Truth in Advertising was formed in the mid-late 90's by Aaron Rolka and Fred Betzner, and has been hailed as the most eclectic modern-rock group to come out of Greensburg, PA since BJ and the Oceanic Front. They were drawn together by a mutual friend, the effervescent Jeremy Ritter, with a penchant for professional wrestling.
Inspiration struck, and the two penned the much requested "I'm Not a Professional Wrestler." Though Fred and Aaron worked well together, musically they left much to be desired. The two asked mutual friend Seán "Billy" O'Donnell to jam out with them. Soon after Billy joined the band full-time and Fred bought "How to Play Harmonica," and the band really started to take shape.
In June of 1999 the trio converged upon Gamut Studios in Latrobe PA, where a bald man with a ponytail recorded their four-song EP The Monkey Corner Sessions. The boys weren't quite satisfied with the end result, but being short of funds for extra mixing time, they took what they had and promptly did absolutely nothing for quite some time.
In this limbo-ish state, Ryan Shwartz joined as a drummer and Fred moved to Pittsburgh, where several years later he met Nick Crano. Crano was a friend with a very nice recording studio, Jazz Cat studios, where, between 2000 and 2002, the boys recorded Birds and Raging Thunder (with some augmentation in Bohemiophelia studios and Billy's dorm room).
At presant Truth in Advertising are in a bit of a hiatus, since none of the members live in the same state anymore. However, over Christmas 2002 the boys (sans Ryan) recorded some new songs that will be included on an upcoming Semi-Live album available through MP3.com.
Seán "Billy" O'Donnell, or "Seán" Billy O'Donnell to his friends, fell deeply in love with a moose. Together, he and his moose traverse the countryside and Cleveland looking for good Chinese food and potatoes. Seán is also trying to decode the insider-only acronyms that Pizza Hut Inc. uses to confuse its management. Having figured out "FYI," he is currently working on "BMT," "HICII," and "SOB."
Aaron Rolka retreated to his native Atlanta, where he is an operative spy for corporate America, under the tutelage of Sensei Kuzukai. Aaron can now send mass e-mail memos and drink five gallons of pure wood alcohol in 16.4 seconds. Aaron warns children at home not to try this as it will surely kill them.
Fred Betzner never really existed. He was a robot constructed by Aaron's brother Chad Rabinovitz, a young Jewish boy who dabbles in Mad Science. Fred "sleeps" in a dusty wardrobe with Aaron's old issues of "Married: With Children: The Comic Book." Fred Likes Maryland and someday hopes to travel to the magical land of Narnia.
Ryan Schwartz
Name: Ryan Schwartz
Age: 23
Turn Ons: Long walks after dark, golden showers
Turn Offs: Pizza Hut Waitresses
In Brief: After overcoming his addiction to Pepto Bismal, Ryan moved to Tennessee to convert the heathens to Christianity. However, he got sidetracked and ended up an apprentice bee keeper. Ryan now wears a mullet and listens to Dokken.
Quote: "There's a fish in the percolator"