Johnny 3 Legs aka The Mastadon's Son = guitar and nastiest vocs in the land...
Aaron Fowler aka Ernie McFlowers = smooth bass, keys, and guitar...
Gearhead = master of the skins and sticks...
DJ Omen111 = puppet master of the 1's and 2's...
Bruce Holz = graybush guitarman and we let him sing sometimes...
Ian = conga, conga, conga, this man fingers know those hides...
Lenny = the man, the myth, the legend on the guitar...
Moonbeam = mama bear extraordinare...
FRANCHISE PLAYERS
REGGAE/ROCK/DUB/HIP-HOP
In the sports world, teams are allowed to designate their best athlete as a “Franchise Player”, the best of the best and the backbone of their organizations future. In Northern Virginia (2007), 7 musicians from different walks came together to form The Franchise Players. Blending dub, ska, reggae, rock and fusion under the umbrella of underground hip-hop, they are poised to shatter the molds that have plagued modern pop music throughout the past decade.
To break down an athlete’s performance one must check the statistics, the same holds true for the Players all-star line up. The rhythm section features Kris Gerheauser, the monster of local rock bands Spilt and Deacon Brody, behind the drum kit. Perfecting the flow and accentuation of the tempo sets Gerheauser apart from all other drummer's in the game today.
Ian Lafferty, tribal percussion. Lafferty's cadence seems to channel the very soul of renowned percussionist, Mongo Santamaria, himself. By diversifying and reinventing the traditional Afro Cuban sound of the congas, coupled with animated movements and expression, Lafferty pounds out a harmonically savage performance.
Strumming the bass lines is Aaron Fowler of Spilt and Deacon Brody. Fowler’s talent enriches the music with melodic accents and thunderous reverberation, he gives the Players their diverse and unique full-bodied undertones.
Free agent, Bruce Holz of Jimi Sin, Oranguhead and God Is Dead, returns from Alabama to rejoin Johnny 3 Legs after 3 years. From bluegrass to metal, hard rock to reggae, Holz has put distinctive range and musicality into the Players string section. Sharing rhythm and lead duties, Holz's enigmatic style pairs well with his soulful, raspy vocals.
Lenny Pinnix, of Porkchop, Butta Smoove, and The Common Threat, rounds out this specialty team of guitarists. His avant-garde style, reminiscent of Tom Morello's mechanical approach to the songs, compliments Holz perfectly. If music is the language of mankind, Pinnix is fluent and speaks to the soul.
Hailing from Staten Island, Dek Wrecka Omen brings a piece of New York to the mix. A genuine turntablist who balks at digital DJ's, his vinyl scratches and break beats bleed hip hop. True to his name, Omen's prophetic drops weave a tale that glue this groove together flawlessly.
Captaining this all-star ensemble is the 6'9”, dreadlocked, tattooed force that is Johnny 3 Legs. Also known as, The Mastadon, the multi-talented Northern Virginia native rose to national attention as front man for the nu metal band Spine. Performing on USA Network's Farm Club television show for Interscope Records and toured nationally playing with acts like Kid Rock, Queens of the Stone Age, Disturbed, and Kittie before forming God is Dead with Scream (Dave Grohl) guitarist Harley Davidson in 2002. J3L branched out into a solo hip hop career in 2003, performing all over Virginia, Maryland and Washington D.C. He has since taken his euphonious presence and conscientious hip hop sentiment and incorporated his vision into The Franchise Players.
The end result is nothing short of breathtaking. Picking up where Sublime left off and filling in the gaps with a Roots-style presence, The Franchise Players are exactly that; the backbone of Northern Virginia's music scene, making their bid for Hall of Fame status.
You know exactly how I feel 'bout them punk police...I'm with the kids the next few days (today is my youngest daughter's birthday actually)! I hope John does well with the tattoo party today! One Love to all my Franchise Players massive! Big up & Respekt to all y'all!
Peace & Blessings, Empuls
P.S-Sully's next Tuesday: Same bat time, same bat channel!
Is says on the page that we're still performing @ Firehouse Grill on the 13th but it's not on the calendar @ the house & that's the night of the tattoo party @ Aida's also...
...Just thought I'd point that out so y'all could see what you wanted to do!
Just wanted to stop by and say hello. Maybe we'll see you at our upcoming show on June 12th. Have a great week and thanks again for being our friend...Angel Row
The Franchise Players will be opening up for Grand Buffet this Sat (5/23) @ JAXX Niteclub in Springfield! Hope to see you there! We will have pre-sale tickets for $10 a piece (if you need them; come get @ us A.S.A.P)! We look forward to seeing you there! Peace & Blessings!
Address: JAXX Nightclub & Restaurant 6355 Rolling Road Springfield, VA 22151-2426 703-569-5940
hey hey there how ya feelin?? gimme a shout sometime 443-307-9966 i tlaked to derek the otha day hes supposed to let me kno ur dates on weekends so i can plan a trip out there to c yall again!!
