The band started one day in late June 1982, when a virtual inseparable pair of 15 year olds, John Hlumyk and Pete Drivere, decided to start the first and (arguably) the last punk rock band in West Middlesex, Pennsylvania.
The line up began with the hiring of Tony Mentzer (AKA. Dogg Wilde) as a lead vocalist. To the boys, from their youthful standpoint, Tony was exactly what they were looking for, a super witty smartass that wasn't afraid to make a fool out of himself. A unique chemistry was indeed born, both productive and caustic.
The band was rounded off with drummer Ken Laverty. Ken proved to be an awkward choice due to a strong penchant for Neil Peart of the Canadian power trio Rush. Nonetheless, the band did work and began playing live shows in various local haunts, including a debut at the infamous Cedars lounge in late 1982 on an opening slot for local favorites the 8 Balls.
In the winter of 1983 the band traveled to Elyria, Ohio to record at Yogi Recordings, This session yielded the songs "Summertime Sucks" and "Oh Baby." The band was mentored at this point by Club Wow bassist, Frank Secich. Frank had earlier been a founding member of Blue Ash and a bass player for Stiv Bators and the Dead Boys.
In the spring of 1983, Blue Ash and Dead Boy manager Geoff Jones began CO-managing the Infidels with Frank. A few months later John Koury replaced Ken Laverty as the Infidels drummer. John brought an appropriate style to the bands sound that made the lineup complete.
From '83 to early 1985 the band was riding as high as a couple of kids from West Middlesex could imagine it could! The band recorded "It's Alright," "Poor Little Rich Girl," "I Can't Take It No More," "A Thousand Years Ago," and "Mad About That Girl" with Frank and engineer Paul Pope, they had what they viewed to be professional management, lots of successful gigs ranging from New York City nightclubs to screaming highschool auditoriums..........hmmmm, the future was wide open!
1985 brought on the release of the bands first single "Mad About That Girl" backed with "A Thousand Years Ago".This came out on Jims Records which hailed out of Pittsburgh Pa. The "A" side was penned and sung by bassist John Hlumyk. This proved to be kind of a blow in expectations to singer and now rhythm guitarist Tony Mentzer, but at the same time this was symbolic of the growth and direction that the band was moving in. By early summer of 1985, Mentzer was asked to leave the band and was replaced by David Lisko a 21 year old guitar player, who had played with John Koury in a band called Problems.
David debuted with the band on the eve of the release of "Mad About That Girl." Incredibly infectious, the single received heavy airplay in the Western Pa. and North Eastern Ohio regions and combined with the guidance and work of Jones and Secich, the band shot into a regional spotlight that ran between Cleveland and Pittsburgh.
From 1985 on, the band enjoyed standing room only crowds in Youngstown, especially at Cedars, which was and still is a unique hub for what is now called "alternative rock." "Mad About That Girl" came out in Europe as an album on the GMG label out of Paris in early 1986. During this time the band had recorded and released "Infidels times Four" a 7" four song EP.
The band was back in the studio in the spring working on a single called "I Can't Make You Mine." This was backed with "Everywhere I Go." This single was the beginnings of the album "9:25 and Seven Seconds" that was released in 1988.
The tour with the Dead Boys that kicked off in Cleveland in December of 1986 was a proving ground for the band. It gave the band much needed exposure and promotion and it gave the boys a chance to prove beyond their regional confines that they were a great live band. The tour halted after a few months and resulted in Pete and John Koury filing in the Dead Boys line up for shows at the Metroplex in Atlanta and the Ritz in New York City. The Ritz performance, in all its ragged glory can be heard on Bomp Records re release of "Night of the Living Dead Boys."
The album "9:25" was a combination of the sound that the band was moving towards in the late eighties and where it had been in the mid eighties. It was released in 1988 and received many rave reviews from fans and critics alike.
As "Cheese Metal" reigned the Infidels stood out as one of a few truly alternative rock bands in the region during the late eighties. The bands homage to the melodic sounds of the sixties and punk rock of the seventies was honed to a craft during this period. Songs such as "Inside Outside" and "Glad to See You Go" charted around the world and garnered the band a following from across the States to Europe and Australia.
1990 saw the release of "Wondrous Strange" the bands most focused rock and roll album. This album focused a bit more on the bands live set with songs like "C'mon," "The Wonder of it All," "All These Tears," and "Never Satisfied." The songs on this album were all showcases of the versatility of the band. "Wondrous Strange" was probably the high point of creativity this line up produced and was their last released recorded work together until this point in time.
John Koury and David Lisko left the band in May of 1991. Replaced by drummer Dennis Kocholek and various guitarists, which included Larry Kennedy, who currently leads an eastern Pa. group called the Jellybricks. John Hlumyk departed the line up in 1992 and was eventually replaced by Mike Polombi who in 1996 formed the band Sac with Pete Drivere and Dennis Kocholek. The Infidels under the leadership of Pete Drivere continued until 1995 and played many a regional show and recorded with Kennedy, Kocholek, and Polombi most of which shows up on Sac's "Soft Spot" album from 1996.
Fast forward to the spring of 2000 where on a visit to Ampreon Recorder, David Lisko approaches Pete Drivere about getting the band back together. It was then stipulated that it would only make sense if the band would do an album and reform for an indefinite period! As of this writing the band is working on a new studio album and will be re releasing the albums "9:25 and Seven Seconds" and "Wondrous Strange" as well as other studio works that the band recorded through out it's history.
Check out the artist's website:
http://www.infidelicious.com
Track List:
1. Never Satisfied
2. Again & Again
3. Gates of Heaven
4. C'mon
5. The Wonder of It All
6. Not Fade Away
7. All These Tears
8. Any Way You Want It
9. Sunday Morning Deathwish
10. 24 & Falling
11. Make You Believe
12. Ten Feet Tall
13. Final Solution
Suggested CDs:Other Genres:
The line up began with the hiring of Tony Mentzer (AKA. Dogg Wilde) as a lead vocalist. To the boys, from their youthful standpoint, Tony was exactly what they were looking for, a super witty smartass that wasn't afraid to make a fool out of himself. A unique chemistry was indeed born, both productive and caustic.
The band was rounded off with drummer Ken Laverty. Ken proved to be an awkward choice due to a strong penchant for Neil Peart of the Canadian power trio Rush. Nonetheless, the band did work and began playing live shows in various local haunts, including a debut at the infamous Cedars lounge in late 1982 on an opening slot for local favorites the 8 Balls.
In the winter of 1983 the band traveled to Elyria, Ohio to record at Yogi Recordings, This session yielded the songs "Summertime Sucks" and "Oh Baby." The band was mentored at this point by Club Wow bassist, Frank Secich. Frank had earlier been a founding member of Blue Ash and a bass player for Stiv Bators and the Dead Boys.
In the spring of 1983, Blue Ash and Dead Boy manager Geoff Jones began CO-managing the Infidels with Frank. A few months later John Koury replaced Ken Laverty as the Infidels drummer. John brought an appropriate style to the bands sound that made the lineup complete.
From '83 to early 1985 the band was riding as high as a couple of kids from West Middlesex could imagine it could! The band recorded "It's Alright," "Poor Little Rich Girl," "I Can't Take It No More," "A Thousand Years Ago," and "Mad About That Girl" with Frank and engineer Paul Pope, they had what they viewed to be professional management, lots of successful gigs ranging from New York City nightclubs to screaming highschool auditoriums..........hmmmm, the future was wide open!
1985 brought on the release of the bands first single "Mad About That Girl" backed with "A Thousand Years Ago".This came out on Jims Records which hailed out of Pittsburgh Pa. The "A" side was penned and sung by bassist John Hlumyk. This proved to be kind of a blow in expectations to singer and now rhythm guitarist Tony Mentzer, but at the same time this was symbolic of the growth and direction that the band was moving in. By early summer of 1985, Mentzer was asked to leave the band and was replaced by David Lisko a 21 year old guitar player, who had played with John Koury in a band called Problems.
David debuted with the band on the eve of the release of "Mad About That Girl." Incredibly infectious, the single received heavy airplay in the Western Pa. and North Eastern Ohio regions and combined with the guidance and work of Jones and Secich, the band shot into a regional spotlight that ran between Cleveland and Pittsburgh.
From 1985 on, the band enjoyed standing room only crowds in Youngstown, especially at Cedars, which was and still is a unique hub for what is now called "alternative rock." "Mad About That Girl" came out in Europe as an album on the GMG label out of Paris in early 1986. During this time the band had recorded and released "Infidels times Four" a 7" four song EP.
The band was back in the studio in the spring working on a single called "I Can't Make You Mine." This was backed with "Everywhere I Go." This single was the beginnings of the album "9:25 and Seven Seconds" that was released in 1988.
The tour with the Dead Boys that kicked off in Cleveland in December of 1986 was a proving ground for the band. It gave the band much needed exposure and promotion and it gave the boys a chance to prove beyond their regional confines that they were a great live band. The tour halted after a few months and resulted in Pete and John Koury filing in the Dead Boys line up for shows at the Metroplex in Atlanta and the Ritz in New York City. The Ritz performance, in all its ragged glory can be heard on Bomp Records re release of "Night of the Living Dead Boys."
The album "9:25" was a combination of the sound that the band was moving towards in the late eighties and where it had been in the mid eighties. It was released in 1988 and received many rave reviews from fans and critics alike.
As "Cheese Metal" reigned the Infidels stood out as one of a few truly alternative rock bands in the region during the late eighties. The bands homage to the melodic sounds of the sixties and punk rock of the seventies was honed to a craft during this period. Songs such as "Inside Outside" and "Glad to See You Go" charted around the world and garnered the band a following from across the States to Europe and Australia.
1990 saw the release of "Wondrous Strange" the bands most focused rock and roll album. This album focused a bit more on the bands live set with songs like "C'mon," "The Wonder of it All," "All These Tears," and "Never Satisfied." The songs on this album were all showcases of the versatility of the band. "Wondrous Strange" was probably the high point of creativity this line up produced and was their last released recorded work together until this point in time.
John Koury and David Lisko left the band in May of 1991. Replaced by drummer Dennis Kocholek and various guitarists, which included Larry Kennedy, who currently leads an eastern Pa. group called the Jellybricks. John Hlumyk departed the line up in 1992 and was eventually replaced by Mike Polombi who in 1996 formed the band Sac with Pete Drivere and Dennis Kocholek. The Infidels under the leadership of Pete Drivere continued until 1995 and played many a regional show and recorded with Kennedy, Kocholek, and Polombi most of which shows up on Sac's "Soft Spot" album from 1996.
Fast forward to the spring of 2000 where on a visit to Ampreon Recorder, David Lisko approaches Pete Drivere about getting the band back together. It was then stipulated that it would only make sense if the band would do an album and reform for an indefinite period! As of this writing the band is working on a new studio album and will be re releasing the albums "9:25 and Seven Seconds" and "Wondrous Strange" as well as other studio works that the band recorded through out it's history.
Check out the artist's website:
http://www.infidelicious.com
Track List:
1. Never Satisfied
2. Again & Again
3. Gates of Heaven
4. C'mon
5. The Wonder of It All
6. Not Fade Away
7. All These Tears
8. Any Way You Want It
9. Sunday Morning Deathwish
10. 24 & Falling
11. Make You Believe
12. Ten Feet Tall
13. Final Solution
Suggested CDs:Other Genres:
- ROCK: Roots Rock
- ROCK: Americana
- FEATURING GUITAR