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About Lareau | The Band

Larry Lareau

Lead Singer
larry@lareau.net

A singer/songwriter/piano man is nothing new but Larry Lareau didn’t follow the likeliest career path to forming his new band, Lareau.

The requisite childhood piano lessons led him to performing in the opera “William Penn” at the Academy of Music in Philadelphia with stars from the Metropolitan Opera. He studied voice with Rosalind Hupp (formerly of the Met) and performed in the opera “Idomineo” at the Walnut Street Theater in Philly. Being greatly influenced by The Beatles, Larry began to compose music at the age of 10 and hasn’t stopped, although it’s not operatic.

He wrote all of the music and lyrics -- and performed the vocals and piano on “Reasons Why” -- an engaging pop/rock/ alternative first CD released in Germany as well as in the U.S. In fact, Larry performed as a solo act, singing and playing the piano in multiple venues in Germany last year, concluding with a New Year’s Eve concert in Munich, which included songs from “Reasons Why” as well as his second CD, to be released next year. Like “Reasons Why”, this new CD is written by Larry and is almost complete with guitar, bass and drum tracks on three of the songs provided by three members of the Grammy-nominated group “Sonic Flood.” Other notables contributing to “Reasons Why” were Dave Hone and Anthony Mena. The title track from “Reasons Why”, as well as two others ( “I’ll Find A Way” and “Captiva”) are enjoying airplay in the Germany, Spain and the U.S.

Darrin Payne
Drums
darrin@lareau.net

Darrin Payne’s heavy keyboard influences and vocal background lend themselves to a perfect musical partnership with Larry’s writing for the piano and album production style. Not one to stick with just his classical piano training, Darrin shifted to formal percussion study including jazz, big band, drum corps and symphonic and musical theater percussion. His original keyboard training melded with his eclectic percussion background resulting in the group “Brandy Lies” which reveled in a 12-year career, beginning in 1991. As one of the region’s top rock original bands, “Brandy Lies” opened for groups such as Blue Oyster Cult, Yngwie Malmstien, Warrant, McQueen Street and Jackal. Contributing writing and production to four of “Brandy Lies' "releases, Darrin enjoyed regional success in sales and Top 40 play in New York and Pennsylvania. The opportunity to work behind the scenes with the sound companies for Whitesnake, David Lee Roth, Cinderella, Extreme, Def Leppard, Bare Naked Ladies, Slaughter, and Ozzy Osborne only enhanced the skills that Darrin honed while working for many professional engineers and producers including touring bassist Paul Cullen (Bad Company). The early influences ff Asia, Yes and Journey which are evident in his writing and playing style. And growing up with a classically trained vocalist for a mother also influenced the intricate vocal harmonies which Darrin contributes to Lareau.

Pete Gool
Guitar
pete@lareau.net

An original “euro-rock” band -- fp503 -- released its first CD -- “Pink” in ‘93. And its sucees was due in no small part to guitarist Pete Gool’s very versatile style of playing. Starting out as a bass player early in his career, Pete learned how to “groove” with a variety of drummers and integrates a controlled rhythmic approach to his guitar playing. His style is clean and melodic but he easily turns up the heat when he has to.

Pete’s experience spans many years of study and he enjoyed a great run with fp503: 2 CDs plus the commission to write, record and perform Erie’s official bicentennial song “200 Years. Additionally, he was the commissioned guitarist/bassist for productions of “Little Shop of Horrors”, “Doonesbury” as well as for the bands Avante Garde, Blackmail, And Grandfather’s. You have to be one versatile player to zip through euro-rock, techno-rock, hard rock and all original “rockabilly.”

Pete has also played large venues in Cleveland and Pittsburgh, sharing the stage with such notables as Modern English, Chuck Mangione, The Affordable Floors and Kama Sutra.

Roger Christopherson –
Bass
Roger@lareau.net
Roger Christopherson has been playing bass guitar since he was 12 years old but his musical training began on piano at age 3. He studied piano for several years, took vocal coaching in college and is also an accomplished guitarist as well. Bass became his main instrument when he heard John Entwistle and The Who for the first time. Rogers’ early influences were mainly the rock bands of the late sixties and seventies but considers himself to be a conisieur of all styles. Roger was also a founding member of "Brandy Lies” and enjoyed the radio play along with Darrin. Constant live shows has made Roger no stranger to the stage. Concerts with Warrant, B.O.C., Yngwie Malmsteen , Canadian favorites Brighton Rock as well as others will always be highlights of his career. Working with Paul Cullen (from Bad Company) in the studio was an enlightening and educational experience. Roger is quite a prolific songwriter and has had many of his songs on the Brandy Lies releases. Roger also had the experience of working backstage with Whitesnake, Kiss, Slaughter and the 80's band Faster Pussycat. This, mixed with his versatility and pure love of music, has made Roger the perfect fit for Lareau’s original style and sound.

Anthony Brown

Keyboard
anthony@lareau.net

Anthony Brown is an entirely self-taught musician. Born and raised in Warren, PA as the youngest of 6 children, he was exposed to the music of older siblings. Playing keyboards since the age of 16, he made himself into one of the most sought after musicians and studio producers in his home area of Western Pennsylvania and New York. His first exposure to music was on the drum set, but quickly realized that the boards are where he was meant to be.

Being influenced by many Progressive rock and metal bands of the 80’s, and 90’s Anthony’s style developed into an inspired form of complex orchestrations and soloing. And spending time playing live with bands that paid tribute to bands like Queensryche and Dream Theater, Anthony began to write for and create his own “virtual” progressive projects that included solo material and a prog metal band called Graphite Symphony.

These projects allowed Anthony to realize his natural given talent of studio recording and producing and after the successful dual release of the first two Graphite Symphony CD’s; he decided to head off to Recording School. Moving to Arizona for a couple of years, Anthony attended The Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences and upon returning with honed skills to compliment his natural ability, the 3rd Graphite Symphony CD was made and released to an eager home audience.

Lareau quickly grabbed up the newly returned Brown as keyboardist, back-up vocalist, and co-producer while finishing the recording of the “Changes” CD. Anthony’s style of orchestration has continued to influence the group’s sounds in new and unique directions and his live solo work and complex synth textures make Lareau a strong act on the stage as well as the studio.