“2 & 1/2 Brains is a loose confederation of neer-do-wells and miscreants, most of disreputable character & loose morals, playing music that can only be described as corruptive to American Youth. You've been warned. ”
-J.E. Hoover-
“ In years past, Gary Pruitt’s band 2 1/2 Brains has been more like an open stage. He’s had several rotating musicians, but nothing stable. For the past few months, Pruitt has been collecting audio and video equipment for a brand new project. The result has been a monthly videocast. “Well, you have a hobby,” jokes Andra Lee Suchy, a recent guest musician on the December episode of 2& 1/2 Brains Live videocast, In Performance. -Monica Millsap Rasmussen- (full review)
2 & 1/2 BRAINS IS:
Vocals - Guitar
Gary Pruitt is a writer, artist and musician, as well as the driving creative force behind 2 & 1/2 Brains and Gotzian Hill Studios. A guitarist with a unique style, a singer with a story-tellers voice and manner, and a song-writer with imagination and wit in styles that run the gamut of Americana, Gary's lyrics deal with issues from Religion to Politics to Love with literacy and an often bawdy humor.
Cello - String Solos
That Matthew Probst is commonly known as MC Mello Cello — or simply Cello — sums up the persona and definition of one of Minneapolis’ most prolific electric string players. He corrupted a perfectly serviceable education at University of Wisconsin—Eau Claire music school by honing his improvisational skills at hundreds of dark, smoky bar jams. Starting out as a Minneapolis blues scene regular, he has since played and recorded with bands ranging from jam-band (Enchanted Ape) to avant-garde (Yam Cannon) to Flamenco Americana (Gypsy Lumberjacks) to blues driven rock (The Bob Pat Band) and has been a guest artist with many others on festival and club stages in the Midwest.
Lead Guitar
Dan Neale has spent the last twenty-plus years playing guitar, and occasionally banjo, with some of the most successful musicians in the Upper Midwest. Recent recording and show credits include Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keillor, Martin Zellar, Galactic Cowboy Orchestra, former Miss Minnesota Savannah Cole, Bobby Vee and Mick Sterling along with 2 1/2 Brains.
Dan specializes in being adaptable and prepared for every musical situation, and is perhaps the most creative, technically proficient Guitar player on the Minnesota music scene.
Drums
Gypsy Scott is a native of NYC, started banging on drums at the age of 6, and has become a familiar face on the Minnesota Blues scene. A veteran of the stage and studio, Gypsy is adaptable to any style of music thrown at Him, and plays multiple instruments and brings an ability to grove to any genre thrown at him. A veteran of many bands, His latest include Brothers & Blues, Sons of Soul, Crooked Dice and 2 & 1/2 Brains.