Senior Network Architect, Author, Graphic Design

Ray's first novel, The Room, was published April 16th 2007. For more information click the cover below.



Just before college, Ray won first place in the "National Pen Women Competition" for his fictional short story, Distinction, as well as winning second place in the New York "Best of City - The Written Word". While attending college, Ray Melnik's course on existential literature opened a whole new world for him with the study of writers such as Sartre and Camus.

He pursued a musical career as a singer and lyricist after leaving college. In the early 1980s he was the lead singer for One Hand Clap and then Fine Malibus with Steve Stevens, who later went on to be guitarist and song writer for Billy Idol. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Ray was the recording engineer and co-owner of MANNIK Productions, a recording studio in the Snug Harbor Cultural Center, Staten Island, New York. In addition to lyrics, Ray, wrote a monthly column about pro audio for a local music trade magazine, American Liverpool, published by Tom Taaffe.

Later moving into the field of technology as a network engineer, he wrote for the technology panel of a regional newspaper, Times Herald Record, and was the primary writer of articles based on home technology for the website New Technology Home. Ray is currently a Senior Network Architect for a prominent law firm in Rockefeller Center, Manhattan, New York.

He has an insatiable interest in science and unbending commitment to reason. The Room, is the story of a life grounded in both. Ray Melnik's goal is simply to add an alternate point of view to our social fabric. He is currently writing his second novel.

email:Ray Melnik


Earlier Photos and Music Samples

Some music samples are of poor quality due to the condition of the achive material and are meant only to get a sense of the sound.

Marsha Mandel and Ray Melnik in their recording studio called 'Mannik Productions' in 1989

 

Snug Harbor Cultural Center
Staten Island, New York


Ray Melnik and Marsha Mandel


Snug Harbor Cultural Center
Staten Island, New York

 

Music Samples - Looks Like You.MP3My Life.MP3Don't Make Me Wait IF

No One For Us But Us .MP3New Day.MP3Blind Lead Blind.MP3 Any Way I Can.MP3

WMVRehearsal for the Sid Bernstein show, NYC in October of 88

Below: Ray Melnik, Jeff Thall, Mike D'Agastino, Marsha Mandel and Joe Nagengast in an original band from Staten Island-New York , called "Liberty". This photo was taken at Snug Harbor Cultural Center in 1986.

Music Sample - Be Your One

Below: Dave Gravino, Ray Melnik, Marsha Mandel, Joe Nagengast and Jon Ihle in an original progressive rock band from Staten Island-New York , called "Civil Tongue". This photo was taken at "Wave Street" March 18th, 1984.

 

WMV Video from Wave Street, Staten Island, New York shown above

(poor quality archive copy - sorry)

"Civil Tongue" 1984 Ray Melnik, Marsha Mandel, Joe Nagengast, Dave Gravino and Jon Ihle

Port Richmond, Staten Island,
New York

Music Sample - See Me


Earlier Still

Below: Mike Seay, Steve Stevens, Ray Melnik and Ed Kirkpatrick, in an original band from New York City, called "Fine Malibus". This photo was taken while recording an album for Island Records at Compass Point Studios, Bahamas in 1981.

Music Sample - Killer's Killer (poor quality archive copy - sorry)

Below: Ray Melnik and Steve Stevens at a live concert on Long Island in a cover band called
"One Hand Clap" 1979. Steve Stevens is the lead guitar player and song writer for Billy Idol since the album, Rebel Yell.

Music Sample - Good Times Bad Times (poor quality archive copy - sorry)

 

email Ray Melnik The Room Novel Website