New Record Company Is Watching Its Bs and Qs

Richard Stekol, former guitarist of Honk, will celebrate the release of his first solo album, “Richard Stekol,” with a concert tonight at the Coach House. Stekol will be backed by his band, the Seclusions.

The album also marks the debut of BSQ Entertainment, a new Laguna Niguel record company formed by Baron Birtcher, a partner in the Birtcher real estate development company, and his longtime friend, Mark Simon.

BSQ has had some growing pains: A third founding member of the enterprise, D. Whitney Quinn, left the company in February in a dispute over how it was being run.

Quinn, a career musician and record producer, said in a recent interview that he disagreed with business decisions made by Birtcher and Simon, who have no previous experience in the music industry.

“I thought I had the authority, but it didn’t turn out to be that way,” Quinn said. “Baron wanted to have the creative control, because he was providing most of the money. They’re real nice guys. They just don’t have the experience.”

Before the rift, Quinn said, he had told Birtcher and Simon jokingly that “you guys are going to really need me, because without the Q, you guys are just BS.”

The company will continue under the BSQ name for now, despite the departure of Q. Launching BSQ has been a “learning project,” Birtcher said last week. He said the company has engaged consultants to lend expertise as it tries to negotiate a national distribution deal with a larger record company. Birtcher said that the Richard Stekol album, due out Friday on CD and cassette only, will be available at first at independent record stores in south Orange County and Tower Records.

The Cadillac Tramps, who have just released their debut album on Dr. Dream Records, will headline a free outdoor concert Saturday at 2 p.m. in Hart Park, 550 S. Glassell St. in Orange. Opening are the Henchmen and Joyride. No alcohol is allowed in the park.

Lou Gramm, the former Foreigner singer, will play a club gig Wednesday at the Marquee in Westminster. Gramm is using the date to break in a new band and new material as he prepares to record his next album.

The next Tender Fury album, due out this summer, will carry one of the definitive punk rock titles: “If Anger Was Soul, I’d Be James Brown.” But the music itself strays far from punk, according to singer Jack Grisham.

“One minute it’s 200 miles per hour, straight old-time Adolescents or TSOL hard-core,” says Grisham, a veteran of the local punk wars since his days with the original TSOL. “The next minute it’s gone into acoustic guitars, then it’s straight piano-and-strings ballads.”

Grisham says that the revamped Tender Fury is trying to find a drummer who can meet the new songs’ multifaceted demands. Joining Grisham in the band are guitarist Robbie Allen, now on his second tour of duty with Tender Fury, former Adolescents guitarist Frank Agnew, bassist Randy Bradbury, and piano player Eddie Sedano. Orange County rock Wunderkind Josh Freese played drums on the album, but Grisham said Freese won’t be available for live shows due to other commitments, including his spot in Dweezil Zappa’s band.

Folkies with itchy fingers and dancers with restless feet pay heed: The Folk Music Society of Orange County will hold a jam session Saturday from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Anaheim Cultural Arts Center, 931 N. Harbor Blvd., to be followed by a potluck dinner and a contredanse session hosted by the Occasional String Band. There’s a $4 donation for the food and dancing. Information: (714) 536-2743.