THE
“LIQUIDATION”
OF…
LION-HEARTED
(AN EPIC ANNOUNCEMENT IN BOTH SIZE & SCOPE)
January 27th, 2024 (Please read until the end…)
After 11-1/2 years of steadfast dedication to keeping the dream of LION-HEARTED going as actively as possible — We are announcing that the band is being put on hiatus.
The extent of time for this hiatus is undefined; as we will make live appearances IF asked (and WHEN possible)…
But the decision to not actively seek opportunities for performances (and also to not work on new material together) has been made at this time. This is for multiple reasons.
First of all, fully realizing that it IS possible the band MIGHT never re-form, we thank our precious friends and family who supported us since our first concert at Mexicali Live (now Debonair Music Hall) in Teaneck, NJ on September 22nd of 2012.
Thanks to all 127 of you who came out that night, and for such a positive reaction to what we were trying to do. That INITIAL adrenaline boost you provided was vital to the confidence we needed to continue.
And continue we DID!!! —
In the next 6 years, we produced 3 studio albums with songs that have had over a MILLION total streams from various digital services (like Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon Unlimited, and especially Jango; which has had over 600,000 listens to date).
The amazing positive messages we received from fans around the world on the Jango platform were heart-warming and encouraging to say the least. Reports available on Jango showed us where we had the greatest concentrations of fans in other countries, and those statistics actually had us pondering the possibility of touring internationally… But those plans never came to fruition. Timing, personal obligations AND COVID had a LOT to do with that never happening.
Obviously, the music we created will continue to be available on those streaming services, among others. This is our legacy, and we are VERY proud of what we accomplished.
We would like to give SPECIAL thanks our family and the handful of friends who gave us continued support by attending many of our 50+ shows in the 11 years until the last one. The love and friendship you showed us meant the WORLD to us, and the generosity of giving us some of your valuable time will (trust us) NEVER be forgotten!!!
For those of our fiends who were local to where we had played and NEVER came to see us perform — It saddens us that this means you MAY not have another opportunity to attend one of our concerts… But, at the same time (and quite frankly, with brutal honesty) — It was sad to US (and more than somewhat befuddling, to put it politely) that you had multiple chances to see us and never took one…
(Enough said about THAT!…
As we continue by — in paraphrasing the timeless tune — accentuating the positive and eliminating the negative.)
A paramount reason for the decision coming at this time is that Marc David Gambino decided to re-join with his LION-HEARTED co-founder and former drummer, Joe D’Aqui, in the band PIERCED this past October. AND, recently, Rafael Rivera has ALSO joined that band!
SO! — The lineup from our last LION-HEARTED studio album (SP3: The Power of 3”), as well as our last concert on November 5th in 2023 (when Joe so graciously filled in so we could be part of that benefit for a suicide prevention hotline called Caring Contact/*photos below) is now ALL a part of PIERCED!
Marc and Rafael are psyched to join PIERCED …. Psyched to join forces with Joe again, and equally excited to strive towards building on the impressive success the band has experienced over its first 6+ years. This band, like LION-HEARTED, is a true band of brothers that just became MORE of one!
PIERCED is a much heavier band than LION-HEARTED. And Marc has specifically said that he loves how much more technically challenging it is as a bassist… AND he also loves how he is going in the OPPOSITE direction of many players he knows whose musical preferences have become “more mellow with age”!
Rafael expressed jealousy when Marc told him of the move, but that is no longer necessary!
When PIERCED informed Marc of interest in adding another member to thicken the sound — “Riffy” was a natural fit; as the sparklingly excellent and gritty guitar he had demonstratively provided to LION-HEARTED over the years made it an undoubtedly heavier band.
With this new lineup, which also includes the other two founding members of PIERCED — The band believes the sky is TRULY the (next) limit.
If you’ve heard what Joe so impressively did as a member of LION-HEARTED and have not heard his work in PIERCED — Be prepared to witness his drumming on a WHOLE new level. It is as IMMENSE as his unbridled skills are deserved to be heard!!!
On the two albums PIERCED has released (the self-titled debut, and “Cheers To Brutality”) and on multiple supporting videos — John Barone’s remarkable guitar is brilliant in its proficiency, sound and feel. His intricate rhythm parts have the unique combination of being insanely heavy and darkly groove-laden, as he deftly navigates frequent time changes he co-wrote with smooth precision. His solos are masterful articulations of sheer (to fittingly use a Black Sabbath album title) “Technical Ecstasy”!
And Rob Middleton’s vocals are nothing short of LEGENDARY. If you doubt for one minute that such strong studio performances could be duplicated live on stage — You would be (very) sadly mistaken. In his debut with PIERCED in Atlantic City this past December — Marc witnessed firsthand that Rob is not only an even better vocalist live, but also a supremely energetic and engaging frontman. His approach to being on a stage is one of obvious and utter discontent with its boundaries… And this is just additional fuel to how his banter and amazingly heartfelt singing can rouse up a fist-pumping reaction from a crowd!
At the time of Marc’s decision to leave LION-HEARTED the band had begun to search for a drummer and the intention was to continue doing that (and to also add a keyboardist)…
But with Rafael also playing with SIXTY MILES DOWN and with Marc playing again occasionally as well with (his former main band from 2007-2011) KIMON & THE PROPHETS — Unfortunately, it is L-H that will have to be put on the back (back) burner.
AGAIN; As it cannot be said ENOUGH!:
From all of us in the different iterations of LION-HEARTED (Rafael, Lou Corio, Pete Pineyro, Joe, AND MARC) —
Thank YOU for the support you gave us!!!
If you GET the chance, please come out to see us in PIERCED!!! You will NOT be disappointed, and the aforementioned gratitude FOR DOING SO (as with L-H) will be remembered… FOREVER!
And, SO, with ALL that being said (and with MUCH love) — “Until we meet again, my fiend!”
THANK YOU FOR READING!
***And you are welcome to stay tuned here for future updates regarding live performances, as well as new studio recordings and video releases from PIERCED.
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*PHOTOS FROM LION-HEARTED's LAST (and possibly final) PERFORMANCE DURING BENEFIT FOR CARING CONTACT @ Crossroads IN GARWOOD, NJ --
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A WORLD OF LION-HEARTED
THANKS TO LOU CORIO…!!!
With EXTREME gratitude for lending his amazing drumming to this band for the past 5 years, we announce we have mutually decided to part ways with Lou Corio and embark on the next chapter of LION-HEARTED.
To find the words to adequately express that gratitude is as difficult as the decision was.
But, just like the line from our song, Simple Love, exclaims — “Life seems only to get more complicated with each and every day”…
And (with that understanding) we have all reached the uneasy agreement that a change is needed at this point.
His playing was a big part of the band’s development since he seamlessly joined forces with us after the departure of Joe D’Aqui…
And Lou’s talent for providing a flawless, driving groove made for some of the most unforgettable live performances our band has ever had.
We will also miss the unique sense of humor and playful ribbing we were fortunate to receive from him on a regular basis at rehearsals, as he and his beautiful family generously gave us a great place to do so.
He has graciously wished us luck as we search for a new drummer, and he will ALWAYS be loved as a brother in this band.
THANK YOU, “CUZ’N COZY”!!! ❤️
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Thank you to ALL
WHO CAME OUT TO SEE US PERFORM FOR THE
FIRST TIME IN 3-1/2 YEARS AT DEBONAIR MUSIC HALL
ONSATURDAY, MARCH 25th, 2023.
YOUR SUPPORT MEANS THE WORLD TO US!
PHOTOS OF THAT NIGHT WILL BE POSTED SOON,
AS WELL AS THE ANNOUNCEMENT FOR OUR
NEXT SHOW IN APRIL!!!
WE’RE BACK IN 2023!
Ladies and Gentlemen —
The SUPER long wait for LION-HEARTED to return to the stage after the COVID-19 pandemic (and its aftereffects) put a hold on us performing live looks like it has finally come to an end.
SATURDAY, MARCH 25
DEBONAIR MUSIC HALL
Teaneck, New Jersey
(With special guests DAN CORIO BAND &
BURN THE BALLROOM)
This will be a headlining show in which we will play an extended (18 song) set of originals from our first three (and soon-to-come 4th) album…. Along with SIX carefully chosen and upbest covers that align with the band’s style, message and history.
We appreciate your patience, and we will be branching out from our "home base" with gigs in NYC and the surrounding area in the months to follow!!!
Our last show was over three years ago in September of 2019, but we have been working extrememly diligently on our craft (individually, and collectively whenever possible) over that time… And we are RARIN’ TO GO with a show we feel will knock your socks off with the strides we’ve made.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
WE CAN’T WAIT TO SEE YOU THEN!
—————————————
LYRICAL BREAKDOWN
March 11th, 2023
Welcome to the first edition of LYRICAL BREAKDOWN. I am your host, Marc David Gambino. As “chief lyricist” in LION-HEARTED, I will pick a song from one of our albums for each one of these editions, and explain the thought process that went into writing the words for that song.
We will kick things with the last track from our third album (SP3: The Power of 3, released in 2018) named
SIMPLE LOVE
The first line is:
“Do you have any idea what it takes to try to keep a dream alive?”
The first line of every song should state literally and/or figuratively where you intend to go with the story you want to tell. Something as simple as “Crazy, but that’s how it goes…” from Ozzy Osbourne’s CRAZY TRAIN effectively conveys where that song is going.
So with this song, as I would imagine will also be the case for the lyrical breakdown of the other songs, the bulk of the explanation of it lies in its outset; as the rest becomes more self-explanatory.
In this case — Everyone has a dream, and many of us do whatever it takes to try to keep that dream going.
It could be something that takes as little effort as frequently buying a lottery ticket.
“You’ve got to be in it to win it!” That same mantra applies to any and every dream… Right?
And regardless of how little the effort may be, EVERY dream comes with its own unique set of obstacles.
To hit the lottery — You have to have the means to purchase tickets, you have to go to where you can get them, you may have to wait in line, you have to choose the numbers and/or the type of ticket that you feel lucky about, you have to beat the odds that are (always) stacked against you, and then you have to check to see if you have won. AND, if you are uniquely lucky enough to have won something substantial — The obstacles do not end there.
On the other end of the spectrum, there are other things that take a LOT of time and effort…
Like starting, leading or just being in a band. The more dedicated you are to that passion, the more time you will spend on it, and (hopefully) the better you will get at it.
There is no doubt that you have a greater appreciation for what goes into being successful at something if you know what someone has had to go through to get there.
For example — Unless you have an extraordinary sense of empathy or imagination — If you’ve never tried to hit a speedy and/or erratically moving small round ball being thrown in your direction by swinging a long, thin, weighty and rounded stick of wood — You cannot appreciate what goes into successfully hitting a baseball. This is what many say is the most difficult thing to do in sports.
Somewhat appropriately, as a side note, this song was originally inspired by hearing an interview with the widow of pioneering baseball legend, Jackie Robinson. In that interview, she was asked what she missed the most about Jackie, and she said it was having his big arms wrapped around her.
THAT, I thought at the time, was INDEED the most simple answer to the question “what is LOVE?” This was what determined the title of the song at the outset, before writing any lyrics.
However, the direction of this song changed on the way home after a concert we had on a Saturday night in which we shared the bill with two other bands. For our part, we drew a total of 2 people to that show. We couldn’t even draw as many friends to come as there are members in the band!
So the first line of this song asks a single question… (But that question can spur many other questions to arise in your mind.)
When you go to a concert, do you show the prudent amount of appreciation to those who are performing for you?
Do you understand what it took just for the “act” to get to that place where they ARE performing for you??
To break it down to its most basic level — Did you make the appropriate effort to even GO to that concert?
That brings us to the second line —
“I fight the urge to fall asleep at the wheel on my midnight homebound drive.”
In this case, “midnight” does not literally mean 12am. It means that it was in the middle of the night. It was actually more like 1:30 or 2am.
The next line(s) was produced with a different EQ to mimic listening to a phone message: “I can’t come out to see you play tonight… I’ve got other things to do” refer to a voicemail left by a friend that I listened to right before driving home that launched a 10-15 minute tirade. That tirade included shouting at the top of my lungs, and was directed at the inner windshield of my car. But it was really aimed at myself; as I repeatedly questioned the frustrating steps I was taking to try to KEEP this dream alive.
That verbal explosion was what spent the last bit of energy I had after all the stress of preparing for, marketing and playing this show finally subsided… (That led to the next line.)
“Depressed confusion and a touch of doubt start to creep into my mind.”
(And the next line as a recovery of sorts…)
“The thing that stops it in its tracks is the same, same reason every time —“
(and the chorus…)
“LOVE… LOVE… Believing in my heart that simple love will always win.”
The first part of the second verse goes back to talk about what happened earlier —
“Last notes, breakdown, load-out has begun… Sweat has barely begun to dry. Promoter hands us an envelope with cash… Open it, there’s 30 bucks inside”
The production (EQ) on the following line was also meant to be different to convey someone else talking —
“I wish I could afford to pay you more… I have got a club to run… Maybe next time some more of your friends will come… Then, we’ll see what can be done.”
The next line is my thought in reaction to the promoter’s comment
”If a tree falls in the forest, and no one’s there — Did it really come down?”
(And I know the famous saying is different in that it refers to “making a sound”.)
The next chorus has a different middle line —
“LOVE… LOVE… Believing in my heart that simple love will always win!”
(“It makes me crazy!”)
Bass solo (with drums) is a hectic riff, purposely repetitive to signify the textbook definition of insanity: To do something over and over again and expect a different result.
The solo by Riffy that follows further accentuates the hyped-up frustration, and resolves to a reggae style breakdown. A deep breath taken amidst all of this insanity, if you will.
Then, the rationale for not succeeding at this endeavor arises because (like baseball, or sports in general) music is largely a pursuit more suited for the young:
“It does not get any easier as the glow of youth goes away… Things seem only to get more complicated with each and every day.”
And the last (double) chorus with alternating middle lines—
“LOVE… LOVE… Believing in my heart that simple love will always win.”
“LOVE… LOVE… Why can’t you understand that simple love will always win?”
“IT MAKES ME CRAZY!”
I hope you enjoyed and/or got something valuable from this and/or listen to the song next time with a “different set of ears”!
CHEERS!
October 11, 2020 -
A Tribute to Rocco
It has taken me a while to fully process this news, and I honestly don’t know if I have yet... Or if I will for a long time.
Francis "Rocco” Prestia left us on Tuesday, September 29th of 2020. He passed at age 69 in a Las Vegas hospice, surrounded by his family.
Writing a tribute about someone I have idolized for 30 years has been a cathartic labor of love, but this kept evolving into more of a book than a “blog” because of the continuing realization that the affect he has had throughout the latter portion of my life was so much more multi-layered than I had thought.
The recipient of both a kidney and liver transplant in the past 20 years, Rocco had been battling chronic health issues for a long time, but the news of his passing still came as a shock to many... Probably because his resilience was amazing. And the worldwide reverence for what he did in his life was unmatched.
I am writing to these lengths about Rocco because of the profound affect that he has had ON many aspects OF my life, and because the soundtrack he provided to many of the memorable moments IN my life for the past 30 years.
Looking back, it is hard to imagine that someone who was not family or a close friend could be SO influential and omnipresent... But he was, still is, and will always, ALWAYS be!!!
Please forgive me if parts of this sound selfish for me to say, but I assure you that EVERYTHING included IN this IS for a purpose... It is the only way to adequately express the legacy Rocco has left deep within a special place in my heart.
WHAT ROCCO MEANS TO ME
Sacrifice was the band I was in that eventually became Concrete Jungle, and when we played our first gig ever at The Great Gildersleeves in NYC in 1982 — Murph, the club’s soundman, decribed our guitarist Chris Young’s Marshall amp (stack) as a “Tower of Power”.
The marquee outside The Great Gildersleeves on the night of our second gig there.
Chris Young showing his Pete Townshend influence in front of his “Tower"
I had heard that expression from time to time in my life. "Tower of Power!” Every time we returned, Murph would repeat that term again, and it affirmed our often chuckle-filled anticipation that he would.
But it wasn’t until 1991, while watching The Late Show with David Letterman, that I discovered there was a BAND called "Tower of Power”. The fact is that I was VERY “late to the party” in discovering them for myself; as they had been around since 1968.
TOP was on tour in ‘91 promoting their latest album, "Monster on a Leash”. It was their THIRTEENTH studio album.
The first song they performed that night was “Attitude Dance”, and I was instantly blown away when I heard it.
Back then, the show was an hour and a half, and it would afford bands a second performance... So, I just HAD to stay up to see what else they would play.
The next song was “A Little Knowledge (Is A Dangerous Thing)”, and after hearing that one — I instantly went from being intrigued to becoming infatuated. I am forever indebted to David Letterman for introducing me to them... (ForEVER!)
Even through those small TV speakers at a relatively low volume, I was immediately struck by (the POWER of) the horn section led by Emilio Castillo and Stephen "Doc” Kupka, and the soulful Stevie Wonder-esque lead vocals of Tom Bowes.
Tom Bowes and Emilio Castillo
My deep love for powerful horns came very early in life because of the appreciation my father gave me for them. He always played albums from The Brecker Bothers, Bill Watrous, Joe Farrell, Cannonball Adderley, and of course Charlie Parker (among many others).
For those of you who don’t know, my Dad Thom Gambino is a soprano and alto saxophonist (and flautist) who has played with several notable bands in his life that had incredible horn sections. Most notably (to me) was the band he formed called The UMANO Orchestra. The intricate and striking horn arrangements my father and his band mates wrote for that band (along with the bass guitar parts that were impeccably delivered by Dean Vali) were what turned a spark of loving interest to PLAY music at an early age to a full-blown inferno of passion.
My father’s 26-piece Rock/Jazz powerhouse, The UMANO Orchestra.
UMANO was THE reason I started playing the bass guitar, and I started with lessons from Dean.
With my original bass mentor, Dean Vali
I had studied clarinet, saxophone, and congas earlier... But THIS was going to be the instrument I would STICK with. I was sure of that! I later took lessons from Dan Scerbo, and the legendary Ken Smith.
When I first heard Tower of Power, I was instantly taken back to hearing my Pop’s band. And they were instantly propelled to a spot in my heart reserved for the bands previously mentioned (as well as Chicago... Earth, Wind & Fire... Average White Band... Many others).
The chance to purchase "Monster on a Leash” could not come soon enough. I knew, from what I had heard on Letterman, I would probably love the whole album. And I did.
What I DID NOT know until I heard the songs at the volume they truly deserved to be played at was that I was also discovering my new favorite bass guitarist, Francis "Rocco” Prestia. And THAT realization was INSTANT as well.
Concrete Jungle promotional photo by Mick Rock (L-R Me, Chris, JC Ryan and my brother Michael X)
Concrete Jungle had ended in a somewhat bitter fashion earlier in that year, and I only occasionally picked up the bass after that (to quickly learn a new tune that interested me. After having played the instrument for so long, it was not hard to sit down and figure out most of those song’s bass parts fairly easily.
But Rocco would became the reason to pick up the bass again in earnest. I instantly became a student of his playing style, the imagined thought process that went into his parts, and what made him sound the way he did.
So, I purchased his "Fingerstyle Funk” instructional video (and later his “LIVE AT BASS DAY” video as well) to gain more insight. It was while watching that VHS that I found out that learning to play like him was going to be NO easy feat. He was playing VERY detailed bass lines that were absolutely unique to him, and using a method called "ghosting notes”. He did this by muffling the notes he played with otherwise idol fingers just a bit further up on the neck of the instrument on his left hand.
All of that is what made him unique, and provided another percussive sound to the band...
And I was determined to take whatever I could from him for future use if and when I would ever write my own bass parts for a band again.
In that short time of immersing myself in everything that was Tower of Power, I then realized they had been around for years and that Rocco was already revered as one of the ALL-TIME greats!
Rocco’s solo album “…everbody on the bus"
I repeatedly asked myself where had this guy BEEN all my life(?!?!?!)... And I just HAD to go back and purchase EVERY album that T.O.P. had ever released!
They were playing The Beacon Theatre in NYC (WITH The Brecker Brothers!) right after that, and I just HAD to go!!! My friend Mike Natelli purchased tickets for me, my Mom and Dad, my Brother Mike Gambino (aka Michael X), and for co-worker John Harrison (who I had turned on to the "Monster...” album).
To see that band for the first time live was tantamount to a religious experience for me, and it would be the first of many times I would see them... Now and forever the band that I have seen play more times in my life than any other.
When Debbie and I married in 1992, we entered our reception room to a loop I had created from the intro of a song from the Monster on a Leash album called “You Can’t Fall Up (You Just Fall Down)”.
It was because of the elegant and moving horns, and the silky smooth bass undercurrent that I chose a part of THAT song to try to set the mood I had dreamed of for that afternoon.
And the two songs I first heard on The Late Show were played during our reception as well.
My new Wife and I had set a goal just before we got married, and that was to have a child of our own together as quickly as possible.
Debbie had two beauiful children, Chris and Nicole, from a previous marriage. And I was happy with my two stepchildren, but Debbie wanted another and I agreed.
Chris was 9 and Nicole was 7 when we got married. I had helped raise them since they were 5 and 3. We wanted the new baby to be as close in age to its brother and sister as possible.
Marc Julian was born one day short of 9 months from our Wedding Day on December 27th in 1992. He was INDEED a "Honeymoon Baby”, and it was a beautiful experience for nine months... To the moment he was born.
But on the night he was born, he wailed so loud that he was keeping the other babies around him from sleeping. Our son was born with bad collack, and the gas pains he had from it made him scream like a banshee... Often late at night. It was indeed a long and sleepless first six months of his life for Debbie and I.
And, when it was my turn to get up with him in the middle of the night, I would rock him to sleep to by softly singing along (and humming the basslines in between the lyrics) to the song "I Like Your Style”. That was a song from TOP’s new album (“T.O.P.”) released in early 1993.
He must have liked it because it (along with some healthy doses of Mylicon, a children’s liquid version of Pepto administered with a dropper) always worked like a charm.
As fate would have it, because of my last name, when we went to see a taping of The Late Show in February of 1995 — I was chosen to appear in an audience participation segment called "Brush With The Law”. Because my part of that segment focused on my license plates, I was recognized many times while driving around town afterwards. So, I had David Letterman to thank for my "15 minutes of fame” as well...!!!
On The Late Show with David Letterman, 1995
To this day, one of the few regrets I have in life was NOT blurting out “Will Lee — YOU ROCK!” during that segment. Will was the bassist for The Late Show’s CBS Orchestra at the time, and I loved his work with The Brecker Brothers.
When Rocco passed, Will posted a BEAUTIFUL tribute to him on his Facebook page. (OF COURSE, he was (is) a HUGE fan of Rocco!) There were times when the TOP horn section would stand in with The Late Show band and play Tower songs. Seeing those YouTube videos now, the look of sheer joy on Will’s face to play those parts is unmistakeable.
Will Lee and Rocco
With that 15 minutes of fame under my belt, and with “the bug” of my rekindled love for the bass guitar reaching a fever pitch once again — It was prime time to stop playing just in my house, and step out to play with a BAND again!... But WHO???
It just so happened that after many failed attempts at getting together to jam, my drummer Cousin Lou Corio finally convinced me to join up with him in Saving Grace in 1996. I was back in the game!
Saving Grace photo illustration (L-R: Frank Silver, Lou Corio and I)
We had a LOT of fun and good times in that band together (and made some noise) but, after 3-1/2 years it was time to move on. I had envisioned starting my own band in which I would also sing lead.
But I was not vocally prepared to do that in 2000, nor was I comfortable with the front man role. I was asked to join a band called maybe pete, and it was a LOT different than the direction I thought i would be going in.
Still, I thought the playing style I had developed could bring a different kind of aspect to their Roots/Punk style... And it DID!
My bandmates Frankie McGrath, Kelly McGrath (now McKay) and Sal DiMaria KNEW of my love for Tower of Power and Rocco.
maybe pete - Frankie, Kelly, Sal and I
When I had read in 2001 that Rocco was sick and that there was a medical fund set up for him, I contacted its organizer Bob Burchfield to see if there was anything I could do. He agreed to make me a regional coordinator, and I did everything I could to spread the word.
So, I worked with the booking manager for Kenny’s Castaways in NYC’s Greenwich Village, Roger Probert, to put on a benefit concert for Rocco at the venue.
Roger Probert (circa 2014)
Roger was co-producer with Max Norman and Dan Muro for Concrete Jungle’s one and only album ("Wear and Tear”) in 1988, and also being a bass guitarist who admired Rocco — He jumped at the opportunity to help out, and gave me a whole Saturday night to book and promote on my own.
There was normally no cover charge for the club, so we initially agreed that a donation box would be put at the front door (and the club would take a small portion of those proceeds).
Along with maybe pete, I booked a few of my friends to play as well. The Detonators, Mike June & The Dirty Doves, and Michelle Vecchione were SO gracious for agreeing to do this for free. All of us trekked in from New Jersey for the event, and my NYC friends (singer) Zoe Lyons and (bassist) Gary Nieves donated merch to be raffled.
When it was all over, Roger and I opened the box to find out we had raised over a thousand dollars!...
And I will never forget all details about the moment when Roger turned to me and said (in his English accent) "Just take it all, Marc... I want us to give as much as we can to this great cause! We bass players gotta stick together, right?”
WOW!!! WHAT a beautiful gesture.
I sent off the check, and later received a thank you letter... But the REAL joy was learning later that Rocco had received his transplant, was recovering well, and planned on returning to the band as soon as that was possible.
In the meantime, Tower of Power had influenced me in another way to try something I had never done before — Tearing out my car’s stereo and speakers to upgrade to a better system. The stereo and all its components were just not “cutting it” when it came to playing songs with Rocco’s thundering bass, and those wonderful horns!
Somewhere in my photo archives are pictures of me in my car during that process — The dashboard and door panels off, and wires all over the place... But it was a COMPLETE success!!! And the first song I played for my MP bandmates after a rehearsal following that procedure was a BLASTING “Monster On A Leash”!
The next time I was supposed to see Tower of Power was on a Friday night in New Haven, Connecticut at a club called Toad’s Place. Even though it was a LONG drive to get there after work, Debbie agreed to go with me and we got her Mom and Dad, who lived downstairs in our house, to babysit because we knew it would be a LATE night.
Toad’s Place in New Haven, Connecticut (Photo by Tobias D. on YELP)
This was the chance to see TOP at a small club, get REAL close to the stage, and possibly even MEET Rocco! He had returned to play with the band and I was SO psyched!
So we drove and drove and drove all the way up to New Haven, and arrived at the club 10 minutes before the 9PM showtime printed on the tickets. Upon entering the club, we could see the stage from the entrance... WHAT??? There was a setup for another band on the stage in front of TOP’s, and ANOTHER band’s setup on the floor IN FRONT of the stage!
“What time is Tower of Power going ON?”, I asked the guy who was taking tickets. He replied that it would be about 12 midnight.
Knowing that we could not make my in-laws babysit until the wee hours of the morning, we had to leave.
The manager would not give us a refund, but gave me a t-shirt for our troubles. It seems like such a trivial thing, but I still have (and wear) that t-shirt because it means so much to me.
We sold our tickets at face value to a local couple who arrived at the club without any. I noticed that they were walking away depressed at the same time we were leaving; as they had just learned that the concert was sold out. They were grateful, and that made things feel better for us as well.
The Tower of Power “East Bay Grease” T-shirt
Rocco and Tower of Power were also responsible for the one time in my life I got to personally meet Bruce Springsteen!
After a maybe pete recording session at Retromedia Studios in Red Bank (NJ) one Friday afternoon, my bandmates suggested meeting up for food and drinks afterwards. I told them that I would meet them there in a bit because I had to first go to a nearby record store called Jack’s Record Shoppe to try to pick up TOP’s new disk “Oakland Zone”.
My bandmates in maybe pete were HUGE fans of The Boss, and his influence could absolutely be heard in our songs. That made us quite popular on The Jersey Shore circuit at the time, and afforded us opportunities like opening for The E Street Band’s violinist Soozie Tyrell at The Stone Pony the week before that.
After arriving at Jack’s and finding the album, I went to their DVD section to parouse their selection. When I stepped back for a second to watch the classic Deep Purple live concert of Ian Gillan singing “Child In Time” on the screen overhead, a man passed in front of me while excusing himself for doing so. The voice sounded strangely familiar, and as I said “no problem” — I looked over for an immediatel double-take when I realized IT WAS BRUCE!
I then slid down the aisle where he was picking out a multitude of DVD’s, excused MYself for bothering him, and we talked for a short while. I mentioned that we had just opened for his bandmate at The Pony, and he said “she’s great people, right?”.
We were then interuppted by a very agressive fan who was quite demanding in a request she had of him while he was at the store. After she left, we did a simulteaneous bug-out and rolling of the eyes, and then laughed about it. I asked if that kind of thing happened often, and his reply was “No…. But from time to time."
He was as down-to-earth and nice as anyone of that stature could EVER be.
I got his autograph before he left, and my bandmates were VERY jealous later that night when I told them the story and showed them the autograph.
The first time I ever DID get the chance to meet Rocco was as unforgettable a night as you could possibly imagine. It was one that took the aforementioned religious experience to a WHOLE new level...!!!
The band was performing at B.B. King’s in NYC, and I got tickets for Debbie, our son Marc, my drummer friend Rob Savoy and I. There were no openers, and we arrived early enough to ask for a table close to the stage.
They sat us off to the right of the stage at a table pressed right against the speaker column which sat atop a large subwoofer. The front of the stage and the front of the drum set were visible, but I wanted to see the back of the stage where Rocco played (just to the right of where drummer David Garibaldi was). Knowing my wife and son would not like being blasted by speakers (Rob and I wouldn’t mind as much), and that it was important to Rob to be able to completely see David Garibaldi... And also noticing that the second round of drinks were rattling on the table from just the low-volume sound of the pre-show music — I was going to asked if we could change our seats.
Moral of (this part) of the story? — If you never ask, you never know just what could HAPPEN!
I asked for the club’s manager, and when he arrived I introduced myself with an emphasis on my last name... Hey! — For all the times when the name is definitely a detriment, there are SOME times when it comes in handy!
: )
He walked back to the table with me, and I explained all my concerns. He looked at Rob, my son, and my beautiful wife, and came up with a solution— The show was about to start, and there was a reserved table for six right in front of center stage that no one had yet to claim!
He would let us have the table, but IF the party of six WERE to show up — We would have to return to our original table (or stand in the back bar area with everyone else who couldn’t get or didn’t want a seat).
THEY NEVER SHOWED UP!... And I know I embarrassed the HELL out of my young son throughout the night with my standing, dancing and singing along to the music. It was a completely freeing experience!!!
There were two occasions where lead vocalist Larry Braggs even stuck his mic in my face as I wailed along to the music!
Adolfo Acosta, Stephen “Doc” Kupka, Tom E. Politzer & Larry Braggs
Talk about HEAVEN??? That’s EXACTLY where I was!!!
I could see Rocco clearly, they played so many of my favorite songs, and it was already an unforgettable night that couldn’t possibly get better... Or COULD it?
When the show ended, I went to the side of the stage, and got to speak with Larry Braggs as he signed autographs. He smiled and commented that he noticed that no one in the crowd had enjoyed the show more than me.
I told him it WAS heaven for me, and asked if I could meet Rocco. He said that Rocco (still not completely recovered) got real tired during the shows, and needed to wind down and rest up before the next show which was later that night.
I explained that I was a regional coordinator for his medical fund, and explained that I would not take much of his time. I just wanted to express to him how much he has meant to me. He took note of my bass clef necklace, asked if I played, and when I said Rocco was my idol — He started walking away, saying he would be right back.
[Side note: If you think it shouldn’t be possible for a bass player to be tired after a show — It definitely IS unusual. But, if you talk to ANY bassist who has EVER attempted to play a ROCCO bassline from virtually ANY of his songs — They will tell you that it is a mental challenge, a physical demand, and a source of a range of joyful emotions that WILL leave you drained. Now, just imagine having to play a whole SET of those tunes(!!!)... And, more importantly, after you had just recovered from transplant surgery!]
(
When he returned with Rocco in hand, I still didn’t know WHAT I would say first... But I didn’t have to say anything to start. Larry said to Rocco “This is the guy I told you about.” And as I outstretched my hand, he shook it and immediately thanked me repeatedly for what I did for him. I said that it was my pleasure to do all I could because of what he meant to my life.
I asked if I could get a picture with him, and he said “Of COURSE!” Before Debbie snapped the shot, she just HAD to tell him how he and his playing were “like the only thing my husband talks about sometimes!” On that note. Rocco smiled a beautiful smile for the photo, and I was caught starting to reply to my wife’s comment when she snapped the shot.
Photo by Debbie Gambino
We hung around as long as we could before they cleared the place for the next show, and Rob got to meet and talk with David Garibaldi as well. Debbie took a picture of the two of them together also.
Rob and I played together in maybe pete at the time, and we would go on to play together later in Kimon & The Prophets as well.
Kimon & The Prophets (L-R: Me, Kimon Katafigiotis and Rob Savoy)
When that band broke up, I finally got the courage to start LION-HEARTED with Joe D’Aqui on drums... And when I saw that TOP was playing BB’s again — Joe jumped at the chance when I asked if he wanted to see them with me.
Before the show, when we were waiting in line, we saw Rocco in front of an alternate entrance having a smoke. I didn’t want to bother him during his "me time” before the show, so we stayed in line. Looking back, I wish I would have at least tried to join him.
TOP bandleader Emilio Castillo on sax and vocals
It was the first time Joe had ever seen them perform, and he described it as a religious experience as well. And he didn’t get the chance to experience the FULL arsenal (as lead vocalist Larry Braggs had to go to a specialist that day with throat problems). STILL, with Emilio Castillo on lead vocals — The band did SERIOUSLY kick ass!!!
I got to meet Rocco again after the show, and Joe snapped a picture of us.
Photo by Joe D’Aqui
Rocco was his usual gracious self, though he was definitely taken aback by how strong my overzealous handshake was, and commented to "be careful”. Sometimes my enthusiasm causes me to not think.
ANYway... I have got to wrap this up soon because (as my wife kinda said to Rocco when I first met him) — "I COULD go on forever!”
So, I will end on these three things:
- There is a track on our first album called "Can’t Sit Still” that Joe and I began to write before we had even found our original guitarist, Pete Pineyro. It all started when I asked Joe to give me a beat — "The kind of beat that you can’t sit still to...” Whenever I feel tired or sluggish — That’s the kind of thing I need as a pick-me-up! The UMANO Orchestra (which I give a shout-out to IN the song) and Tower of Power are what my go-to’s are to get the pep back into the step.
- Things in life DO "come full circle”. As it turns out, my Cousin Lou (who gave me the impetus to get back into playing IN a band again) are now playing together again... And the last song we wrote together with Rafael Rivera for our next album contains what is unmistakably THE bassline that shows THE most influence from Rocco that I have ever written. Appropriately, it’s called "You Need Power!”
- Lastly, I am almost finished with thte writing part of this on a day when news hit that Eddie Van Halen passed away. Everyone knows who Eddie Van Halen was, but far fewer people know who Rocco was (or Tower of Power (still) is). I can assure you that Rocco is JUST as revered a figure to all serious bass guitarists as Eddie is to all serious six-stringers! Both men were innovators, revolutionizing the way their instruments were to be played.
With Rafael Rivera and Lou Coreo (LION-HEARTED)
So, IF you haven’t heard Tower of Power’s music — And you like funky, upbeat music that makes you feel like you can’t sit still — DO YOURSELF A FAVOR!
My recommendation — Start off with the song "Only So Much Oil In The Ground.” The song showcases the bands’s reverence of James Brown, features some pretty ahead-of-its-time lyrics (written in 1974, and still relevant today), and is one of the most inspiring tunes for music students around the world TO THIS DAY.
The power of the music, fueled by Rocco’s energetic rumblings, MIGHT JUST BE as life-changing to you as it was to me!!!... And as it was/is for SO many legions of fans they have captured from around the world!
In closing, I never got Rocco’s autograph... But I learned recently that he signed everything “KDYA, Rocco”. The acronym is for Keep Your Dream Alive. I like to believe that I have taken that to heart to this day, and I thank HIM for that too!!!
I feel better now... Thanks for reading.
Rest In Peace, Rocco… And with MUCH love!
Yours TRULY,
Marc David "Bino” Gambino
[Below: Berklee College held a Zoom tribute to Rocco with many musicians showing their immense respect for him (including some of THE most reknowned bassists of all time.]
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“NEWS” —
8/16/2020
"Hindsight may be 20/20, but we can’t wait for 2020 to BE hindsight!” - Marc Gambino
It has been a long time since anything has been posted here, and what’s really to post?!?!?!
Nothing is happening in the world of LION-HEARTED.
Covid-19 put an abrupt halt to all that was rolling along for us at the end of 2019. We were writing and recording new songs, preparing for our most agressive Spring/Summer/Fall performance schedule ever, and spicing up our live set with our versions of some pretty awesome cover tunes.
Then came this mess…. A mess that didn’t have to be as bad as it is here in the United States.
Individually, while we stand at the ready to start rehearsing again, we worry about the fates of the venues who were ready to give us the opportunity to shine. We hope they all make it through, and that (as my brother Mike told me yesterday) the unbridled enthusiasm to see live music again makes people want to come out even more than ever before.
Also on an idividual level, we are keeping busy with personal matters…. And thankfully we are all well physically so far.
It is doubtful that anything gig-wise will happen this year, and the sadness that continues on over that is sometimes emotionally debilitating. But Rafael, Lou and I are still as solid as a rock as a band of brothers.
So, until we meet again, and (if no other post-worthy news is put up here before November 3rd) — PLEASE DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO MAKE SURE YOUR VOTE (AND THE VOTES OF OTHERS) ARE COUNTED!!!
I will be signing up and training to be a poll worker. Although I am not young, I am younger than a lot of the people I see working in my local district every time I vote…. Understanding their trepidation to work may cause a shortage — I believe it’s one of THE most important things we can do to ensure our democracy is preserved.
Be well, stay well, wear a mask, and socially distance yourself to protect others!
MUCH LOVE!!!
Marc
NEWS —
02/02/2020
- LION-HEARTED IS NOW ON SOUNDCLOUD!
All 12 tracks from our latest album (SP3: “The Power of 3”; released on March 12, 2019) have been uploaded to Soundcloud.
(***Tracks from SP1 and SP2 will be uploaded soon!)
- The first of (hopefully) many dates for our SPRING/SUMMER/FALL “PRE-SP4 TOUR” have been booked!
We will share the stage with Marc’s former band KIMON & THE PROPHETS at Joey McBrides in Woodland Park, NJ on Saturday, April 18th.
(***Details and more dates to follow.)
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1-19-2020: A Tribute to The Professor
Neil Ellwood Peart of RUSH
Sept. 12, 1952 - Jan. 7, 2020
(By Marc)
The year was 1981. Upon arrival at the home of our good friend, Rob Szekely, my brother Mike and I were urged by him to immediately go upstairs to his room in his parents’ house in Queens. We were guided to stand in front of his reel-to-reel tape machine.
“You have GOT to hear this track from the new RUSH album called YYZ!”
Listening in awe, THAT was the moment I went from being a fan of the band to a fanatic. I specifically remember stating that “that is some RETURN TO FOREVER-type (stuff)!” And from a ROCK band?!?!?!
My mind was so completely blown that I immersed myself in finding out everything I could about RUSH.
Three concerts later over the next two years, the only explanation of their talents to write and record the songs they made (and their ability to recreate them so flawlessly on stage) that I could only arrive at was that they were NOT of this earth... And their live show incorporated all the space-age technology that further confirmed my belief that they were visitors from a distant place.
As a naive 17-year old aspiring bassist and singer, I can honestly tell you that there was NO doubt in my mind this was true.
Alex Lifeson, their guitarist, had the ability to switch from subtly sweet to utterly sick (like the remarkable arabic scales in that life-changing tune mentioned earlier)... A master of making the hairs stand up on the back of your neck with climactic solo notes.
Geddy Lee was a man with multiple brains. How was it possible that he could play that awesome growling bass with such virtuosity, sing in such a high register, AND play keyboards AND bass pedals?!?!?! The choreography alone was only possible by someone who’s part cephalopod!
And then there was Neil Peart!... Known as “The Professor” to devout fans of the band, his incredibly intricate and groovy parts and amazingly powerful and quick melodic rolls incorporated ALL of the pieces in his humungous drum kit.
To have THAT many components to his instrument was not only a thing of beauty, but born of necessity. Not just “for show”, each part had its purpose — To make RUSH as interesting as possible for being (“just”) a trio.
Aside from the outstanding drummers I have had the privilege to PLAY with over the years, there have been many of the more famous variety that have inspired this “frustrated drummer” to air-drum while listening to songs in the car (or anywhere, for that matter).
Among my favorite masters of rock groove are Will Calhoun of Living Colour and the late/great Cozy Powell. As a non-drummer, I could follow their in-the-pocket grooves... For the most part... LOL!
Neil Peart, on the other hand, changed up parts within parts, and the subtle layers he added became more and more evident with the affordable upgrades made to speaker technologies over the years.
Still, I would try... And I was not alone. During RUSH concerts, it was easy to spot those inspired to air-drum amongst the sea of rocking fans.
A Sacrifice band trip in 1983 to Rockaway Beach in the aforementioned NYC borough was made memorable by a trio of avid RUSH fans all air-drumming in unison on a blanket in front of us while boom-box-blasting the “Permanent Waves” and “Moving Pictures” albums in their entirety.
And of all the drummers I have had the pleasure of playing with in this band and beforehand, our former LION-HEARTED drummer and band co-founder Joe D’Aqui was the one most influenced by Neil Peart. Drummers who heard our recordings and saw us live had NO problem picking that out.
In his time spent in Red Sector before L-H (a RUSH tribute band), Joe emulated Peart’s drum parts with deft precision.
The Professor will be eternally known for his drumming, and (rightfully so) his iconic legacy will quite probably live on at a level higher than any other.
But honoring his unique lyrical genius is also something that should be chiseled onto his epithet. So many of the words he wrote were so fitting to what the band REPRESENTED, and those powerful words explained what RUSH was going through... Both as a band and individually. And they achieved this with a complicated beauty, often using words and terms that were as technical as his parts, and the music as a whole. These were expressions, terms and words that were not used in ANY music previously, and often did not have an exact rhyming pattern with NO direct emphasis on trying to.
So I can tell you, from a personal standpoint, his words have inspired (and continue to inspire) this lyricist to always look for something different... And never settle on the oft-cheesy “easy way out” in any song.
On behalf of the band, the drummers I know, wannabe drummers, avid air-drummers, rock fans, fellow RUSH fans, and lyricists —
Rest In Peace, Professor!...
And WITH all the love you have inspired in your life and WILL again and again in your passing.
NEWS:
11-15-19
SITE UPDATES MADE:
- LION HEARTED surpassed a HALF-MILLION listens on the JANGO RADIO streaming service on September 27th, 2019!!!
- Lyrics from all three albums are now on the site.
All three albums are avaialble on Amazon, CDBaby, Apple Music. It was a thrill to have the latest album mastered by reknowned engineer Mark Wilder of SONY Music Entertainment.
Thank you for your support! (Please spread the word…)
- Drummer Lou Corio’s BIO added (and his GEAR page updated)
- Check out our new video entitled “SP3: The trailer” (above)[[RAW HTML]]
- Photos from November 3rd New York State BASEBALL HALL OF FAME Induction Ceremony added.
Marc sang two tunes at the annual NYSBHOF Induction Ceremony as a special guest with BIG FEZ AND THE SURFMATICS. Neil Diamond’s “Cracklin’ Rosie” was dedicated to Diana Munson and her family after Thurman Munson was inducted, and “I Can’t Stop Loving You” (made famous by Don Gibson and Ray Charles) was dedicated to Kay Murcer and her family after Bobby Murcer was inducted.
Among the other inductees that night were Ron “Gator” Guidry, Gene Monahan, Ray Negron, Ron Darling, Howie Rose, Rich Aurilia, Bill Madden, Bill Levy, Matt Senk, Chuck Sohl, Nick Chiaparelli, and Jane Forbes Clark (who was inducted in a speech by Bob Costas, who was also a surprise inductee).
Marc would like to give special thanks to Rene LeRoux, the Executive Director of the NYSBHOF for the opportunity to be a part of an AMAZING night, which he attended with his long-time friend and BFAM of over thirty years, Mario Rivera, Jr.
He is so grateful to The Thurman Munson Hall of Fame Committee for their tireless work to get Thurman on the NATIONAL Baseball Hall of Fame ballot — Rene, Larry Shnapf, Adrienne Statfeld, Gary Kaschak and Tom Tunison (pictured together). It was also great to hang out with friend and fellow TMFC member, Billy Carr (pictured as well).
Marc, Mario, Tom and Gary were AT the National BHOF the following day when the news came out that Thurman WAS put on this year's ballot for 2020 induction by the Veterans Committee.
THURMAN MUNSON FOR THE HALL OF FAME!!!
- Photos from September 29th show at Debonair Music Hall in Teaneck, NJ (opening for STEVIE D featuring Corey Glover of Living Colour) have been added.
It was a dream come true to get the opportunity to be the (direct support) opener for STEVIE D’s band, which featured legendary vocalist Corey Glover of LIVING COLOUR (a band that has been a BIG influence on our sound since LONG before LION-HEARTED’s band’s inception).
Most people describe us as a blend of Living Colour and The RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS, so playing in front of that crowd was exactly where we want to be.
It was great to make so many new friends that night, including Terry Cedar from the UK (pictured), and Dave Bickler (lead vocalist of SURVIVOR).
A BIG THANKS to all of our friends and fans who came out to support us that night…. Because of YOU — we WILL be back!
Gratitude also goes to Diana Cupo of DMH for the opportunity to open for such a GREAT band.
Check out STEVIE and COREY’s album!!! I guarantee you will NOT be disappointed.
- Songs are in the works for the FOURTH ALBUM!!!
(Stay tuned…
