I think this band was the one that convinced me that music could be fun. It was also my first paying gig EVER, bringing in $24 total for a weeknight at Olsen's Packaged Goods in Toms River, NJ while I was still in high school. The band consisted of some of my best friends while I was growing up, Chris Calavano on guitar, Kevin Oakes on bass, and Matt Cromey on vocals. For the most part, we played cover songs, but towards the end started working on some originals as well.

Playing that first gig was amazing. It was a Wednesday or Thursday night, and after not getting much sleep afterwards, Kevin, Matt and I (Cal was already out of high school) made it back for classes, and were positively giddy about the whole experience. We also played one or two Battles of the Bands, with okay results. By this point, I realized how little the results of those contests really mattered, so I didn't care how we placed.

Graduation came and went, and so did our "musical ambitions," such as they were. Kevin didn't play much bass after high school, and Matt will still pick up a guitar every now and then, I think. Cal lives not too far from the site of our professional debut, and jams a lot with other Jersey Shore denizens whenever possible.