Tom
Bittel
Guitar, vocals, songwriting
Tom has been writing songs and playing guitar in rock bands for a very very long time. His first band performed rock 'n roll songs of the 50's and 60's. Tom played lead guitar in a style combining elements of Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, and the Ventures. In 1984, Tom joined an Hartford band called "The Broken Hearts," which recorded a 9-song LP of original tunes titled "Want One?" Tom was later a member of "See Jane Run," a Connecticut band that released two CDs of original music in 1994 and 2004. In 2002, Tom released his own 13-track CD of solo recordings titled "Dad's Noisy Basement."
Tom wrote and recorded some twangy instrumentals for the yet-to-be realized Aquatudes in 2006. In June of 2007, he met drummer Dick Bascom through the North East Surf Music Alliance (NESMA) - and then the real fun began...and it continues to this day! |
Dick
Bascom
Drums, vocals
Dick began hitting the hides at the age of ten in the mid-1960's.
"Having chops" back then meant being able to thump a respectable
"Wipe Out" surf rock drum solo on the the school bus seat
cushions. Dick spent his fist years as a drummer terrorizing several
school band directors by day, and then by night playing the central
CT bar scene in the country rock band "Anonymous." Dick
played a regular schedule of bar gigs, social club dances and weddings,
which included the surf classics Pipeline, Walk, Don't Run, and
of course, Wipe Out. After taking an extended time-out to live the
American Dream, Dick expanded on the theme and hooked up with some
other old guys in 2006, and played drums in Connecticut's Classic
Rock scene for a bit. He also helped satisfy his need to play and
coach by offering drum lessons to beginning drummers, where the
"surf beat" is required learning. Dick found the NESMA
Surf rock classified ads in the spring of 2007, and soon made Tom's
acquaintance to provide the drums for the emerging Aquatudes. |
Mike Rocchetti
Bass, vocals
Mike started playing rock & roll and blowing fuses in 1974 on an electric bass guitar (a short-scale Fender Musicmaster Bass with a 100 watt Fender Bassman Amp) that he bought with money earned working at a local shipyard in New London Connecticut. After ten years of raising hell, playing occasional gigs at local biker bars, sometimes disturbing the peace, and oftentimes dealing with irate neighbors, barking dogs, and local cops, he set his bass aside to focus on his schooling, career and family. After a long hiatus of musical inactivity, Mike jumped back in to the music scene in 2009 and hit the ground running. Mike lately plays a Fender Bass VI. His musical style is influenced by great bassists like Paul McCartney, Brian Wilson, Glenn Hughes, Tim Bogert, Jack Bruce, Rocco Prestia, Bob Babbit, John Paul Jones and many more. |
PART-TIME 'TUDE
Dr. Dave Bittel: Combo Organ, Vocals
Dave also happens to be Tom's brother. The two have a long history of playing together in bands, going back to their late teens. Dave has occasionally joined the Aquatudes with his groovy red Nord Electro, adding organ and piano to the mix. He also takes the lead on some organ-based instrumental tunes originally played by the likes of Booker T. & the MG's, Dave "Baby" Cortez, and Johnny and the Hurricanes. |
'TUDES ALUMNUS
Fred
Magetteri: bass
Fred provided the driving bass lines for the first three years of The Aquatudes' live shows.
He also performed on several of the band's demo recordings - three of which have appeared on the annual online compilations on the Surf Guitar 101 website (http://surfguitar101.com). We're all still friends and Fred has filled in on bass a few times with us since. |
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