Meet the band

Founder, writer, and guitarist

Marc “KWall” Kowalski

Marc grew up in a family of musicians and started playing guitar at age 8

Marc “KWall” Kowalski is the founder, music writer, and guitarist of Smell My Pillow born in Minneapolis, MN. Marc grew up in a family of musicians and started playing guitar at age 8. Former bands include; Deck O’ Squares (Boston)(with former members of the Modern Lovers, Human Sexual Response, the 2X4’s, and The Classic Ruins), LeeKy BeeTs (Mpls), Tim Mahoney, Retail, and other side projects. Influences include, Peter Frampton, Early Chicago, Black Sabbath, KISS, Led Zeppelin, Boston, Many one hit wonders from the 70’s, new wave of the early eighties, namely The Cars, Gary Numan, Devo, The Police, and Trio. The grunge explosion in the early 90’s, namely, Sound Garden, Nirvana, and Alice in Chains. We have not seen him play anything but Gibson Les Pauls in SMP.
bassist

Curt “Curtis” Rehbein

The high energy bass that carries the spine of the pillow.

Curt "Curtis" Rehbein plays bass for SMP where he lays the bottom down giving the Pillow the grounding and sometimes thunderous groove needed for a good Pillow ride.

Curt played guitar in Enough Said 1988-92 and bass in Landshark 1994-97 and has been with The Pillow since 2022.

Drummer

Tim Mahoney

Professional musician and touring singer, guitarist, and songwriter

Drummer and younger brother to Marc. Professional musician and touring singer/guitarist/songwriter with former bands Blue Meanie, Tim Mahoney and the Meanies, Tim Mahoney and Tim Mahoney band. Fun fact - Tim started out on drums at age 12 and he and Marc(guitar) starting at age 16 would jam often! Had we known it was possible to "make it" as a Rock duo like recent bands White Stripes, Black Keys, and 21 Pilots, we may have taken it in on the road?! LOL
Back-up Vocalist

Teena "sweet tee" Berg

Our favorite Sweet Tee contribution has to be to the opening of the song 747... "Would you like coffee, tea, or me?"

Teena has been a member of SMP since the early beginning. You will hear her on many of the tracks starting with the first full length record Off Switch from 2010. Our favorite Sweet Tee contribution has to be to the opening of the song 747... "Would you like coffee, tea, or me?"

Since childhood Teena has been musical. She sings, plays keyboards, and writes.

Teena's other band is St. Cry, they were active in the 90's and have recently reformed!

Lead vocalist and writer

Amy Shaw

Amy ROCKS with serious diesel pipes!

Amy Shaw is SMP's lead vocalist and lyric writer. Amy channels Ozzy Osbourne and Grace Slick, seriously! She likes cold walks in the MN winter time. No, she doesn't but she does ROCK w/ serious diesel pipes!
Smell My Pillow (SMP) is an original Rock band from Minneapolis, MN. The sound is Rock with hints of Alternative, Grunge, and Acid. While there is no band that SMP sounds “just like”, fans have commented that some songs sound like Weezer, Red Hot Chili Peppers, or Cake and others have said Black Sabbath, and Led Zeppelin with a touch of old Jefferson Airplane! There are cool covers that have been added to the LIVE shows in the last couple years!
The MISSION of the PILLOW is to write and record the greatest ROCK song ever, perform live for fans around the world, and finally save money on therapy bills for our fans & us through loud & deliberate ROCK Music that smells like your pillow.