Nobody’s got
nothing on
these boys.

The Beta Blockers. Eclectic in personalities and sound. Individually and ensemble. Chock full of new creations. Why wait 50 years to play someone else’s music? Varied, diverse, married to no style, The Beta Blockers unite thoughtfulness and irreverence. Deep blue. With drive, excitement, passion and message, or a simple semi-naked tune. And no apologies to anyone.

• Home | 
• Bios Page 1 | 
• Bios Page 2 | 
• Music | 
• Events

• Angel Eyes
• Communication
• It's So Hard
• My Paleontology Class Lover
• No Destination

• One Eyed Cat
• Step Closer to Me
• The Real You
• This Wood and Wire
• What Can I Say

GM Nielsen - Lead Guitar, Vocals

Badger came to The Beta Blockers from a long engagement at the WildWood Inn, where he performed on homemade instruments with his colleagues, Rat and Mole, as the Willows. He has been overheard to reminisce fondly about the familiar smell of his red transistor radio, humming away on the shelf next to his bed just as it caught fire and burned his parents' house down. But that was long ago in a memory far away.

In Reality…Badger is a practicing attorney and is married with two grown children. He is an amateur singer-songwriter and his original songs can be heard att http://www.reverbnation.com/gmnielsen.

Chief Musical Influences: Bob Dylan, Curtis Mayfield, the King James Bible and the Tone Deaf Fogies.

In his spare time Badger likes to vacuum, correct homework, mess about in boats and make guacamole.

The Beta Blockers Being Themselves

The following are incisive biographies of the various Beta Blocker band members, which feature an unhealthy array of falsehoods, half truths, and complete fabrications.

Andy Esposito - Bass, Vocals

Unanimously convicted Sportswriter of the Year by a jury of his peers and equals for his New York Mets writing, The Beta Blockers are convinced that Andy really is the Commissioner of Baseball in disguise. The beloved Bottom Line bass man is a noted trivia expert (sports, TV, movies, westerns, old time comedians, you name it) and official baseballologist. In fact Andy led the league in batting average, names proposed for the band, walks (bass walks of course), and runs (bass runs of course). The author of “Its So Hard”, The Commissioner is a collector of collections. On the lam since he won the Cy O’Nara Award for most latenesses at band practice, the erstwhile whistler is much maligned for his confusing arrangement of “Every Dog Has His Day.” As our resident food expert he often shows up (late) at practice with tote bags full of exotic brands of edibles generally accompanied by arcane references to the Marx Brothers, Soupy Sales and old western heroes.

In reality…Andy is the proprietor of his own business and a long time writer for none other than the Amazing Mets of Flushing Meadow, New York.

Chief musical influences include Earth Wind & Fire, Blood Sweat & Tears, Curly, Larry, Moe and Mickey Willie & The Duke.

Andy raises puma cubs in his spare time.

Jamie Stanco - Vocals, Guitar, Harmonica

Known surreptitiously as The Professor or Doc, Jamie is the oldest and baldest Beta Blocker. A self-professed and long-winded history buff (don’t ask about the Battle of Hastings, or most any historical event for that matter), he is a true PhD (Piled Higher & Deeper). The Aotearoaphile enjoys pizza for breakfast and can recite the presidents in order backwards and forwards. Used to be able to do the kings of England. (Like I said, don’t ask). Completely self taught (can’t you tell?), he learned harmonica listening to Albert’s Shuffle. The Professor allegedly plays guitar and vows to learn a b chord before the turn of the next century. A blues lover in his dotage, he has written novels, a screenplay, numerous multimedia pieces and thousands of ads, and might confess to being a chocoholic or the world’s worst putter if provoked. Then again, he might not.

In reality…Jamie is the President of a Melville Long Island-based strategic marketing organization (SMO) and the author of a book on Strategic Marketing.

Chief musical influences influences include Muddy Waters, Howling Wolf, Peter & The Wolf, The Hour Of The Wolf and Wolfman Jack.

Jamie does the Sunday Times c-puzzle religiously and is an avid ornithologist.

MORE BIOS

• Home | 
• Music | 
• Events

© 2010 The Beta Blockers

Bob Kirzl - 12- String Guitar, Vocals

He of the missing vowel is known as B-12 because he plays the 12-string guitar and has 6 fingers on each hand, a charge he vehemently denies. “Lemme see. Six toes, yes, six fingers, no”. The twist is that he doesn’t count the two thumbs he has on each hand as fingers. Kirzl claims to have the world’s largest collect of dust bunnies amidst his 1950’s malt shop style basement train set layout. An engineer by trade, he steadfastly refuses to handle any of the band’s wiring, contending that if Tesla had intended instruments to be electrified, he would have done so before he died, or possibly shortly thereafter. B-12 leads the band in SPG (Strings Per Guitar) and is unique amongst the band members because he is the only one with a Z in his name.

In reality…Bob really is an engineer with a local fiber optics firm.

Chief musical influences include The Beatles, Bo Deitl, Bo Diddley and Bo Jackson.

Bob has four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves and a patriarchal partridge named Pere Tree.

Adam Strickland - Drums & Percussion

AKA The Battery, Adam is known by his many nicknames including Sticks, Stixie, The Quiet Psycho and Admiral. The Battery was born in Louisiana, Arkansas and Mississippi as his mother was in labor delivering as they sped across the states after robbing the Slidell Louisiana Trust by waving a crawfish painted black and disguised as a .44 magnum (It was a big crawfish). A hands-on craftsman who can build anything using only a dozen 2 X 4s and a bag of three-penny nails, he’s a natural competitor. Adam can hurl tennis rackets and pitching wedges with equal dexterity, getting good distance in the bargain, though the racket goes further.

In reality…Adam is an award winning Art Director and designer when clients allow him to exercise his considerable talents.

Chief musical influences include Ringo Starr, Richard Starkey, Ginger Baker and Ginger Snaps.

Adam gets excited watching corn grow.

George Davis - Lead Guitar, Keyboard, Vocals, Magic

Accused by some of being the "Sixth Beta Blocker", Davis, is an actual certifiable musician. He breaks from his Right Coast-to-Left Coast-and Back routine to turn up from time to time in an effort (sometimes vain) to transform the chaotic Betas into a smooth blend of NRBQ, Led Zep, the Heartbreakers and the Everly Brothers. Influenced equally by Stravinsky and Stevie Ray Vaughn, he is known in juke joints and and honky tonks from coast to coast and is no longer on the FBI’s top 10 most wanted list, having fallen to #12, two full spots after Esposito. Davis has demanded a recount. Doubling on the keyboards he commutes from east coast to west coast, completely unsure as to what coast he is on at any given point, a pretty fair example of his unstable persona. He does have lots of air miles. A closet doo wop lover, George will play Sleepwalk at the drop of a hat. Called Houdini due to his ability to disappear and reappear at will, George’s philosophy in life is debating whether the beer bottle is half full or half empty…or maybe just dark beer that looks half full when it is really completely empty.

In reality…George is point man for a leading edge Long Island-based security software developer.

Chief musical influences include Jimmy Page, Jimmy Vaughan, Jiminy Cricket, and Jimmy D. Lock.

George, a zoology major, has one of the world’s largest collections of virtual spotted mice.

MORE BIOS

• Home | 
• Music | 
• Events

© 2010 The Beta Blockers

Art Direction and design: Adam Strickland
Liner notes and copy: Jamie Stanco
Photos: Ken Farrell, Sharyn Esposito

*Listen to Joe Piket and the Storm at:
http://www.joepiket.com

Listen to gm nielsen at:
http://www.reverbnation.com/gmnielsen