A FAREWELL TO KINGS - STARTING LINEUP
Zack James (Vocals, Tambourine, Vibra-slap, and Spoons)
Insert witty origin story here
P.S. I play the plastic measuring spoons during that clickity clack part in Xanadu
P.S.S. Adam definitely didn’t write this as a placeholder for now
Aaron Leone (Guitars & Bass Pedals)
Welcome to my how/who/what/why & “Where’s My Thing?” page!
By day, I enjoy being a music educator. I currently own and run my private school, The Guitar and Bass Academy of Jackson located in New Jersey. Soon to open a second music school located in Metuchen, New Jersey. My other gig is playing music professor at a Monmouth University. By night, I indulge in being a guitarist and entertainer of sorts for AF2K. I enjoy conjuring the “harmony of the spheres” in front of large audiences. Also, gigs must be always night, otherwise they wouldn't need the stage lights. Thank you for the wisdom Thelonius
My education goes back to being a classical guitar major at Manhattan School of Music. I also have been more than fortunate to study with world-class musicians, such as: Tal Farlow, Carlos Barbosa-Lima, Jorge Caballero and Harry Leahey. I also follow the teachings and wisdom of friend and mentor Uli Jon Roth.
Yours Truly,
The Grand High Exalted Mystic Ruler
Johnny Vines (Drums & Percussion)
Johnny Vines is the drummer for AF2K. He began playing the drums when he was 12, joined his first band when he was 13, and never looked back. Johnny attended college for music, achieving a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from Rowan University where he studied with Dean Witten and Don Liuzzi, as well as a Masters Degree in Orchestral Performance from Temple University, where he studied with Alan Abel, Chris Deviney, and Phil O’Banion.
Johnny is also a professional audio engineer, a venture that began at age 14 from learning how to operate a 2-track machine to record very basic demos of his early bands. After undergoing a mentorship with Jeff Levine at Organic Sounds in Long Branch, NJ, Johnny has been an audio engineer for both studio sessions and live production on the Jersey shore for the past ten years, which has included working for a wide array of musicians including the Rock ‘n’ Roll Chorus, Carmine Appice, The Joe Baracata Band, Mike Wells, and many others.
Johnny is also an active guitarist, keyboardist, and composer, having written and released two albums with the band Creeptones, as well as a Solo EP under the name From Nowhere.
Adam Cyran (Bass & Synthesizers)
Hi! Welcome to my corner of the inter-webs, now BEAT IT! SCRAM! Get off my lawn… er uh URL!
Just kiddingggg… I bet you’re here to read about my gear and learn in-depth details reagarding my passion for underwater basket weaving!! Well, maybe not the underwater basket weaving part (I’ll save that for a rainy day).
Anyways, here is the ever evolving inventory of ridiculous brrrr and beep-boop machines that make noises from stage left (most of the time).
BASSES
My #1 bass (right now) is a Rickenbacker 4001, with an occasional appearance by my Fender Jazz. Additionally, when cheese sales in Wisconsin show an upward trend, my 1979 Rickenbacker 4080 4/6 Doubleneck makes an appearance (corrolation almost certainly ALWAYS means causation).
SYNTHESIZERS
This section seems to be getting a bit out of hand! Right now my Spaceship, as Zack forbodingly refers to it, is composed of the following:
OBERHEIM OB-X8 x 2 (Both Keyboard & Desktop Module)
Mini-Moog with Echo Fix EF-X2
Moog Tarus III Bass Pedals
Nektar Pacer MIDI Footswitch
And additional odds and ends provided from the help of Ableton (never leave home without it!)
AMPLIFIERS
2 Ashly Preamps running into a 70’s Ampeg SVT Blackline into the matching 8 x 10 cabinet (the only fridge on my stage … for now (my back thanks me)). Oh and for that silly lil guitar stuck on the side of that coffee table, I use a 70’s Fender Twin Reverb (jingle-jangle).
Well, I hope this was a valuable use of your time and you found this mostly informative. Sorry to disappoint those who were looking forward to the basket weaving section. Maybe next time!
That's it! Enough already! Hope you enjoy the show!!