Richard Derrick

Who is Richard Derrick?

Richard Derrick was born in Torrance, California in 1961, and is a lifelong resident of nearby San Pedro. He began playing music at an early age, starting with piano at age four, guitar at age ten, then learning both drums and bass guitar at 15. Attempts to find like-minded musicians in and around San Pedro became frustrating, and by 1982 Derrick began spending more time in Los Angeles, performing in various musical settings.

In 1984 Derrick became roommates with Minutemen singer/guitarist D. Boon, and they began playing together informally with Crane, who played trumpet and sang on a few Minutemen records. The trio called themselves Cosmic Joke, but public performance was limited to two private parties.

Derrick and Crane continued performing together, and in 1987, after several attempts with different musicians, they began working as a duo under the name Another Umbrella, which utilized extended delay guitar loops, pre-recorded instruments, slide shows, and a strong emphasis on improvisation.