Visitor Jim

In 1994, three Midwesterners named Jim came together in San Francisco to form their idea of a rock band: a sound that embraces everything from classic rock to funk and groove in keeping with the eclectic Bay Area sound. Vocalist and keyboard player Jim Greer, originally from Hudson, OH, is a singer/songwriter in his own right, having released three superpop albums prior to Visitor Jim's debut. Outside the band, Greer is a vital force on the San Francisco music scene as a collaborator with singer/songwriter Essence, producer of the theatrical rock group Gun & Doll Show, and as a contributor on keyboards to projects diverse as hip-hop's Dr. Octagon and the twisted lounge-pop act Tipsy. Jimmy Leslie, hailing from Toledo, OH, supplies guitar and high background vocals; he formerly found work as a hired hand and opened big shows for even bigger jam bands before rooting himself more firmly in the pop-oriented Visitor Jim. Bassist Jim Bowser is originally a D.C./Virginia punker who once did a stint touring with hard pop-rockers Crumb. The three Jims, as Visitor Jim, a hardworking San Francisco club act, finally released their self-titled debut album on the Greer-run Fortune Records in summer of 2001. The sessions were produced by Garth May, primarily known for his engineering work on the superstar and rising-star projects associated with producer Bill Bottrell (Sheryl Crow, Shelby Lynne). The band, meanwhile, retains its indie cred and identity with its emphasis on fun.