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background / biography
Down to Earth. It’s a name, not just a statement. But the name and the statement both say a lot. If a person is said to be down to earth, that person is considered to be normal. Easy going or easy to get along with. He is just someone who is a regular guy.
That’s who Down to Earth really is. They are regular, everyday kind of people. And that’s how they like it. The story of how this band came about is not your regular everyday story of buddies getting together to jam in the garage and eventually a band is born. Many paths were traveled over many years to get this group of guys together.
James Pergolatti: Lead and backing vocalist, rhythm guitarist, producer, and chief lyricist.
Mark Ellison: Lead guitarist, lead and backing vocalist, producer, and chief composer.
Matt Goss: Drums and all things that can be hit with a stick.
Dustin Royer: Bass.
Starting in October of 2006, both Mark and Matt began playing in the back up band for up and coming country singer Rebecca Lindsey. In November of ’06 they played for the opening ceremonies of the Veterans Day Parade in New York City as well as playing on a float during the parade. Then in January of 2007 they flew to Nashville, Tennessee to back Rebecca in a showcase for several record labels. Then… confusion that turned into absolutely nothing. Things just evaporated seemingly overnight. All the while James had been working on a positive message CD project with Tony Rockliff and Joe Yazbeck of Tony Rockliff Productions and Heartbeat Productions respectively.
Sitting at home one afternoon, Mark received a phone call from Matt telling him about this guy named James he had just met. He told Mark that James was a guitarist and songwriter, and that he had a “killer” studio in a building behind his house. Even better was the fact the James only lived about 10 minutes from Mark.
“My initial thought was no thanks Matt. I’m really not interested… especially after the way the country gig turned out.” says Mark. Matt insisted and eventually Mark gave in and went to meet James and see this “killer” studio that Matt just would not stop talking about. It’s a good thing too… Matt was right. A bass player was recruited and rehearsals began on the songs that James had written.
Then… more confusion. Matt, who had been working on the side as a real estate agent in a failing real estate market, had to take a job in Dalton, Georgia. James, Mark, and the bass player decided to keep pressing on. A new drummer was brought in and things went downhill quickly from there. He ran off the bass player, started re-arranging the songs and tried to tell James how to sing the songs and Mark how to play the guitar parts. Needless to say that didn’t last very long. As quickly as he arrived he vanished. And not a moment too soon either. At this point James and Mark began writing songs together and started the Official Down to Earth™ My Space page. The combination of Mark’s music and James’ vivid, yet powerful lyrics make this songwriting duo a team to watch out for. It was decided around this time that Matt was “the” guy to play drums. He was given the invitation to re-join and he very enthusiastically accepted. Mark and James figured that in the age of mp3’s and high speed internet, it was indeed possible for all of the band members to not even live in the same state and still have a band. It was also during this time that Jacksonville All Access Radio, an independent internet radio station, began playing 20 Shades of Grey on the Hardcore Jeff show.
In January of ’08, during a live interview on JAAP Radio, James and Mark were informed by DJ Hardcore Jeff, that 20 Shades was the number 1 requested song on the station. During this time Down to Earth™ was contacted via My Space by a record label. Zoomoozik first made contact with Down to Earth™ in January of 2008. They are an all digital record label dealing only with mp3’s, ring tones, and any other type of downloadable music files. On February 6, 2008, Down to Earth™ signed on as a Zoomoozik artist. All this just from their My Space page!
All doubt was erased about Matt living out of state on January 30, 2008 when Down to Earth™ played their first show at Bourbon Street in New Port Richey, Florida. With a hired bass player and about 8 hours of rehearsal time divided up between the day before and the day of the show, Down to Earth™ was a hit.
Enter Dustin Royer. Mark and Dustin first met one summer at a music conference 4 years earlier in Southern California. They had not seen nor heard from each other since. They re-met at a rehearsal with the worship band at The Crossing Church in Brandon, Florida. A few months later Mark was telling Dustin about DtE™, the January 30th show, and the fact that they didn’t have a bass player. Dustin jumped at the chance. Now, with the line-up complete, Down to Earth™ are ready to get down to the business of Rock!
2008 is starting off with a BANG! for the band. “We can’t wait to see what the rest of 2008 hold for us.”
Melodic, hard rock guitar with melodies that carry powerful lyrics over heavy groves, forging an everlasting impression can best describe this true rock band for the ages. With a testament of talent that will stand the test of our times, from the highest heavens, all the way Down to Earth™.
That’s who Down to Earth really is. They are regular, everyday kind of people. And that’s how they like it. The story of how this band came about is not your regular everyday story of buddies getting together to jam in the garage and eventually a band is born. Many paths were traveled over many years to get this group of guys together.
James Pergolatti: Lead and backing vocalist, rhythm guitarist, producer, and chief lyricist.
Mark Ellison: Lead guitarist, lead and backing vocalist, producer, and chief composer.
Matt Goss: Drums and all things that can be hit with a stick.
Dustin Royer: Bass.
Starting in October of 2006, both Mark and Matt began playing in the back up band for up and coming country singer Rebecca Lindsey. In November of ’06 they played for the opening ceremonies of the Veterans Day Parade in New York City as well as playing on a float during the parade. Then in January of 2007 they flew to Nashville, Tennessee to back Rebecca in a showcase for several record labels. Then… confusion that turned into absolutely nothing. Things just evaporated seemingly overnight. All the while James had been working on a positive message CD project with Tony Rockliff and Joe Yazbeck of Tony Rockliff Productions and Heartbeat Productions respectively.
Sitting at home one afternoon, Mark received a phone call from Matt telling him about this guy named James he had just met. He told Mark that James was a guitarist and songwriter, and that he had a “killer” studio in a building behind his house. Even better was the fact the James only lived about 10 minutes from Mark.
“My initial thought was no thanks Matt. I’m really not interested… especially after the way the country gig turned out.” says Mark. Matt insisted and eventually Mark gave in and went to meet James and see this “killer” studio that Matt just would not stop talking about. It’s a good thing too… Matt was right. A bass player was recruited and rehearsals began on the songs that James had written.
Then… more confusion. Matt, who had been working on the side as a real estate agent in a failing real estate market, had to take a job in Dalton, Georgia. James, Mark, and the bass player decided to keep pressing on. A new drummer was brought in and things went downhill quickly from there. He ran off the bass player, started re-arranging the songs and tried to tell James how to sing the songs and Mark how to play the guitar parts. Needless to say that didn’t last very long. As quickly as he arrived he vanished. And not a moment too soon either. At this point James and Mark began writing songs together and started the Official Down to Earth™ My Space page. The combination of Mark’s music and James’ vivid, yet powerful lyrics make this songwriting duo a team to watch out for. It was decided around this time that Matt was “the” guy to play drums. He was given the invitation to re-join and he very enthusiastically accepted. Mark and James figured that in the age of mp3’s and high speed internet, it was indeed possible for all of the band members to not even live in the same state and still have a band. It was also during this time that Jacksonville All Access Radio, an independent internet radio station, began playing 20 Shades of Grey on the Hardcore Jeff show.
In January of ’08, during a live interview on JAAP Radio, James and Mark were informed by DJ Hardcore Jeff, that 20 Shades was the number 1 requested song on the station. During this time Down to Earth™ was contacted via My Space by a record label. Zoomoozik first made contact with Down to Earth™ in January of 2008. They are an all digital record label dealing only with mp3’s, ring tones, and any other type of downloadable music files. On February 6, 2008, Down to Earth™ signed on as a Zoomoozik artist. All this just from their My Space page!
All doubt was erased about Matt living out of state on January 30, 2008 when Down to Earth™ played their first show at Bourbon Street in New Port Richey, Florida. With a hired bass player and about 8 hours of rehearsal time divided up between the day before and the day of the show, Down to Earth™ was a hit.
Enter Dustin Royer. Mark and Dustin first met one summer at a music conference 4 years earlier in Southern California. They had not seen nor heard from each other since. They re-met at a rehearsal with the worship band at The Crossing Church in Brandon, Florida. A few months later Mark was telling Dustin about DtE™, the January 30th show, and the fact that they didn’t have a bass player. Dustin jumped at the chance. Now, with the line-up complete, Down to Earth™ are ready to get down to the business of Rock!
2008 is starting off with a BANG! for the band. “We can’t wait to see what the rest of 2008 hold for us.”
Melodic, hard rock guitar with melodies that carry powerful lyrics over heavy groves, forging an everlasting impression can best describe this true rock band for the ages. With a testament of talent that will stand the test of our times, from the highest heavens, all the way Down to Earth™.
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