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Amboog-A-Lard - Biography


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1987-1996

Biography

Amboog-A-Lard is a thrash metal band from the Ft. Lauderdale suburb of Coral Springs, Florida.

Formed in early 1987, the band eventually established itself as one of the largest drawing live acts in the South Florida metal and alternative scenes in the early 90's.

Amboog-A-Lard was originally formed by Dan Fontana, George Kokkoris and Barry Alpert while students at Coral Springs High School. They practiced in the garage of the Kokkoris family home and within months perfomed their first live show at Club Soda in the summer of 1987. Also performing at this event was 16 years old Jeordie White's band, The Ethiopians, and future Amboog-A-Lard drummer and South Floridal metal scene pioneer, Jon Somerlade and his long-running power/thrash band Panic.

Jeordie White (rhythm guitar) and Shawn Rogers (vocals) finalized the band's line-up in the summer of 1989 and the band played their first real club gig shortly after at The Treehouse in Hallandale, Florida with two other young South Florida bands starting out at the time - Malevolent Creation and Cynic.

In 1990, Dan Fontana took over lead vocal duties from the departed Shawn Rogers, and at that point the band booked two sessions at Morrisound Recording in Tampa and produced the widely distributed Pro-Demo recordings. For the next two years the band performed regularly throughout the state and would soon gain notoriety throughout Florida opening for national acts such as Saigon Kick, Anthrax, Exodus, The Ramones and many others.

Original bassist Barry Alpert departed the band in 1992 and was replaced by Bob Franquiz. Along with him a keyboardist, Chad Steinhart, joined the band. That same year Amboog-A-Lard's Jeordie White won the award for Best Rhythm Guitarist and Best Metal Song (for "Overthrown") at the first annual South Florida Slammie Awards.

In 1993, drummer Jon Somerlade joined the band, replacing George Kokkoris in time to finish writing and recording their self-financed album titled 'A New Hope' (recorded at Studio 13 in Deerfield, produced by Jeremy Staska and the band).

In December 1993, shortly after the completion of the CD, Jeordie White left the band to join Marilyn Manson. After several lineup changes which would include Mike Pallans (guitar), Bobby Blanton(Bass), and JT Gonano (bass), in 1997 Amboog-A-Lard would be disbanded by its last original member, Dan Fontana.

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