Linus of Hollywood

"Linus of Hollywood's YOUR FAVORITE RECORD floats in and out of your brain like a beautiful dream. Full of beautiful, sixties-like melodies and instrumentation, it is a record that could recall the most gorgeous of summer days, even in the dead of winter..." That's what Amplifier's John Holcomb wrote about Linus' debut CD, which went on to land a spot in the well-respected magazine's "Top Albums of 1999" alongside pop veterans XTC, Matthew Sweet and Fountains of Wayne. Happy melodies, lush harmonies, and magical arrangements are a few specialties of this one-man band known as Linus of Hollywood.

Linus began playing guitar at the age of 5 and soon learned to play the drums, piano and bass guitar. Growing up in Florida during the 80's, he immersed himself in all types of rock and pop music, from new wave to heavy metal. As he honed his writing and playing skills he naturally gravitated towards the more "classic" songwriting style of bands like the Beatles, the Beach Boys, and the Zombies.

Within a year after moving to Los Angeles in the summer of 1994, Linus landed a major label deal fronting a punk-pop band named after his shoe size -- Size 14. In the years that followed, Linus quickly made a name for himself as a gifted writer in many genres -- playing and writing on rock and rap records by Puff Daddy, Smashing Pumpkins, and Lil' Kim. He's also played a vital role in the LA pop community -- producing and writing for many up-and-coming artists.

In 1999, Linus recorded "Your Favorite Record," a much-needed return to the pop style that he loves best, and as one reviewer writes: it's "a marked return to when sophisticated melodies, intricate arrangements and breathtaking harmonies mattered." He recently started his own record label, Franklin Castle, named after his home studio where he creates and records most of his music. Specializing in pop, this new label will be releasing many records in the years to come -- both his own and other artists with whom he collaborates.

Growing up in Florida in the 1980s, Kevin Dotson (b. March 4, 1973, in Omaha, NE) took an immediate interest in music. He began playing guitar at the age of five, eventually learning drums, piano, and bass as well, and immersing himself in every style of rock and popular music throughout his teenage years, at first gravitating towards then-popular new wave and heavy metal sounds, but eventually finding the Beatles, Beach Boys, and Zombies as his songwriting and playing skills began to improve. He moved to Los Angeles in the summer of 1994 to pursue music as a profession, and immediately earned the nickname Linus (for his tendency to wear T-shirts in the style of the -Peanuts character). The nickname stuck and Linus of Hollywood became his professional nom de plume thenceforward. By mid 1995, he had formed the punk-pop band Size 14 (named after his shoe size) and they landed a major-label deal within a year, ultimately releasing a well-received self-titled album on Volcano in 1997. Following the band's breakup, Linus wrote and played on various rock and rap records and remixes by artists as diverse as Smashing Pumpkins, Puff Daddy, and Lil' Kim, as well as keeping active on the Los Angeles underground pop scene, writing and producing for many up-and-coming artists. In 1999, he recorded his solo debut, Your Favorite Record, in his own bedroom studio -- which he called Franklin Castle -- playing most of the instruments himself. The album was mixed at Bruce Witkin's Pop Squad Studios in Hollywood, and put out on the in-house label Popsquad Records. At the beginning of 2000, he formed his own record label, Franklin Castle Recordings, and reissued Your Favorite Record as its first release. Aside from his outstanding originals, the album championed the work of obscure '60s pop songwriter Margo Guryan -- whose songs have been covered by artists as diverse as Spanky & Our Gang, Bobby Sherman, St. Etienne, Astrud Gilberto, Mama Cass, and Claudine Longet -- by including two of her songs on the album. He spent the remainder of 2000 working on various outside projects. Let Yourself Be Happy marked Linus of Hollywood's sophomore effort, released in spring 2001. ~ Stanton Swihart, All Music Guide