FireHouse is C.J. Snare(lead vocals, keyboards), Bill Leverty(guitars, vocals), Michael Foster(drums, percussion, vocals), and Allen McKenzie(bass guitar, vocals) The JAK Band is J.T. Teis(electric and acoustic guitars, vocals, shenanigans, Barney Fife impressions), Tony Avitar(bass guitar, vocals, horrible rapping, set list in a bottle), Mark Nichols(drums, percussion, vocals, striking resemblance to Fabio, HUGE draft beer glasses), and Allen McKenzie(lead vocals, occasional bass guitar, temper tantrums, bad caucasian dancing, hangovers)
Influences
This could get lengthy!! The Beatles, Marillion, Yes, Genesis, Kansas, Rush, Pink Floyd, Dream Theater, Saga, Renaissance, Pavlov's Dog, Supertramp, U.K., Led Zeppelin, Alice Cooper, Big Star, R.E.M., The Pretenders, U2, Peter Gabriel, Journey, U.F.O., Iron Maiden, Thin Lizzy, Uriah Heep, Deep Purple, Angel, etc., etc., etc., yada, yada, yada......
Sounds Like
Hopefully, a combination of all my influences. I'm ALWAYS learning. Incidently, I'm a WORKAHOLIC! I'm always open to side projects, either recording or live, when FireHouse happens to have a little down time. One of my side projects was the recording of "RocKarma"(www.rockarma.com) by the band of the same name, produced and engineered by Bill Leverty and recorded at Leverty Sound Studios. The disc features Damon Kelly(lead vocals, all guitars), Michael Foster(drums), and myself on bass. Straightforward, melodic hard rock that's right up your alley if you're a FireHouse fan or a fan of similar bands. Check it out!!
I currently play with international recording artists FireHouse(www.firehousemusic.com), a position I've held since Oct. 23, 2003. I couldn't ask for three people who are more professional and down to earth than Bill Leverty, C.J. Snare, and Michael Foster, so needless to say I'm enjoying myself immensely! I'm endorsed by the following companies and am proud to use their products; Washburn Guitars(www.washburn.com, massive kudos to Bill Abel at US Music Corp and Bill Leverty!)Crafter Guitars(www.crafterguitars.com, many thanks to Joey and Michael Foster!), Madison Speakers(www.madisonamps.com, thanks a million to Andy Hitch!), Four Star Wire and Cable(www.mystarsound.com, cables with my name on 'em! Many thanks to Paul Snyder!), and last but not least, SIT String Co. from Akron, Ohio(www.sitstrings.com, thanks to Robert Hird and all at SIT. I've been playing your Power Steel bass strings for better than two decades now!!) FireHouse's music speaks for itself; if you're a fan, you don't need me to tell you, you've seen and heard it first hand, and I have so much fun when playing live with these guys. But for now, I'd like to go back to what led me here. I was born in Columbus, OH.(on New Years Day!!) and grew up in Jackson, OH.(Class of 1978, Go Ironmen!!), and from early childhood on I had musical aspirations. The bands that influenced me most were The Beatles, Alice Cooper, Led Zeppelin, all the prog stuff from the '70s, Genesis, Yes, Rush, Kansas, Pink Floyd, early to mid-period alt rock, Big Star, Pretenders, U2, Peter Gabriel, REM, and basically anyone that writes good songs or has something unique about them.(My all time favorite band is a group from the UK called MARILLION who are absolutely phenominal!) I came out of the Northeast Ohio music scene, which boasts at least two Rock and Roll Hall of Famers(Chrissie Hynde and Joe Walsh), Ripper Owens(Judas Priest), Jani Lane(Warrant), Marilyn Manson, Eric Singer(KISS), and Billy Morris(Warrant) just to name a few. I played in various cover bands early on, mainly as a lead vocalist, with occasional duties on guitar or keyboards. In one such band, back in '85, I was tinkering with the bass during rehearsals when our lead guitarist, Scott Summers(who is now a rep for Roland Corporation), liked what he heard and encouraged me to take up the bass in earnest. I'm glad I took his advice; my next gig was Foxx(see www.heavyharmonies.com), which grew into one of the most popular bands of the area at the time. Our first single, "P.T.L.", landed on syndicated Dallas based metal station Z-Rock and was named "Shredder of the Week" in mid 1987. The bands first album debuted at No. 1 at the local music store chain Quonset Hut in May 1989, and one of its songs, "Can't Say No", was played on another syndicated radio show, Metalshop, as well as appearing on the indie horror film "Robot Ninja" along with another track, "Night Machine". The band's 2nd album, "Stick It Out", did nearly as well, debuting at No. 3 at the Quonset Hut Chain in March 1991, and three of its songs, "Love or Money", "Wine Me Dine Me", and "Need Your Love", received solid airplay from Canton, OH. station WRQK Rock 107. By 1992 Foxx called it quits at the height of the grunge era. I wasn't idle for long; In Jan. 1993 I gave up my bass playing duties and joined Cleveland based progressive rock band Quest as lead singer/keyboardist/lyricist. At a time when alternative rock was at its peak, Quest stood out for music that had more in common with bands like Dream Theater, Fates Warning, and Marillion. Quest released one album, the conceptual "Opposite Sides of the Picket Fence" in 1994, our biggest show being the opening slot for Yes at Blossom Music Center in Aug. of that year. In June 1995 I got a call from Bill Elias, singer, guitarist and songwriter for Peacetree, a hard rock band that drew from many influences. The newly formed band had a free spirit that appealed to me musically; I found myself back on the bass guitar again. We basically had only one rule, that there were NO rules. Peacetree's first effort, "Insense"(1996), was recorded after the band had only been together for THREE weeks. The second CD, "Wonderful Day"(1998), marked our status locally as a perennial opener for almost every national act that came to the Akron/Canton/Cleveland area. We performed the title track live on "The Jenny Jones Show" for her Battle of the Bands(we lost the studio audience vote, but won by a huge margin on the internet), and opened for the likes of Motley Crue, Styx, Ratt, Cinderella, Jackyl, and Neil Young among others. Work then began on "Nice To Meet You"(2000), arguably Peacetree's best CD. "Nice to Meet You" earned Peacetree a Best Hard Rock Band nomination at the 2001 Cleveland Free Times Music Awards. But by the end of 2001 Peacetree had run its course, and Bill Elias formed his current project, Elijah Black(www.elijahblack.com). I had signed on to be the band's bass player when I was contacted by Warrant's Jani Lane, who needed a temporary fill in on bass for his solo tour dates supporting his CD, "Back Down to One", from Oct. 2002 to March 2003, overall a great and fun experience. Billy Morris, who was Warrant's lead guitarist at the time, heard about FireHouse's need for a bass player with vocals, and called Bill Leverty recommending me for the gig, which I've held ever since. I have had many incredible experiences since joining the band; headlining in front of 40,000 in India in Dec. 2004, both trips to the UK and Spain, 2004 and 2005, opening for Journey and REO Speedwagon in San Juan, PR., the Rock Never Stops Tour in 2005 with Cinderella, Ratt, and Quiet Riot, headlining in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in Nov. 2007, the amazing Japanese tour with Night Ranger in April, 2008, as well as the many friends and fans I've met along the way. Most significant of all, was Oct. 8, 2005, the day I married the love of my life, Tina, who gives me unconditional love and a wonderful home to raise our four children, Bryan, Breanna, Brandon, and Danny, as well as putting up with ME!!(a huge undertaking!) Thanks for checking out my page, see ya out on tour sometime soon!!!!.......Peace, Allen
Hey brother Al, thanks for the invite...Been a long time, but I have kept up with your progress, somewhat...Proud of you, and keep in touch if you can...Peace, rickashay
Allen, Thanks for the add. I really enjoyed working with you and the Firehouse crew this weekend. In spite of the FOH and promoter issues...you guys were great to work with. Definately in my top 5 of down to earth, genuine people. Unfortunately there are still a lot of the other type in this business. Hope to catch you guys down the road again soon. Drew
Just stopping by to show some love! Hope all is well with you and your family. Can't wait to see you guys on the road! Thanks for all the awesome music! (I borrowed one of the songs for my profile) :o)
Hey Allen...throw like $10 on the craps table for me...you don't even have to play...just walk by a craps table and throw it literally on it!!! Haha! Have fun in Vegas...
