When Marc joined PIERCED in October of 2023, it was not at all lost on him what a monumental full-circle moment it WAS… Because it was an exuberant re-joining of forces with his original LION-HEARTED rhythm section mate, Joe D’Aqui.
After being co-founders of that band 11-1/2 years earlier in March of 2012, they spent six years together and produced three studio albums.
When Joe left to pursue playing the type of heavier music that was near and dear to his drumming heart in PIERCED, it was an understandable but sad parting of ways. Marc considered himself fortunate to have played with Joe, and was grateful to him for supplying the heartbeat(s), and for giving him the confidence to realize a dream that also involved finally being a frontman.
So, when the opportunity came to be in a band with Joe again playing the music that meant so much to HIM — Marc was ALL IN!!! (A full circle payback!)
“Bino”, as he is affectionately known as by friends and fans, brings 45 years of experience playing the bass (as well as a vast collection of them).
He has been an integral part of bands that have experienced various levels of success over those years — No Limit, Sacrifice, Concrete Jungle, Saving Grace, Highway Jones, maybe pete, Kimon & The Prophets, and LION-HEARTED.
To date, Concrete Jungle was the one band that garnered the most acclaim on a global scale. Thirty six years after the Indy release of their only album in 1988 (“Wear And Tear”), people from all over the world still search for this rare indy release, and contact Marc with words of praise that are humbling to say the least.
Before that, Sacrifice was a big band in the New York City music scene for 5 years playing multiple gigs on a monthly basis. They spent one year being the house band at L’Amour East in Queens. They headlined every Thursday night, and opened for national acts coming through town there (as well as at L’Amour in Brooklyn) on weekends, sharing the bill with bands such as Leslie West, Robin Trower, Zebra, White Lion, and Twisted Sister.
In Marc’s 4 years in Saving Grace, the band opened for diverse bands like Tom Tom Club, Quiet Riot, and Eric Johnson. They released 2 studio albums (the second being under the name Highway Jones).
Voted Best Roots Band in the Asbury Music Awards, maybe pete was a mainstay in that Jersey shore town’s scene for the 6 years he spent in that band. They played The Stone Pony, Wonderbar, and The Saint (among other venues in and around the area) on a regular basis. He also did regional mini tours with them that included Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, West Virginia, Detroit, Boston, and Kentucky. They released 2 studio albums.
During 3-1/2 years in Kimon & The Prophets, the band released 2 critically-acclaimed albums and went to Memphis to represent New Jersey in the International Blues Challenge in 2011. Marc still plays occasionally with them today.
Marc met Joe in that band, and spent a couple of months together in it before leaving to form LION-HEARTED. They started by writing songs with just bass and drums, and eventually recruited Pete Pineyro to play guitar on 2 studio albums in 4 years. After Pete left, Marc and Joe replaced him with Rafael Rivera and produced another studio album in the two years before Joe left.
In accepting the challenge to join PIERCED, Marc is embarking on journey to play the heaviest and most technically intricate music of his life AND IS LOVING IT!
As he puts it: “In addition to joining Joe — Playing in a band of brothers with the awesome guitarist John Barone and the legendary vocalist Rob Middleton has been a BLAST!”
He has already gained a great deal of respect for the their abilities (and appreciation for being in a band with such amazingly great personalities).
Marc gives props to his bass-playing predecessors in PIERCED, Mike Thomas and Pete Rizzi (with special thanks to Pete, who helped Marc become acclimated with the songs and parts he had already excellently recorded).
And now, in adding the excellent skills of Rafael “Riffy” Rivera to the band, the full LION-HEARTED lineup from their last studio album is part of PIERCED — About as full as “full circle” can GET!!!
Marc’s musical background began by experiencing the work his father Thomas put in as a professional musician who toured and played with such legendary musical luminaries as Lionel Hampton, Bill Watrous, Celia Cruz, Mel Torme, Gerry Mulligan, Gene Krupa, Tito Puente, BB King, and Buddy Rich. His father’s own 26-piece Rock/Jazz band, “The UMANO Orchestra”, was a kick-ass tour de force whose recordings still provide the adrenaline boost Marc enjoys on the way to every gig.
Marc’s goal in PIERCED is to help continue the success the band has already experienced, and hopefully elevate it to another level… As he adds his style on the live stage to songs already recorded… And looks forward with GREAT expectations to seeing what new material the chemistry of this new lineup will whip up.