Flying Other Brothers

Flying Other Brothers
The Flying Other Brothers (photo by Jay Blakesberg)
Background information
Also known as	FOBs
Origin	San Francisco, CA, USA
Genres	Rock
Years active	1997–2007
Labels	Minor Label, Alta Recordings
Associated acts	Moonalice, David Nelson Band, Jefferson Starship, Phil Lesh & Friends, The Saturday Night Live Band
Website	Official site
Members	Bill Bennett (co-founder) "TBone" Tony Bove (co-founder) Bert Keely (co-founder) Roger McNamee (co-founder)
Past members	Giles McNamee (1997–2001) Larry Marcus (1997–2001) Corinne Marcus (1997–2001) Dave Del Torto (1997) Ann McNamee (1999–2007) Pete Sears (2000–2007) Barry Sless (2001-2007 Jimmy Sanchez (2001–2007) G.E. Smith (2005–2007)

The Flying Other Brothers were an American rock band active from 1997–2006 in San Francisco. The band played original tunes and covers.

The band started at an Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) benefit at The Fillmore Auditorium in 1997. At this time the band included Roger McNamee, a venture capitalist; Giles McNamee, investment banker, board member of EFF and Roger's brother; guitarist Bert Keely of Microsoft; Bill Bennett, a marketing and communications strategist; and Tony Bove (rechristened "TBone"), author of books about computers and the Internet. The band had its roots in acoustic performances Roger and Giles McNamee gave as the Other Brothers in lounges around New England during the early 1980s.

The band backed Grateful Dead members Bob Weir and Mickey Hart in a series of fund-raisers for Al Gore and Bill Clinton (Tipper Gore played congas during one Silicon Valley soiree).

The band spent three consecutive summers (2000–2002) taking a special course developed specifically for them by Jefferson Airplane guitarist Jorma Kaukonen, who assembled a faculty that included guitarist G.E. Smith, bassist Jack Casady (Kaukonen's partner in the Airplane and Hot Tuna), and pianist Pete Sears of the Jefferson Starship, who joined the band after these camps. Casady also produced the band's CD 52 Week High.

The band toured from 2001–2006 sharing concert bills with artists and bands such as Little Feat, Leftover Salmon, Country Joe McDonald, Bob Weir, Ratdog, Mickey Hart, Steve Kimock Band, Particle, and The String Cheese Incident, and have appeared on stages ranging from the Alaska State Fair to B.B. King's club in Times Square, New York City. In June 1998, the band played The Troubadour (London), and again in June 2001; on the latter trip, the band recorded tracks at Abbey Road Studios.