FISH – Bass Guitar
Early Influences: My early influences were in classical music, which I’ve been playing since I was 10. I’ve even had the privilege of playing for the conductor of the US Army’s Concert band – arguably one of the most prestigious bands in the world, during my 1st year in college. Yes, I’m a band geek, so were Johnny Carson, Charlie Chaplin, Jamie Foxx, Trent Reznor, and Julia Roberts.
First album I ever bought: Genesis – 3 Sides Live and J. Geils Band – Freeze Frame.
Last album I bought: Slipknot – All Hope is Gone.
First concert: Black Sabbath and Quiet Riot.
Last concert: Tool.
Most influential concert: I was on vacation in Milwaukee with my cousins and they had a surprise for me; they had bought tickets to a concert that was coming through town while I was there. I sat there in my AC/DC shirt and Metallica in my tape player excited to hear the details. They pulled the tickets out of an envelope and handed them to me – it was tickets to see Madonna on her Like a Virgin tour…My first thought was “Are you fucking kidding me! Do you not see who’s standing in front of you? Death to all but metal! (Yes, I stole that)” But since they had gone out of their way to get the tickets, I knew I was stuck going. I left that concert with a lucid understanding of why you don’t limit yourself to genres or ideas. It was an INCREDIBLE show and I have yet to see any other performer put so much energy and perfection into a performance.
History: The first band I played in didn’t have a name, it was me, a buddy of mine named Robert and a couple of other guys jamming some covers and originals. Our one and only show was in the desert near a small AZ mining town called Kearny. Four guys playing off a generator in front of a rock wall in the middle of the desert, it was ROCK AND ROLL! We had just finished playing For Whom the Bell Tolls, Seasons in the Abyss, and South of Heaven when 3 girls in the front row yelled “Do you know Smells Like Teen Spirit?” That series of events wounded the soul of heavy metal — unfortunately we drove a stake through its heart when we actually played it!
After that I played in NorthBound, some of you remember the shows at The Electric Ballroom (RIP). Jimmy, Doug, Anthony and Dave – miss you guys, thanks for the great memories, and I hope you’re doing well.
Then I found a great bunch of guys and played some kick ass covers for a while (still got the B.O.S.C.O. signed picture on my wall). We learned some valuable lessons in that band – 1) Never sign an autograph over your own face. 2) “Yes I’ll have another Tequila” has consequences. 3) Dive bars are completely underrated.
Dan Fish was born in Milwaukee, spent some time in Iowa and now lives in Phoenix.
BRANDON – Drums
Brandon Wilson is a mystery wrapped in a riddle. He’s got no bio. We’re sure he was born, and lives, but beyond that – who knows. Bang a gong, buddy!
LOUIE B. – Guitars
Another east coast native transplanted to the Valley of the Sun. Blah Blah Blah . . . 
With roots in both New Jersey and Upstate New York, Lou B. has spent nearly two decades playing the New York area club scene with his band “Anty M.” (Who are still out there doing it today, www.myspace.com/antymny)
Lou has been playing guitar since the tender age of 5 but still claims to suck (no worries – we all suck)! He quotes his influences as anything from Kiss to Testament to Paganini.
Lou plays primarily Engl heads, Marshall cabs, Gibson and BC Rich guitars.
IAN ERIC – Vocals/Guitars
I’m gonna do this the Fish way. I’m diggin’ it . . . in a Playboy centerfold kinda way . . .
Early Influences: My earliest influences probably revolved around live acoustic guitar. I remember being really young, and simply being fascinated by someone playing any instrument, but guitar in particular. I’ve got vivid memories of specific people and times and the amazement I felt.
First Album I Ever Bought: Billy Joel – Glass Houses. On VINYL. I still love that record to this day.
Last Album I Bought: Ugh – that’s a tough one. I haven’t bought music in a while. But I think Tool – 10,000 Days is probably the last I purchased.
First Concert: Chicago at Jones Beach Theater in NY (now “Tommy Hilfiger at Jones Beach Theater” last I knew). I really wish they would’ve left that venue alone. It was an awesome place to see a show until they tried to double the capacity with a second tier and ruined the sound system and acoustics in the process. Money, money, money, money….. But Chicago was great.
Last Concert: Hmmm…..I think my last “national act” was Hurt (with Five Finger Death Punch and local metal-heads Razer).
Most Influential Concert: Wow now that’s hard to decide. I’m gonna choose three, all for different reasons:
1) Pink Floyd – The Division Bell Tour – 1994. Yankee Stadium (now the OLD Yankee Stadium). It was Floyd. It was incredible on all levels. They haven’t toured the U.S. since. They played Dark Side from beginning to end as a second set. Need I say more?
2) Jimmy Page & Robert Plant. I’m gonna say this was maybe 1995 or ‘96? I think it was at Continental Airlines Arena in New Jersey. This show blew me away. I went expecting a ho-hum performance from these old semi-geezers, and what I got was a show that kicked my ass from beginning to end. We can all take a lesson in how to rock a stage from these guys. They are truly Rock Gods.
3) Now this one is interesting to me. The show was Days Of The New in maybe 1997. In Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Now DotN was great, but the influential band was the opener; a band called From Zero. These guys were incredible. I bought their album, One Nation Under, on the spot, and it’s never left my regular rotation of music in all this time. It taught me two things: First, just because a band is called the “opening act”, that title don’t mean shit. This “opening act” needed to be “headliners”. Secondly, in time, it taught me to be humble and enjoy making music. Because that band – though I believe they are still around – has still not enjoyed any big commercial success that I know of. I’ve never heard them on the radio – have you? What that means to me is that its all about fun – at least for me. Commercial success is fleeting, and you can be great – or even the best – and never make a living being a rock star. Enjoy your stage while you’re on it, be it small or large, and that’s all that matters.
History: I was born in Queens, New York and lived most of my life on Long Island about a mile from the Great South Bay and the Atlantic Ocean beyond. My first album was Billy Joel, remember?
I played in several casual “bands” over the years, but never really went anywhere with any of them. R.I.P Scott, Abe, Sean, and …. Ray or Danny, whoever was drumming at the time (that’s not “Rest in Peace” – they ain’t dead. It’s an old band name!)
In a more entrepreneurial move, I would take my acoustic guitar to local bars and play the cover tunes of yesterday and that day for a few bucks, a few cheers, and a few beers. I even did the acoustic thing for a while in Arizona shortly after moving here.
It’s plain luck that brought me to play with Lou, Fish, and Brandon. We were all pretty much friends first, who decided there ain’t no good reason to play alone when we can do something together. I brought many of my musical ideas to the table, and along with other ideas from the rest of the boys, we got creative. And here we are…
Ian grew up a dyed-in-the-wool Long Islander and now lives in Mesa, Arizona.