BANDMATES
1994-Present
Brothers In Expression Through Music
Back in 1994, Montclair State College in Jersey (pre-University Days) had a dormitory named, "Stone Hall". It had 2 floors and was divided in two sections, "North" and "South". I lived in 2 North and was a sophomore when I first met Paco.
One fateful evening, while cranking some Springsteen, a stranger from 2 South walked into my dorm room and told me his Dad was a big Bruce fan. Little did I know that cranking "Backstreets" would change my life forever.
After talking for a while about music, it was apparent we were both very big students and fans of similar styles and artists. Paco then told me he played the guitar and said, "I'll be right back." He returned a minute later with a nice acoustic guitar...one of many to come.
Brian "Paco" Suriani was born in Long Branch, New Jersey in 1975. He comes from a family of musicians, including his mother and father who played the guitar and piano.
His favorite artists include: Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Tool, Alice In Chains, Soundgarden, and The Beatles.
Born in 1974, Michael Pontidis, "The Fatkid", has been writing since his early teenage years. After losing his mother when he was twelve, he found a strong emotional outlet and comfort in music.
Specifically, he found wisdom and solace within lyrics he could relate to, as it helped him connect with others and broaden his understanding of emotions.
Richard Fasciano was born in New Jersey in 1973. Both he and his brother Steve are very talented musicians, Rich's instrument of choice being the guitar.
Paco met Rich through some mutual friends in 1993 and always talked about jamming out sometime. He then joined the Army. When he came home in 1997, he called Paco and they began jamming, just as the Fatkid left Rutherford; so began "The Jersey Shore Era".
"Buddy" Ritchie was born in 1974 and found his passion for the guitar while in his mid 20's. He met Paco while working together at a factory in NJ. After hearing Paco play, he asked to jam.
While primarily playing lead guitar, "Bud" is also a very talented songwriter and has even picked up the bass when needed. Bud's guitar playing has a powerful yet fluid sound that elevates a song's emotion.
Steve Fasciano is a long time drummer, and very skilled musician, playing 3 other types of instruments. He focused on drumming and percussion for most of his band days, but became a rabid fan of the guitar later on.
His deep understanding of musical intricacies allowed him to produce several complete EP's, playing all instruments and producing the projects himself.