The BellRays

Vocalist Lisa Kekaula and guitarist Bob Venuum formed the BellRays around 1990 in Riverside, California. Originally, the duo leaned heavily on a vintage R&B sound flecked with smoky jazz overtones. But with the addition of guitarist Tony Fate and Venumm moving to bass, the sound soon began to mix Kekaula's alley cat soul vocals with a biting punk rock bottom end. The In the Light of the Sun cassette release appeared in 1993, followed by the "Wall of Soul" 7" two years later. The BellRays issued their debut full-length, Let It Blast, in 1998. The band continued to record and tour well into the 21st century. ~ Johnny Loftus