Opening Up Valentines Day with Larry Lynch and crew!

Reprinting from our Mewsletter of this morning:

Larry Lynch of FAVEs and Greg Kihn Band fame has released a single, purrrfectly timed for Valentines Day. We at Berrrkeley Cat Records are late to this party, actually, as the video from Larry and Debra Knox is alrrready stirring hearts on the YouTubes! The song, composed by Mr. Lynch and his lifelong musical comrade Robbie Dunbar, was produced in the FAVES’ fave studio tradition at 25th Street Recording in Oakland.

Larry Lynch among his many talents is that rare case of a great drummer who is also an excellent singer, AND, can do these things expertly at the same time in live performances. Robbie Dunbar, as I’ve mentioned in these pages, is a lifelong guitar hero to me, going all the way back to his work in Beserkley legends Earth Quake when I was a kid, long before I met any of these gents. They are joined on this single by Bass guitar wizard Jonathan Bassil, and the magnificent Tony Malfatti on Sax.

Writes Larry about the conception of the song,

“Robbie and I wrote Open Up in my garage, where we usually come up with all our songs and ideas. We wanted this song to be fun and not try to be so serious about it. So with that, I went back to when I was a shy kid and couldn’t even talk to girls, (except as friends) which made me so frustrated with myself because I loved them so much. This is how I really wanted to be in my imagination! Having confidence and courage to believe that yes, I can ask girls out and really let them know how good they make me feel. So with this song I’m acting that out and it feels so good to believe that hey, I can do this!”

It’s an honor and a pleasure to release this new original song on BCR, and fitting that it lands on such an appropriate holiday. Recorded and mixed and mastered by the masterful Gabriel Shepard, Open Up is now available in your fave streaming services worldwide.

The cover art is Paul Jackson’s 7” vinyl-themed label, built with Shannon Wheeler’s cat-on-record-player logo. (Thanks, guys!)

Open up this widget for links to some of said streaming services!→

https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/larrylynch1/open-up

Others will likely be added there soon.

And this is Eric Din, Beserkley Records superfan and Berkeley Cat Records catnip vendor in chief, opening up a new day, with curiosity and cute lil’ candy-hearts for all. <3

“Harbor Bay” new single from FAVES/Larry Lynch

Now sailing into blissful horizons at a beach near you

Once again our FAVES have faved a favorite feeling and we’re onboard for the sail. Composed by Larry Lynch and Robbie Dunbar and recorded by the FAVES at their favorite 25th Street sweet spot, Harbor Bay is now available to enjoy and fave at all of your streaming station locations. Here’s a handy widget to join them in the audio sweetness of Harbor Bay:

https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/faveslarrylynch/harbor-bay

It’s a sweet song about remembering a lovely love affair in a lovely place, and I expect it’ll be a new fave for some of the deejays and radio stations who have embraced the FAVES’ singles over recent years. Applause!

Beserkley Cats present – Madison Avenue Man by Eric Din & the FAVES

May 19, 2025

Today we are proud to announce a new single from Eric Din & the FAVES. Madison Avenue Man is a cover of Madison Avenue by Greg Kihn Band, which was written by Matthew King Kaufman and Greg Kihn back in 1977. The original came out on Beserkley Records, and it’s long been a favorite of mine. Legend has it Matthew wrote the lyrics on an airplane barf bag on the way home from NYC after meeting with some advertising executives.

In 2020, Mr. Kaufman introduced me to the FAVES, suggesting we release some of their new music on my Berkeley Cat label. When I learned that FAVES are led by Larry Lynch and Robbie Dunbar of the original Beserkley Records crew (as members of Earth Quake and Greg Kihn Band), I was all-in. As a lifelong fan of those bands, I was thrilled to do it.

Earlier this year I decided to cover Madison Avenue, and my next thought was, wait, I know guys who played on the original! So I called up Larry Lynch, the drummer and “ooh nana now” backup singer on the Greg Kihn Band original, and asked if he and the FAVES would record this with me. They loved the idea, so on Easter Sunday, 2025, we did, and here’s the single, available everywhere on iTunes and your fave (pun accepted) streaming services.

Happy birthday, Matthew, from all us Beserkley Cats!

Drums – Larry Lynch
Lead guitar – Robbie Dunbar
Bass – Jonathan Bassil
Chorus vocals – Debra Knox, Larry Lynch, Alex Carlin, Paul Albert Jackson
Lead vocals and rhythm guitar – Eric Din

Recorded by Gabriel Shepard at 25th Street Recording in Oakland, CA
Mixed by Gabriel Shepard and Eric Din
Cover artwork by Paul Albert Jackson
Produced by Eric Din for Berkeley Cat Records
Music and lyrics © 1977 by Greg Kihn & Matthew King Kaufman

-Eric Din
Berkeley Cat Records