MARTIN
RIVAS
Vocals, Guitar
Martin Rivas has been singing all his life and playing guitar since he was 12.
Singing professionally came about by accident: when the first band he was in couldn't find a singer, his bandmates ordered him to sing lead. Reluctantly, he did.
As far as guitar is concerned, his Uncle Joe taught him the chords to "Ride Captain Ride" by Blues Image, and Mart just went from there.
Mart has been writing and performing his own music since the age of 18... most notably as a member of Serious Pilgrim, who were a fixture on the NYC and Northeast/Mid-Atlantic regional music scene in the mid-1990's. They released a CD in 1994 (which is still doing well in faraway places like France and Malaysia), and performed with artists such as Aimee Mann, Hootie & The Blowfish, Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, Nils Lofgren, and Live.
You can currently see Martin performing vintage soul and left-of-center songs from other genres with his buddy Craig Meyer a few times a week in pubs in Greenwich Village, on the Upper East Side, in Hoboken, and elsewhere. Visit Mart's site
The artists who affect, inspire, and bring joy to Mart's life most are: Otis Redding, Marvin Gaye, Sam Cooke, Curtis Mayfield (and anybody he wrote for or produced), Ray Charles, Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys, Spade Cooley, Lefty Frizzell, Clyde McPhatter, Sam & Dave, Solomon Burke, Martha & the Vandellas, Booker T & the MGs, Aretha Franklin, Bill Doggett, Louis Jordan, Smokey Robinson, Rufus Thomas, Hank Ballard & The Midnighters, The Ravens, Wilco, Broken Social Scene, Uncle Tupelo, Son Volt, Gillian Welch... better stop now or the page'll never end!
JOHN
ROGERS
Drums, Vocals
John Rogers started his drumming career @ the early age of four. Following in the footsteps of his father & brother, who were involved in various Drum and Bugle Corps, he joined the Bayonne Bridgemen from 1980-1984, under the direction of famed percussion arranger Dennis DeLucia. During high school, he was a member of the stage, symphonic, and concert bands.
To further perfect his abilities, he went on to study at the Berklee College of Music in Boston from 1984 - 1986. He majored in performance & took numerous classes in theory, harmony, and composition. John also studied percussion under the tutelage of Tommy Campbell, Skip Hadden, John Ramsay, & Ed Uribe. Later, he went on to study with Pat Petrillo, David Garibaldi and Colin Bailey.
He put his musical education to work immediately by becoming a member of the Bobby Mercer Road Show, touring with them extensively throughout the northeast area of the United States. Shortly thereafter, John formed his own soul/R&B band, What It Is. He was also a member of The Eggmen, a Beatles tribute band which performed in the NY area. He also contributes as a vocalist.
Some highlights of John's career include performances with Tom Bowes formerly of Tower Of Power and Mark "The Loveman" Pender and Richie "La Bamba" Rosenberg of the "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" show.
Some influences are: Ringo Starr (the reason I started to play the drumset), Jeff Porcaro, Richie Hayward, Manu Katché, Carlos Vega, Al Jackson, Tower Of Power, Average White Band, James Brown and anything that makes me move, especially good ol' soul music from the 1960's & 1970's.
Equipment: GMS drums, Zildjian cymbals, Evans drumheads, Ayotte Sticks and various vintage Ludwig & Gretsch snare drums. I also own a vintage Ludwig 1960's keystone badge "Ringo" kit in the black oyster finish that I absolutely cherish.
MIKE
MULLEN
Organ, Piano, Vocals
bio soon
TONY
TINO
Bass, Vocals
bio soon