RICK CONICELLI drums, Hawaiian shirts;
BRIAN DIBIAGIO guitars, vox, hair of waviness;
CHRISTINE FAVORITE vox, jello, general elegance;
CARL LICHTNER vox, guitars, switches & dials;
SHANNON MCMULLEN vox, armadillos;
JIM MONAGHAN bass, muscles
Influences
Jesus, Beatles, Billy Joel, John Williams, Han Solo, Beethoven, Jim Croce, Weird Al, Obi-wan Kenobi, Nat King Cole, Mom, Dad, J-pop, K-bo, Megwegs, Mike, Sister Mary Rita, John Paul Sharp, Kurt Vonneget, aliens
Sounds Like
Billy Joel takes a train ride with John Lennon and Paul Simon, with a horn section
“It’s always a joyous struggle, this music making thing.”
He has been called varied, eclectic, surprising…Bill Monaghan has been making musical creations since his high school days in the Philadelphia suburbs. A writer of songs, musical plays, children’s ballets, and thematically charged CDs like his 9/11 In Memoriam, Bill is at home in finger picking folk songs, story-telling in his energy driven rock songs, or reflecting in his touching love songs and ballads.
Bill and his band celebrated his Some Assembly Required CD with a release party early in 2007, with a diverse mix of song, story, emotion, and journeys to other lands. The year also saw the realization of a 6-year dream to perform a musical tribute to those lost in the attacks of September 11, 2001 in the reflective and comforting songs of Bill’s 9/11 CD. The Word: A Gospel Opera, a full length spirited stage drama, has moved audiences with more than 55 performances in the tri-county area since its inception.
The heart-warming “All That Your Heart May Desire,” in memory of his brother Michael who died in the US Navy, sets the theme for an annual memorial concert, presenting local artists and performers joining together to raise scholarship money for high school students in need. Even the harmonies and rhythms of Africa are an influential force in many of Bill’s works, made more authentic by his recent mission work in Uganda, Africa, where he has experienced and contributed music firsthand to the people with whom he has worked so closely in areas of education and basic human needs.
Onstage, Bill can be seen solo or with his band, and he has played such venues as Sellersville Theatre, Stockton Inn, Grape Street Pub, and as featured artist at many local charity concerts.
“Fresh! Jimmy Buffet meets Nancy Griffith and Paul Simon. Certainly an album of poppie folk. All-in-all a very pleasant mix of music.” [David Hermanson on CDbaby.com, on Bill’s Some Assembly Required CD]
MORE ABOUT BILL MONAGHAN
"When I heard the Beatles, I fell in love with multi-layered harmonies, whether theyre in country, folk or gospel."
Bill Monaghan's love of music ratcheted up to new levels when an old piano from his grandparents basement landed in his familys living room. He was 11 years old and thrilled with the gift.
Piano lessons had started when he was seven. But without a piano for practicing, he had focused instead on listening to the Clancy Brothers, captured on his fathers records, to Jim Croce, the Beatles, Sha Na Na, John Williams track for Star Wars, and Beethoven. That eventually translated into his ability to learn by ear the music of Billy Joel, Ray Charles and others.
In high school he taught himself to play the guitar, started composing, and formed the rock-and-roll band, Some Assembly Required. With 80s music as a major influence, he wrote "For All You Were Was Life" and "All the Years Gone By." At the University of Scranton he frequently collaborated with long-time friend, Tom Feledick, directed several musicals and played in rock cover bands. Bill graduated cum laude with a B.A. in English and minors in math and music.
Bill has written musical plays (Brunswick 2057, The Word: A Gospel Opera), childrens ballets (The Boy Who Cried Wolf, The Wizard of Oz), film soundtracks (Lusting for Dust Words), orchestrations with other lyricists (Flying Horses, Antigone, Schumaker and the Elves), teen mission theme songs for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia ("I Am Loving You for Life," "Walk His Way"), and liturgical music settings (The Psalms).
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I wanted to let you know that we're running a 15% off promotion this week on ALL services! :) This INCLUDES MySpace design, Twitter design, album design, and promotional services! Message us now!
Come join us Friday May 15th @ 9:00 PM @ Club Risque! All Out Friday Night featuring Dive, Even The Res, and Spy The Thinker - $10 gets you into the show upstairs and the gentleman's club downstairs. For updates check www.myspace.com/risquelive.
Thanks for being a friend. See over 200 bands for only $20! Click the link to order your tickets now or visit any of our ticket outlets listed on our site.
Here’s the Utica Music Fest commercial. Watch it! I think you’re going to LOVE IT! And please feel free to post it on your page and share the good news with your friends.
For a list of bands and their profiles please visit us at www. uticamusicfest. com or check out our blogs. And while you’re there sign up on our mailing list to stay informed. Hope to see you at the fest!
ATTN PERFORMERS::: WE ARE STILL ACCEPTING BAND SUBMISSIONS!!!
Thanks for being a friend. See over 200 bands for only $20! Click the link to order your tickets now or visit any of our ticket outlets listed on our site.
Here’s the Utica Music Fest commercial. Watch it! I think you’re going to LOVE IT! And please feel free to post it on your page and share the good news with your friends.
For a list of bands and their profiles please visit us at www. uticamusicfest. com or check out our blogs. And while you’re there sign up on our mailing list to stay informed. Hope to see you at the fest!
ATTN PERFORMERS::: WE ARE STILL ACCEPTING BAND SUBMISSIONS!!!
Thanks so much for the add. Both your music and your servitude towards others inspires me the best that I can be. Thank you for visiting our school, and I hope to see you soon. Tyler
Billy, I just wanted to say awsom!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! what a hell of a concert. And I wanted to thank you from the bottom of my heart for doing all you do and continue to do. It takes a special person to push himself and do all you do for everyone. You Rock!!!!! I put up a new album with pix from last night. And I am sooooooo happy about your contract!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You deserve nothing but the best, ps your mom is not only soooo pretty, she is sooooooo sooooo sweet and loving, what a great family!!!!!!!!!! sue very proud mom of Cpl. Shane R. Gibbons
HI BILLY, SOOOOO EXCITED FOR YOUR CONCERT AT ARCHBISHOP HS TONIGHT, MY HUSBAND AND DAUGHTER AND I ARE GOING I WILL BE TAKING DIGITAL PIX SO YOU CAN USE THEM ON YOUR SITE, WILL GET THERE EARLY FOR A GOOD SPOT LOL YOUR ROCK SUE
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