After Hades broke up I was pretty sure that was it for me, at least that's what I thought on the plane ride home from Belgium. Looking back, Non-Fiction was a lot more fun than the old Hades, because even though we  had our fights, we also got along great at times. I could get mad at Mike's work ethic, but the guy was hysterical, not to mention my favorite musician I ever played with music wise. He always knew the perfect drum parts for my riffs, and the real great thing about Mike And Kevin was they are quick learners. I'd write a riff at rehearsal and we would jam it right then and there. Tom and Jim would never do that. Fortunately, with the new Hades line-up with Ron on drums and the new and improved Ed Fuhrman, we do that as well. Non-Fiction had so many more "war" stories from the road, because we toured more. We were so hungry! If we had a show in Syracuse for $200 it didn't matter. We would drive all the way there, and not having the money for a hotel, drive all the way home get in bed at 8am. Whatever. One week we woke up in Clifton, drove to Milwaukee and played drove to Detroit, back to NJ and then a couple days later drove from NJ to Chicago, played, drove to Cleveland, back to Clifton. The first time we left NJ, we went to Cleveland and Alan got really sick. He was puking all day (I thought he was just faking it so he could get his own room). I knew he'd be ok for the show. He always was. After sound check it became apparent that Alan couldn't go on. So we did a short set. Kevin sang about 7 songs, and I attempted to sing "The My Way". The Overkill tours were the best, because no matter  what day of the week or the city, there would be about a thousand people there. We ended up doing about 40-45 shows with Overkill all over the world. Great guys, Overkill. Here's a little known fact (There’s no rhyme or reason to this bio huh?). Non-Fiction actually opened for Alice In Chains before Preface came out, right after Facelift came out, in Spring Valley, N. .We played a million shows at The Limelight in NYC when that was THE place to play on a Sunday. Always a mob scene. Non-Fiction was great. After Non-Fiction, I (Dan) reformed the original line up and called it #9. It was me, Mike Cristi, Damon Trotta, and Dan Nastasi. We recorded a amazing record that was scrapped after Nastasi got a solo deal. Alan and Mike had a band where Mike played guitar called All Time Low. Mike now has a cool band called Years Of Static. Kevin  recorded with two bands - Odd Man Out and Tickle. Plus we might soon have a surprise for you regarding Kevin. Take care. D.L.

Click an album cover for more info

  The Green E.P.

  It's A Wonderfull Lie

  In The Know

  Preface

After Non Fiction split up in 1994, Mike Cristi had a  bunch of guitar riffs he'd been playing around with and I started contributing lyrics and vocal melodies to them just for fun. The result would become essentially a 2  demo hobby band called All Time Low. The first demo done in 1995, featured Mike on drums, bass and guitar with me singing. Scott Mueller from Dog Eat Dog played Sax on the song Off The Hook from this tape. The second demo (1996) had Mike on guitar, Dave Jengo on bass and Steve Truglio on drums. Forrest Leighton eventually replaced Steve before the band called it quits after two years of playing NY/NJ clubs. Hopefully the  last few songs that the band wrote (but never recorded) will one day make it to tape and along with both demos be released on one disc through this website. -Alan

In the Fall of 1990, Ed Fuhrman teamed up with ex-Non Fiction bassist Damon Trotta and drummer Victor Barocas to form the core of what would soon evolve into the NY/NJ based System Addict. After a nine month search they were joined by  vocalist Mark Sunshine formerly with the local band Elysium. The band proceeded to record a five song demo (the blue one) in the spring of 1991. Soon after its release they began playing local shows to  support the demo and try to build a local following. The tape received favorable reviews in the local trade papers as well as some national and international fanzines. After a year of hard work  and many East coast gigs the group actually had quite a buzz going in the industry. A few of the major labels showed some interest and the band did many showcases to try and get a record deal. Unfortunately because of the extreme diversity of System Addict's music the record labels were unwilling to take a chance on the group. System Addict's busy touring schedule was apparently too much for the drummer to handle so he departed and was quickly replaced by the talented Mike Watt; If Mr. Watt sounds familiar, he is currently the drummer of The Step Kings on Roadrunner Records. (Go Mike!) After that lineup change, the quartet hit the studio once again to record a four song EP entitled "Sickness & Wealth". Although  the band still didn't have a record deal they were able to negotiate a small distribution deal with a European label. The EP ultimately sold a few thousand copies, but support for the band back home was waning. The group was finding it more difficult to get booked at local clubs and all interest from record labels had faded. In November 1994 vocalist Sunshine was asked to leave the band due to personal differences. He was replaced in early 1995 by Scott Symonds. Scott was young and inexperienced but had a cool voice, so he was given the chance to fill Mark's shoes. Once again the band entered the studio to record another four song demo. This proved to be the death blow to the group. Scott and Mike were both sick and Ed got food poisoning on the first day of the recording. Needless to say the end result was disastrous. The demo sounded like crap and the band had no money left to do it over again. One of these four songs appears on the US release of Exist To Resist as a bonus track. System Addict played its last show in April of 1995 and disbanded shortly thereafter.

From June of 1989 to June of 1990 I was lucky enough to sing for what is arguably the most progressive metal band ever, Watchtower. Having been penpals with their original singer Jason McMaster for several years, I had the inside track on getting the  gig as his replacement when he left to pursue his career fronting the band Dangerous Toys. Initially I turned down the offer to join because Hades was on their way to Europe for our first overseas  tour. When we broke up mid-tour I made the decision to try out for Tower when I got back to the States. I flew to the band's home state of Texas and auditioned. They had just secured a  deal with Germany's Noise Records and lucky for me, I got the job. I returned home for just two weeks before I found myself back on a plane headed for Berlin, Germany to sing  on Control and Resistance, Tower's debut for Noise Records. We toured with Coroner in Europe that year and did a bunch of shows throughout Texas. Dan Lorenzo even booked  some NY/NJ shows for us that turned out to be pretty cool. We played with the original lineup of Non Fiction and even opened for a Hades reunion at Brooklyn's legendary club L'amour. After a year with the band we were confronted with a couple of things that lead me to leave Watchtower and join Non Fiction. Guitatrist Ron Jarzombek's fingers were really messed up and his doctor did not know when or even if he could play again. Noise was anxious for new material and we did not know if we could even write any due to Ron's ailment. Also, I wanted to expand my voice by using my mid and lower registers in conjunction with  the high vocals that the band was known for, since Jason's days in front of the mic. The band was adament that I continue to sing high and needless to say that did  not jive with me. I quit and moved back to New Jersey to join up with Dan's Non Fiction which was at that point singerless. Jason now has a cool Watchtower website that you should check out. The address is www.baremaster.com/watchtower/. Check out his other bands, (yeah, he's a busy boy) at his home site: www.baremaster.com. -Alan

New Jersey metalhead guitarist Dan Dalley asked me to sing on  this cd around the time that Non Fiction was disbanding. Dan had written all of the lyrics and melodies for the cd so I just came in and basically screamed my head off. The experience really sent me back in time since the material is very METAL in the traditional power metal sense of the word! I got to really let loose with some high register stuff and after being able to explore my low and mid vocal range with Non Fiction, this was a pleasant and challenging change. To see what Dan Dalley is up to check out his site at www.dalleymusic.com. -Alan

In 1983 Megaforce Records decided to release it's first ever compilation cd-Born To Metalize.4 local bands got a couple songs each.Everybody got to record at Music America in Rochester-except for us.Dan and former bassist Lou Ciarlo got to fly up to Rochester with Johnny Z. to remix two previously recorded Hades tracks Gloomy Sunday and Rogues March.

-Dan

Brian Slagel had asked Hades to be on Metal Massacre 3 (or was it 4?)  but a young attorney friend suggested the band pass (another reason we still hate lawyers). Metal Massacre 6 came out in 1984 and featured the Hades song Easy Way Out.This was the last
widely distributed material with the old Hades line-up.Dan,T.Coombs,Paul Smith on vocals,Joe Casilli guitar,Lou Ciarlo bass.

-Dan