Joe Romersa


Joe Romersa is an American musician, composer, voice actor, and music producer.
Romersa started his career as a drummer, but after a tragic early tour at age 19 left him homeless in New Jersey, he began working on music to make money while doing what he enjoyed.
Romersa later studied sound engineering. According to Romersa, combining his fledgling career as a professional musician with the more stable income of sound engineering allowed himself to hone his craft as both a drummer/percussionist and as a sound engineer.

Career

Early career

Romersa started touring as the drummer for the Marc Tanner Band. On April 19, 1979, they would open for Firefall, at the Palace Theater in Cleveland Ohio. The Marc Tanner Band also opened for Jefferson Starship. Romersa was a drummer, percussionist, and composer on Tanner's second album, Temptation, along with guitarist Ritchie Zito and bassist Ron Edwards.

Soy Cowboy

While working in the studio, a chance meeting with keyboardist and songwriter Vincent Nicoletti would result in the band Soy Cowboy with its "Thai Western" sound. Romersa was brought in as a drummer and sound engineer, and eventually became lead vocalist. After their first recordings received airplay by Los Angeles radio personality Tom Schnabel of KCRW-FM, the band caught the attention of then-art student Tarsem Singh. In 1990, Singh would produce Soy Cowboy's only music video for their song "Lily Pads and Rock Cod". Soy Cowboy's first album, First Time Again, was produced in 1991 but it was not released to the public. The album would later be released in 2009, by Shadow Box Studio. Their second album, 2012, was produced and released in 2012. As noted by Schnabel, "The band got moderate airplay on U.S. radio, but in England briefly jumped to the top of the charts."

Sound engineering

Romersa was both a drummer and engineer on John Prine's 1991 album The Missing Years. He would go on to work with Carlene Carter on her 1993 country music album Little Love Letters as the drummer, percussionist, engineer and backup vocalist, along with bassist Howie Epstein and keyboardist Benmont Tench. Little Love Letters would rise to No. 35 on the Top Country Albums chart and included the No. 3 hit "Every Little Thing" and two top 100 songs; "I Love You 'Cause I Want To" and "Unbreakable Heart". Romersa's daughter, Reyna, would make her video debut in "I Love You 'Cause I Want To".
In the late 1980s, Romersa began working with eden ahbez. Romersa and ahbez worked together until the latter's death in 1995.

Voice acting

In 1994, Romersa started engineering, voice acting and ADR directing on anime and video game projects, which led to his work on Silent Hill. Romersa would go on to work as music supervisor on Silent Hill 3, 4: The Room and Homecoming. He also wrote the lyrics and contributed vocals to "Hometown" and "Cradle of Forest".

Return to music

One of Romersa's projects as a producer was singer Alana Sweetwater's 2004 self-titled debut album. Her single from that album, "Song of Love", was featured on the original Showtime series The Real L Word. Romersa was also a musician on the album and sound engineer.
Romersa released his first album as a solo artist in 2017, Enough. Written and composed by Romersa, Enough includes tracks by fellow musicians including Laurence Juber, Prescott Niles and Jeff Jourard.
Romersa's musical inspirations include The Beatles, Ludwig van Beethoven, John Cage, Jimi Hendrix, Louis Prima, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Karlheinz Stockhausen, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, The Move and David Bowie.

Discography

Mainstream albums

YearTitleArtistRecord CompanyRole
Unknown1000 Pt. ManThom BishopVirgin RecordsEngineer
1978Living in the USALinda RonstadtElektra EntertainmentEngineer
1978Thank You for Funkin' Up My LifeDonald ByrdElektra/AsylumEngineer
1979Fate for BreakfastArt GarfunkelLegacy RecordsEngineer
1980TemptationThe Marc Tanner BandElektra/AsylumMusician, writer
1987In Full SwingFull SwingCypress RecordsEngineer
1987The Bitch Is BackBitchEnigma/Metal BladeProducer
1989Second ComingThe DickiesRestless RecordsEngineer
1990China Beach: Music and MemoriesVarious ArtistsWarner Bros. RecordsEngineer
1990The Sounds of Murphy Brown: Original Television Soundtrack AlbumVarious ArtistsMCA RecordsEngineer
1990Thirteen Blood Red RosebudsSteve ForbertSquirrelMadSound Engineer, Drums
1991The Missing YearsJohn PrineOh Boy RecordsEngineer, musician
1991The Ruby SeaThin White RopeFrontierMusician
1993Little Love LettersCarlene CarterWarner Bros. RecordsEngineer, musician
1995Lost Dogs and Mixed BlessingsJohn PrineOh Boy RecordsEngineer, musician, Co-Writer
1995Beauty and the BeastSven VäthWarner Bros. RecordsEngineer
2003Silent Hill 3 Original SoundtracksAkira YamaokaKonamiFeatured Singer, Music supervisor
2003Songs of Bob Dylan: May Your Song Always Be SungVarious ArtistsBMGEngineer, musician, featured singer
2004Coercion StreetErnie PayneBlack & Tan HollandMusician
2004Silent Hill 4: The Room – Original SoundtracksAkira YamaokaKonamiFeatured Singer, Music supervisor, Lyrics writer
2008Silent Hill Zero Original SoundtrackAkira YamaokaKonamiLyrics writer
2008Silent Hill: Homecoming SoundtrackAkira YamaokaKonamiLyrics writer
2009Silent Hill: Shattered Memories SoundtrackAkira YamaokaKonamiLyrics writer

Acting

Anime voice-over

Video game roles

Non-anime voice-over

  • Big Rig Buddies as Smokey the Fire Truck

Staff work