John Sullivan -- lead vocals, piano, guitar, harmonica
Steve Glover -- drums, percussion
Russ Rogers -- guitar, mandolin and pedal steel guitar
George Gelish -- bass, backing vocals
Steve Marsh -- tenor, alto and soprano saxophone
The John Sullivan Brigade is an original New York classic rock veteran quintet from western Long Island, consisting of vocalist/pianist/guitarist John Sullivan, drummer Steve Glover, guitarist Russ Rogers, saxophonist Steve Marsh and bassist/vocalist George Gelish. Profiled in Newsday and reviewed by All Music Guide, they have performed at NYC and LI festivals and shows alongside top recording artists. The JSB will release a double CD ‘concept album’ in early 2010 with rock producer Robert ‘Void’ Caprio.
Formed in 2005 as a "fresh voice" for the 35-and-over crowd who still love hard rock music, the John Sullivan Brigade first began with Sully developing his niche on the unforgiving New York City metro club circuit in the mid-1990s. When Sullivan decided to organize his first solo-fronted band, the Pete Townshend-influenced songwriter knew he had to bring in musicians with unique classic rock chops. Sullivan accomplished that with the Brigade, as Gelish's mix of melodic backing vocals and rhythmic bass, Marsh's swirling tenor, soprano and alto saxophone sounds, Glover's three-plus decades of power drumming and experiences and Rogers's acoustic and electric guitar stylings add to Sully’s raucous vocals and power-chord dominating guitar and piano attack.
Although the self-titled, 2005 ten-song release gave the JSB its footing for the NYC’s M.E.A.N.Y Festival and a gig with Squeeze’s Glenn Tilbrook out on Long Island’s East End, the lineup was not complete until 2008’s A Sound Opportunity For Your Last Music Purchase. The difference was noticeable at Sabella Studios and Hollow Body Studios, as their sessions introduced harmonies, sax, pedal steel guitar and mandolin. After appearing at the Great South Bay Music Festival, Sully completed home demos for a 23-song, double CD 'concept album' scheduled for early 2010. Tentatively titled ‘JSB3’, this project could put the JSB on the rock music map. The JSB is in pre-production and recording demos for Void, a two-decade engineer/producer on major artists' projects (Carly Simon, Peter Gabriel, Live, Megadeth), L.I.'s hot band Push Play and doing sound on the David Cook ('American Idol') / Ryan Star ('Rock Star: Supernova') Spring 2009 tour.