about
Czars of Leisure is the recording and musical project fronted by Greg Roth, a singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist producing “thrift store rock”, which mixes the secondhand stylings of 70s power pop, 80s new wave, 90s college/slacker alternative, and 00s indie/garage rock. A former rock journalist, his treats his setlists like mixtapes and has been described as “the quirkiness of Elvis Costello, the storytelling of Tom Waits and the alt-country styling of Wilco.” (Indie Music Stop)
Born in Bethlehem PA, now based in Alexandria VA, he has performed in 25 states and 6 countries. In the USA, he’s played such venues as State Theater (VA), DC9 (DC), Rock and Roll Hotel (DC), 8×10 (Baltimore), Khyber Pass (Philadelphia), Cafe 111 (New York City), Smith’s Olde Bar (Atlanta), Historic Southgate House (Newport KY), WC Don’s (Jackson MS), McGonigle’s (Houston), Stockyard Saloon (Ft. Worth TX), Turf Club (Minneapolis), Popcorn Tavern (La Crosse WI), Room 5 (Los Angeles), Humpy’s (Anchorage AK), the lobby at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (Cleveland OH), and the occasional corporate event and professional conference.
The Beginning
In high school, Roth played drums in both the marching and jazz bands. At a jazz band competition in Allentown PA, he won a (small) scholarship to Berklee College of Music.
Throughout the 90s, Roth was a music journalist in central PA, interviewing such artists as Traffic, Ween, Kenny Wayne Shephard, Tanya Donelly (Throwing Muses, Belly), Toad the Wet Sprocket, The Jayhawks, and many others for national rock magazines.
After playing in a number of bands in college, he relocated to the Philadelphia area and joined Haywood Trout (named one of the best rock bands in Philadelphia by radio station Y-100). He played drums and Rhodes piano on their 1999 album 335B.
The Jillians
In 2000, he relocated to Washington DC and started his own band, The Jillians. They recorded their sessions entirely live at NPR’s Studio 4A, where such programs as All Things Considered are taped. The result was an organic brand of roots rock that was called “warm, inviting, and tuneful” (Demo Universe) with “good, thoughtful songs” (Left Off the Dial). “The material is strong,” said Listen.com.
Three songs off The Jillians’ 2004 Yes album (“Las Vegas Wedding,” “I’m Gonna Marry That Girl Someday” and “Yes”) were featured in the independent film, Breaking Down. “Your Providence,” has been covered by other local artists in the Washington DC area and was featured on the first volume of a two-disc set compilation of Arlington, Virginia songwriters. “I’m Gonna Marry That Girl Someday” also appears on a compilation put out by DC’s Rising Sons Records.
In late 2001, he co-founded a concert series, Proof Through the Night, with musical collaborator Scott Albert Johnson, which raised money for September 11-related charities.
Solo album
In 2007, he released a solo album, Caught Looking, with contributions from 20 different musicians, including Daniel Brindley (Brindley Brothers, Union Stage Presents), Dan LaMaestra (US Navy Band) and Jay Finneyfrock (The Jillians). The album was well-reviewed by a dozen indie outlets, and was played on a few internet radio stations.
Hiatus
Songs were written and recorded in 2010-11 for a second album, but ultimately were shelved. Roth joined The Mean Ideas and Fall Catalogue, who each put out albums (eventually). He then took an extended break from music to work as a corporate speechwriter, speaker, and emcee, and start a family.
Czars of Leisure
In 2016, he performed one show as Czars of Leisure at DC9 and released the old songs from 2010-11 under that band name on the album OK Fine. The songs were mixed and mastered by Todd Oakes of Haywood Trout and released in 2017.
In 2022, he co-founded The What Have You (TWHY), a show series in Alexandria VA, with Gabe Fry (The Mean Ideas). Czars of Leisure became the de facto house band at the TWHY open mic for any performer who wanted a backing band. He started writing and demoing new songs in late 2024, which would become the second Czars of Leisure album, Make Yourself Comfortable.
Make Yourself Comfortable comes out May 15, 2026.