Camerica was a short-lived, San Diego, punk rock band that I played drums for from 1999 to about 2001 (so it just makes it as a 90s punk band).
Camerica was formed because some fans of my previous punk band (Gimp) and high school acquaintances I knew approached me to start a band with them after Gimp had ended. They were newer to their instruments than what I was used to but I agreed to join them because they had a singer who was actually a better vocalist than what I was used to. And that singer, by the way, was someone who had recently moved to America from Canada for college (hence the band name: “Camercia”). So together, the band was:
- Dave Werth (Vocals & giutar)
- Kurt Lager (Guitar & backup vocals)
- Tyler Grant (Bass)
- Me, Mark Hartenau (Drums)
Camerica’s Music
Camerica’s Music Videos
In 2000, a cable TV channel went live called Independent Music Network (IMNTV). It broadcasted nationwide and was going to air independent music videos 24 hours a day. So we jumped at the opportunity for nationwide exposure and sent in our first music video for “Life Ahead” (which we shot using 90s home camcorders). Well, since most bands at the time did not have a video editing PC at home or knowledge on how to get a music video transferred to broadcast-quality BetacamSP tape, we were one of the few artists who submitted a video. So the result was we got a lot of rotation on the channel! Our video was played many times throughout the day and night for months!
So we made another video…
With all the national attention these videos were getting, we got approached by Ro Sahebi who was starting a new record label in Los Angeles called Galactic Pop Records (he is now known for co-founding That Hashtag Show). Anyway, Ro paid for us to record at a studio in LA (on weekends- in between Cypress Hill’s sessions) and he released our EP, “Blue Sky Stereo” on Galactic Pop.
The “The Steps Behind” behind video also aired on Blank TV, Refused TV, and I think both videos were on the punk rock compilation VHS tape I released called Upthrust.
Camerica Photos
Camerica Flyers
In Your Face TV
Sometime during the time of Camerica, we started a public access TV show on punk rock music. We had bands and labels like Epitaph, Fearless, Hopeless, Nitro, Kung Fu, Victory, Lobster, Sessions, etc. send us music videos to air on the show. We also went to shows and interviewed bands and did our own little skits in between the videos where we made fun of things like MTV reality shows. I did all the video production (behind-the-camera) while the rest of the band was in-front-of-camera.
The show started out on public access, but eventually it got syndicated by America One Network to local affiliates all over the country (120 million households) before it finally ended in 2008.
Camerica had also ended during the beginnings of In Your Face TV (as I didn’t want to continue playing and focus 100% on the TV show). So the guys got another drummer and had a new band called Dorado Gold while they kept hosting the show for me. And that drummer, by the way, was Matt Bennet (later to be of The Bloody Hollies fame).
Where We Are Now
Since the days of Camerica and In Your Face TV, Dave has become a successful San Diego realtor and host of a real estate podcast. Kurt moved to the island of Oahu in Hawaii to be a lifeguard (he was a Del Mar, CA lifeguard during Camerica). Tyler was also a Del Mar beach lifeguard and still is today. And I, Mark:
- Worked at an advertising agency where I made TV commercials.
- Had my own digital marketing agency called Impact Media (2008-2018).
- Did the production for a TV show on boat racing that is now on Amazon Prime (2018).
- Put together an alternative-rock studio project call Feral Humans (2019-2024)
But these days I’m just a corporate videographer, a stock market investor, and I put websites out onto the internet like 90spunk.com.