David Grein

He defies description, the quintessential eccentric artist with his punk rock alternative music and his cartoonish illustrations of otherworldly creatures and distorted Earth animals. His given name is Ian, born in Los Angeles and raised in places from coast-to-coast. He was brought up in a Jewish-Christian secular way, his father's side is from Panama and his mother's side is Ashkenazic Jew. With one older sister and one younger sister, he is the middle child and it shows. His family moved frequently, due to his father's work at IBM, staying for a time in Texas, then in Danbury, Connecticut, until settling down in Poughkeepsie, New York in 1981. David finished high school there and then attended S. U. N. Y. at Purchase. For decades, he kept a friendly rivalry with fellow artist Tasciotti. They both appear in the action adventure, 'World War Mud' by Void Inc. . David then appears briefly in the real-life drama, 'Finchville', the story of Emma Novacich. They went on to produce the satire, 'Protesters' with Tasciotti. David was lead singer of a band called D. B. I. , which included Jeff King and Evan Pilchik, heavily influenced by the 'Dead Monkeys'. Never signed to a major record deal, they gained regional success in New York as a strange sensation, playing Kenny's Castaways, CBGB's, and other venues.