named powerhouse rock duo’s self-titled debut is an imaginative, 10-song collection of prime modern classic rock, featuring Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Alex Lifeson of Rush and Robby Krieger of The Doors as guest guitarists.
“We come from the days when pop musicians weren’t afraid to be good players,” says the band’s drummer, percussionist, and programmer, the LA-based Ty Dennis. “Ty and I’ve played together as sidemen for 25 years, and we’ve always wanted to work together on original music. Today Was Yesterday is a dream come true for us,” shares lead vocalist, primary songwriter, bassist, guitarist, keyboardist, pianist, and programmer, the Chicago-based Angelo Barbera.
Today Was Yesterday writes adventurous and smart pop-rock spiritually aligned with NIN, Japan and David Sylvian, Genesis and Peter Gabriel, Tears For Fears, Led Zeppelin, Steely Dan, and Rush. Its first album features intricate but catchy compositions replete with thrilling virtuosic musical passages, art-rock soundscapes, and meticulous production. Lyrically and conceptually, Today Was Yesterday specialize in the type of metaphorical and poetic lyrics favored by artists such as Genesis, Peter Gabriel, and Rush.
The creative nexus of Today Was Yesterday is Angelo and Ty who met in 1997. They are longtime vets of the rock n’ roll scene with a telepathic musical connection. Angelo has worked with The Motels featuring Martha Davis, Red Square Black, Lita Ford, and, most notably, The Robby Krieger Band and The Doors of the 21st Century. Ty previously played in The Motels featuring Martha Davis, where he met Angelo, and he later replaced the Police’s Stewart Copeland in The Doors of the 21st Century.
Prior to his successful hired gun career, Angelo was a band guy, and he has remained an active songwriter even as his bass playing earned him world-class gigs. Angelo’s song sketches became the basis of Today Was Yesterday’s debut album, though they evolved considerably when Ty added his musicianship and artistic vision.
Initially, Today Was Yesterday was going to have a more conventional lineup presentation. “I tried out lead singers, but, at times, it was comical, like a SNL skit—the LSD, lead singer’s disease, was too much for me,” Angelo says laughing. The pair decided to create as a self-contained unit, self-producing and playing all the instruments with Angelo handling all the lead vocals.
The band is joined on this debut by some very special guests. Over the years, Ty had been in house bands for all-star concerts in which Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson was a part of. In 2022, Ty gave Alex a lift back to his hotel after a rehearsal, and he played him some early versions of a couple Today Was Yesterday songs. Alex was a fan of what he heard and said he would love to play on some of the tracks. “We're honored to have Alex joining us on 6 of the album's 10 songs.”
Today Was Yesterday opens with, “Grace (featuring Alex Lifeson),” a moody and imaginatively-arranged rocker that evokes 1970s prog-rock and Physical Graffiti-era Led Zeppelin. This powerful song is about the fentanyl epidemic, and it features some of Angelo’s most emotionally direct lyrics, including: Swallowed addictions paid in souls/Timeless Crimes That Go Raging By.
“On My Own (featuring Alex Lifeson)” recalls the pop-sophistication of Sting, and is in a tricky 5/4 time signature. Alex Lifeson shines here playing guitar parts and guitars—including a Nashville-tuned guitar, a 12 string guitar, and a mandolin—not typically associated with him. Angelo says: “At times on this song, Alex reminds me of [country and jazz guitarist] Hank Garland—I was blown away. I never heard him like this.” Ty adds: “If I paid someone a million dollars, I couldn’t get tracks like this"
Robby Krieger joins the party for the bluesy, "If I Fall (Silly Games),” which features his one-of-a-kind slide guitar playing. “Jim Morrison freaked out when he heard Robby play slide, and wanted him to play it all the time, and I can see why. His slide playing is so emotional—it makes my hair stand up,” Ty says.
Today Was Yesterday has been a deeply satisfying creative adventure for Ty and Angelo. As they gear up to perform live in the summer of 2024, the guys look back on their career and the road ahead with thoughtfulness and gratitude. “I’m normally helping someone else achieve their goals—which I’m always happy to do—but this band gives me a chance to play exactly what I want to play, and I love that,” Ty says. Angelo adds: “This music is one hundred percent pure and honest. It doesn’t sound like anything contemporary, it is truly Today Was Yesterday.”
ANGELO BARBERA
Angelo Is A American Bass player / Songwriter Born In Los Angeles California. He Began His Playing At The Age Of 12 When His Father, A Jazz/Big Band Saxophone Player , Bought Him His First Bass And Taught Him His First Scale And His Older Brother Who Was A Guitar Player In Rock Bands In Early 70s Taught Him His First Beatles Song. He Quickly Started Jamming With His Dad And Brother And Learning Songs From His Brother’s Record Collection. His Brother Also Showed Him That Playing Records At 78 Speed Could Make You Hear The Bass Lines Better. He Learned Most Songs From Cream, The Who, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, The Beach Boys, and The Band Wilson Pickett. He Formed His First Band At 14 Playing everything From Beatles To Zeppelin, A true Learning Experience. His First True Passion Was Not Music But, Being A Pro Skateboarder Until He Met Linda Ronstadt’s Bass Player At 16 Skateboarding On Sunset Blvd. He Took Him To The Troubador Where He Got To Meet The A lists Of Musicians. After That That’s All He Wanted To Do. His First Real Break Came In The 80s When He Joined The Band Perfect Stranger. He Replaced, Then Bassplayer Robert Trujillo, Who Went On To Suicidal Tendencies. After Perfect Stranger, He Played In A Band Called Christine In The Attic, His First Major Label Recording For Morgan Creek Produced By The Late Chris Tsangarides. After Christine In The Attic, He Joined The Band Red Square Black With The Late Randy Castillo And Guitar Player John 5. The EP Titled Square Was Released On Zoo Entertainment BMG 1994. The Record Was Produced By Bob Marlett. Bob Also Got Angelo On Leah Andreone’s 2nd Record On RCA Called Alchemy 1996 Where He Played On The Single Inconceivable. He Soon Was Asked To Join Lita Ford’s New Band Rumble Culture With Her Then Husband Jim Gillette Sharing Vocals. They Made One Record That Was Unreleased. He Then Became A Hired Musician For The Solo Artist Debby Holiday Where He Met Ty Dennis, Soon Ty And Angelo Were Hired By Martha Davis To Tour with The Motels And Groups And Solo Artists Around Los Angeles. Angelo Later Joined The Robby Kreiger Band With Ty Dennis. Then Angelo Was Asked To Join The Surviving Members Of The Doors For The VH1 Storytellers. He Was Then The Touring Bass Player For The Doors Of The 21st Century With Stewart Copland And Ian Asbury, Ty Dennis Later Replaced Stewart Copland And Angelo Left In 2005 To Concentrate Full time On His Original Band i94, Which Was Started In 2001. They Wrote And Produced 7 Albums Together Which They Released Independently On itunes And CD Baby. The Band Had Multiple Songs Placed In Such Films And Television Such As The Hunger Games, Little Nicky, Smallville, Six Feet Under, Keeping Up With The Kardashians, The Hills, And Laguna Beach. Angelo Moved To Chicago In 2012 Where He Continued Doing Session Dates And Kept Writing Songs But Had No Intentions Of Doing Anything With The Demos. It Wasn’t Until 2022 When He Got Call From Ty Dennis. Their Friendship And Creativity Span Over 25 Years In Studio And Live. They Always Talked About Writing Together So Angelo sent Him Some Real Rough Demos. He Later Texted Him Back Saying We Can Mold These Tunes Into Something Really Fresh And Melodic. So For A Year And A Half, They Wrote And Rewrote And Composed 14 Tunes That Would Later Be Trimmed To 10 Which Is The Project They Called Today Was Yesterday. Produced By Both Angelo And Ty And Clark Souter, Who Also Mixed And Mastered The Record, The Album Features Notable Musicians Such as Alex Lifeson, Robby Krieger, Ed Roth, Mike Michel, and Max Russo Who All Contributed Their Creativity To The Project. The Self -Titled Album Will Be Slated For Release In 2024 On Mascot Records.