Banfield, meanwhile, is probably best known in these parts for his work with the former rock band the Private Eyes, although his resume also includes a couple of MTV appearances, a stint on the local show "Night Shift" with a pre-Hollywood Jeanne Tripplehorn, and the sale of four songs, co-written with Matt Harris, to the Walt Disney television series "Emerald Cove."  For the past 13 years, he's been teaching guitar at Firey Brothers Music, whose other employees include Steed.

"I'd always wanted to be in a three-piece band with a bass player who sings," he said. "Turns out that it was right under my nose at work."

Strange New Fish hasn't played much in public yet, although the trio has had two high-profile gigs, opening for Kenny Wayne Shepherd at last year's Oklahoma Blues Festival and, more recently, for guitar whiz Monte Montgomery at the Cain's Ballroom.

"We really got an overwhelming response at the Cain's, because the audience was all guitar players," he said with a chuckle. "When you're up there playing, and you hear cheers coming over your solos, you say, 'Yeah, I want to keep doing this.' "

The band plans to record its portion of the Cain's show for a future CD release.