BAND BIO
Tony Conklin – Lead Vocals, Lead & Rhythm Guitars
John Watson (JW) — Lead & Rhythm Guitars, Background Vocals
Gus Garces – Bass
Jeff Carroll – Drums
The Music:
RIFFHANGER is an all original hard rock band whose music and lyrics are spawned from the band members’ real life experiences. There is a cinematic quality to their sound that lends itself to the active imagination. When listening to RIFFHANGER, you become the protagonist in a live action film, each song an epic adventure via your mind’s eye.
RIFFHANGER’s musicians are pupils of the early architects of hard rock, acid rock and heavy metal. While they are true to the foundation laid down by their forefathers (you know who they are), the band has an endless supply of fresh riffs and soulful dynamics not exhibited by today’s brand of rock.
RIFFHANGER was formed out of the bonds of longstanding relationships spanning three decades of collaborations, on a personal and professional level. Their tight, heavy sound is built on their collective experience of hundreds of live shows and countless recording and mixing sessions.
The Band:
Most of RIFFHANGER’s members work in and around the financial services industry.
Lead Vocalist and Guitarist, Tony Conklin, is a 20-year veteran of the equities business, the past nine of which he’s been the Associate Director of Research at Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. For three decades Tony has lived a double life as a Wall Street executive by day, and a hard rock shredder by night.
Bassist, Gus Garces and Guitarist, John “JW” Watson are both connected into the financial world as organizers of some of the biggest public and privately held music events, product launches, and fundraisers hosted by Fortune 500 companies, Investment Banks, and charitable organizations. Via their respective production companies – Production Glue and Bentley Meeker – these guys have worked with a laundry list of A-listers whose names you’ll find on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Drummer, Jeff Carroll, is a veteran of the Sports Retailing business, currently running multiple categories for the largest sporting goods store in New York City, Paragon Sports. Not only is Jeff an extreme skier and outdoor sports enthusiast, he is viewed by some Wall St analysts as a valuable subject matter expert who has keen insight into trends in athletic footwear, apparel, and branded equipment.
This well rounded quartet is ready to take the stage again for the first time in many years to support very worthy causes via the Wall Street Rocks Battle of the bands, and they intend to steal the show in the process.