THE MEMBERS

Abner's Bio (by Abner)

My favorite band is Blink 182. I also like snowboarding, biking, reading, listening to music, running cross country, playing jazz piano, playing drums, playing guitar, and playing in the rock band. My music career started when I was very little. My dad was into the drums at the time, so, as a kind of joke, my mom got him a keyboard with a drum pad on it. He never used it. But, at the age of four, I found it amusing. From crashing out random notes and liking the sound of it to picking out songs from the lion king I liked, I played. Finally, about a year later, I begged for piano lessons and my parents consented. Although I've gone through many teachers, I'm still playing piano and enjoying it. But, as rock-n-roll started to play a part in my life, as it usually does at about the age of 11 or 12, I got into the guitar. I picked up my brothers old guitar, a Fernandes (he's now moved on to a les pual custom), I started to figure out Blink-182 stuff. As my interest soared, so did my want for lessons. I practiced and practiced and finally decided I must have guitar lesson as well as piano. A guy who works for my dad named Taylor taught me. I had him for about 4 months, and then he decided that he couldn't teach me anymore because I wanted to know more theory and stuff and he wasn't a professional. We went to Mexico for five weeks. A few days before, at my band practice ("the pillowmen") I had decided I needed to play the bass. Since the bass is easier than the guitar, I could focus on my vocals more. I also liked the way the base would make harmonies with the lead guitar, and the rhythms I could play on it with ease. In Mexico, Christmas fell. I had hinted to my parents In a round-about way that I wanted a bass, i.e. " when I get home can I get a bass for myself?", and things like that. Christmas came, and I got a gift certificate to a guitar store. I was excited and I opened it up. It was 50$ for a microphone stand. I had mentioned to my dad I had wanted one, so I was happy. But not as happy as I would have been if it had said what I wanted. I realized I had one more present; a piece of paper rolled up that said " I O U one bass guitar of your choice." I was thrilled. We got home, and that weekend I got it. I was so excited and I still am. Playing bass (and guitar) and writing songs and playing songs is the only reason I can get through a day of school without asking " is it all worth it?". not really actually, but I like it a lot.

I hope you enjoy our music,

Abner

Matt

I'm the drummer in ParkSlope. I also enjoy playing guitar and I'm trying to pick up bass. My favorite band is Blink-182, but I also like head banging to the sounds of Sum 41, Red hot chili Peppers, linkin park, Jeremiahfreed, everclear and GreenDay. I first got into the drums because Abner needed one for his new band he was putting together and the clarinet was boring the hell out of me. I started taking private lessons by a guy named mike in his studio. ( I hadn't gotten a set of my own yet). When I started, all I had was P.O.S. drumming pad. But, I practiced and practiced ( and even though I still sucked, I had shown devotion on drums to my mom) and finally two Christmases after I had started, I got a YamahaY.D. set. The cymbals (especially the high hat) weren't very good, but they would do. So I bought grade a Z-cymbal. After seeing how much Abner was enjoying playing guitar, I decided to start on my mini acoustic that I had gotten when I was ten which I had never played before. I liked it, but lets face facts,the guitar sucked. My grandfather, who had been in a band, had left behind a normal size acoustic guitar which, after I discovered, I started to play. It had great sound to it, but I couldn't plug it into an amp and crank it up, like my fav bands do. I downloaded tabs from punkandjunk.com but and tried to get good off of those. The tabs on it weren't all right, so I had Abner perfect them for me. After that, I begged for an electric. When Christmas came,(the same year I got my drum set) so did a guitar. After joining the school jazz band on drums, I noticed how sucky the bass players were. I decided that I would try to pick it up and have Abner teach me a few things. Now I'm even better then them. ( Not to sound conceded). I recently kicked my mom out of her bed room to make it a band practice area. She currently lives in the basement. Now I store my drums, my guitar, and my amp, my Pa system and all the other crap in there.( In her youth, my mom was In a band, and thats why she had all that gear.) Hope I didn't bore you to death with this, but on the other hand, I really don't give a sh*t.

Peace out

Matt

Jake

Jake is the Guitar In the band, sticken In a few backin vocals here and there. He is the rock-steady-string-breaken-punk-rocken-cool dude. He likes Blink-182 as well as Greenday, and since he's Not here I can only assume that he would want me to write these things about him.

Alex

Alex is the manager of the band. Once they are ready, he will try to get places for ParkSlope to play, or look into spaces to rent out. Right now he is our consulted (we show him our songs, and he says what he like and what he doesn't like). His favorite band is blink-182(see a pattern?) but he also likes red hot chili peppers. His musical career started In 5th grade when he was about 11 on the sax. He is still playing In the school band, but he has recently taken up guitar. He is currently in-between teachers, but we know he'll find someone without black teeth. His managing career started about an hour ago, when I (Abner) invited him to be the manager of our band. I hope he does well. Wait here he is and he wants to say something, take it away, Alex: " I hate pop. Screw people who think Blink-182 is pop." A very blunt, but straightforward remark from Alex Johnson.