Thousand Suns- Came together some time in 1998. After many chance encounters between Dan Teleposky (guitar) and Ned Long (vocals) the two decided to start writing music together. They called upon the help of mutual Allen Szyweil who was also a great drummer. The trio decided that to start any sort of band they would need a bass player which was when Reverend Al a.k.a. Mike Kolesarich came into the picture.
Mike, who did not know any of the three, had heard the guys were looking for a bass player and contacted Dan Teleposky. Ned and Dan met up with experienced bassist at a local Dunkin’ Donuts and before long they knew they had found their fourth member.
From the get go the music just seemed to write itself, however the group felt like it was lacking something, and this is where the second guitarist came in. Ned had known Dan Ward for awhile so he gave him a call thinking that Dan would have just what they needed to solidify their sound. He stemmed from the same musical background as the rest of the group, a mixture of hardcore punk & alternative rock.
They played as a five-some for more then three years, filling up numerous venues, making 3 recordings, and establishing a good following along the way.
It was at Big Blue Meenie where Thousand Suns first recorded their self-titled debut album. This triumph was a sweet victory for everyone in the band but at the same time it brought them face to face with their first true major obstacle.
The bass player Mike was getting married and in turn had difficulties coping with the pressures of the band and the approach of the “big day.” Also since Thousand Suns was an originals band and at the start original bands do not make nearly as much dough as cover bands, Mike was feeling the economic pressure bearing down on him. Finally Mike quit the band and went to play in a cover band, Flat Line.
After the initial letdown of Mike’s decision the band went through a rebuilding period. The role of bass player was filled by Tony Nemati. Tony was from South Jersey and had been in a few bands prior to Thousand Suns. Things were beginning to finally pick up again and then the second obstacle arose.
Differences in musical direction were not something totally new to the group however it had begun to seriously effect their writing. As the majority of the group leaned towards heavier material, drummer, Allen Szyweil felt his heart was not in that genre; as a result he left to pursue his musical calling.
Searching for a new drummer proved to be a seemingly endless task and before long the hardships doubled when bass player Tony Nemati left the band. The five- some was now a trio once more.
Eight months went by and through that time many drummers came and went until they finally found Damian Conseur. Damian, formerly the drummer for local band Furious Styles, proved to be just what Thousand Suns needed to begin seriously rebuilding.
With the back bone in place the tendons were added when bass player Mike Ward, younger brother of guitarist Dan Ward, came on the scene. The oddity was the bass player that they searched high and low for was right under their noses all along.
Thus after a long uncertain period everything came together and right now Thousand Suns find themselves in the most ideal of situations.
