There are some individuals who are graced with more than one ability, giving them that extra edge. Growing up as a drummer/musician, Michael Lombardi new where he was going. Until one day, his ambitions lead him to acting on a hit TV Series called “Rescue Me.” Now, getting back to his roots, Lombardi is all about multitasking and proving that his abilities are beyond measure in his new band called Apache Stone. One thing is for sure, the future of Apache Stone is bright and full of great success.
STILLCODA: How was the transition from being a drummer/musician to an actor and coming back full circle?
MICHAEL: I started playing drums when I was young; my uncle was a great drummer and bought me my first drum set. Later on, I went to a drummer’s school in New York City and was exposed to acting, Broadway, everything. It just opened a lot of doors that I hadn’t previously been exposed to. So I started the acting, started taking the acting classes, where you’re trained to use everything you had. When you’re playing drums, you get into the tunes and movements and become “one” with it. It’s the same thing with acting, you get into character and both of those things kind of come together in that moment. I had worked on my voice, written a lot of lyrics, poetry over the years and turned them into songs that told a story that you want to know.
STILLCODA: What were people’s reactions like when you started talking about forming a band, especially seeing that most were used to working with you on a acting stand point?
MICHAEL: Being in a band has always been my thing, playing in several throughout the years; it’s always been my number one thing. I’ve been so, so, so fortunate to be a working actor and having a passion for music, has been amazing. I think people on “Rescue Me” kind of knew that I had passion for music, knowing that I played drums, but didn’t realize to what level I was taking it. I think their response was “Oh boy, what’s this going to be…” (laughs). Dennis Leary, the shows writers, and a few other people found out that I was in a band. And like a lot of the story lines in “Rescue Me,” they pull things out of real life while making it very comedic and dramatic, adds more to the story. Dennis Leary actually came to see us play a few times and ended up writing in an interesting story line for me with the band. I think they realized it was more serious for me and it went better than they thought. With the story line, there are very comedic elements, but we were able to put on there a bunch of our original songs.
STILLCODA: What are some of the hardest things you have to work with or work around while being a musician and an actor?
MICHAEL: It’s been very difficult, but worth it. I usually know when I’m shooting in New York City for “Rescue Me” for 22 Episodes, knowing when my character’s needed, my storyline, all of it. So on the off time of doing that, I’d be in studio, writing with the band, practicing, rehearsing, all of it. While working as an actor, I’ve been very fortunate to have been able to afford studio time whenever we can get in there. Committing to a band is a tremendous amount of work, not only are you working with different personalities but dealing with everything else that comes from a band. Booking shows, promoting, booking hotels, getting venues, recording, getting producers, everything is involved.
STILLCODA: On a normal day for you, what’s filled in?
MICHAEL: A lot of the time, I know that I’ll be filming all day and that I’ll be done at a certain time. Sometimes we do 12-14 hour days but other days we’ll do 16-18 hour days. So I always know when I’ll be off. So if I go in at 6am, I’ll be done by 6pm and have rehearsal at 7pm. Other days we’ll have rehearsal per episode.
STILLCODA: What have been some of the expectations you’ve gotten from people that have been with you through this whole process with the music?
MICHAEL: Being an actor and being in a band, there’s always this kind of stigma around it and I totally understand that, but I’m doing what I love to do. I know that there are so many other actors doing the same thing, but there are also a lot of musicians who act as well. So you just have to do your thing and enjoy every step of the way, no matter what you end up or where it takes you. I’m definitely learning a lot but I have to say, I think the music stands on its own and I’m very proud of it.
STILLCODA: Having the music stand on its own is what makes it for any band, it’s makes them memorable. How did you find the other members of the band to join you in this?
MICHAEL: I started playing with Hank Woods, which is the guitar player, and I met him through a mutual friend. He and I started playing together and we had a drummer and a bass player at the time. So we’d rehearse and have fun, did some cover songs then I really started getting serious about it. Hank and I had a pretty good vision of where we wanted to go with it but the drummer and bass player we had at the time, didn’t. So we moved on and Hank had a friend Mark that he went to Berkley with. He said “Hey, I have this drummer and he’s great!” So we auditioned Mark and we brought him in. Then Mark had a friend who was a bass player, David. So we met with David and he was awesome, he knew all the songs coming in so he added so much more. Then Nick, the other guitar player came in and we widen the sound and have a complete group now. We’d rehearsal like 4 days a week, put gigs under our belt and everything. Now we have a real band, people that stand behind each other.
STILLCODA: What are some of the future plans for Apache Stone?
MICHAEL: Right now, we’re just focused on getting to the next level. We have a great manager, Becky that just jumped on board with us. She’s helped booking us with some great charity events for the Firefighters along with some shows along the way. It’s perfect to be able to play for Firefighters as their jobs are so dangerous and they’re such amazing people. So we’re just taking it to the next level by playing a lot more throughout the summer. We have a bunch of options for record labels; we have songs on ITunes, Myspace, all of the social networks. So right now, we’re getting a lot of great responses from everyone, from the internet, everything. Hopefully we’ll grow enough that we can tour and get another album written within the next year or two. So we’ll see what happens and I’m going to enjoy the ride for as long as I can. Have fun playing!
STILLCODA: When you’re writing a song, what are things that you pull from around to help create that song?
MICHAEL: I really write for the thought of the song. Whether I want it to have a killer bass or a hard rock tone, I like to think of the song and how it’ll make me feel. A lot of my stuff isn’t majorly up tempo, its more music that can really move you and expresses a lot. I’ll take that feeling, take some poetry that I’ve written and write about what I know from my own life’s journey. I’m really, really driven by lyrics and telling the story. I want to make it colorful but explaining it in a way that a symbol for a word can be used instead of an actual word.
STILLCODA: What is one song that either you or others are really drawn to most out of all the ones you’ve performed or that are out there?
MICHAEL: So far, we have about 3-4 songs on our Myspace page that people listen to. “Synthetic Self” is the one that’s on the airwaves right now, so that one seems to be drawing people in more. But other people tell me “Highlighted Life” is their favorite. I love them both but there’s a song called “Let it Live” that’s a really killer tune. There’s another song called “Ways to Nowhere” that has a really nice open chorus to open it up. It’s hard to say which one I’m more drawn to as they’re all ones I’m drawn to. “Without Tomorrow” has that epic classic rock feeling to it that’s one of my favorites.
STILLCODA: We definitely can’t wait to hear everything you guys are working on and see what the future holds for the band! Apache Stone has a clear path ahead of it and I for one can’t wait to see it!
MICHAEL: Thank you so much! We can’t wait to be able to get out there and play for you and for everyone!
Make sure to stop by and listen to Apache Stones new music and keep an eye out for their shows and future appearances on the hit TV Series “Rescue Me.” Links to Apache Stone: MYSPACE: www.myspace.com/apachestonemusic FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/pages/Apache-Stone
STILLCODA: How was the transition from being a drummer/musician to an actor and coming back full circle?
MICHAEL: I started playing drums when I was young; my uncle was a great drummer and bought me my first drum set. Later on, I went to a drummer’s school in New York City and was exposed to acting, Broadway, everything. It just opened a lot of doors that I hadn’t previously been exposed to. So I started the acting, started taking the acting classes, where you’re trained to use everything you had. When you’re playing drums, you get into the tunes and movements and become “one” with it. It’s the same thing with acting, you get into character and both of those things kind of come together in that moment. I had worked on my voice, written a lot of lyrics, poetry over the years and turned them into songs that told a story that you want to know.
STILLCODA: What were people’s reactions like when you started talking about forming a band, especially seeing that most were used to working with you on a acting stand point?
MICHAEL: Being in a band has always been my thing, playing in several throughout the years; it’s always been my number one thing. I’ve been so, so, so fortunate to be a working actor and having a passion for music, has been amazing. I think people on “Rescue Me” kind of knew that I had passion for music, knowing that I played drums, but didn’t realize to what level I was taking it. I think their response was “Oh boy, what’s this going to be…” (laughs). Dennis Leary, the shows writers, and a few other people found out that I was in a band. And like a lot of the story lines in “Rescue Me,” they pull things out of real life while making it very comedic and dramatic, adds more to the story. Dennis Leary actually came to see us play a few times and ended up writing in an interesting story line for me with the band. I think they realized it was more serious for me and it went better than they thought. With the story line, there are very comedic elements, but we were able to put on there a bunch of our original songs.
STILLCODA: What are some of the hardest things you have to work with or work around while being a musician and an actor?
MICHAEL: It’s been very difficult, but worth it. I usually know when I’m shooting in New York City for “Rescue Me” for 22 Episodes, knowing when my character’s needed, my storyline, all of it. So on the off time of doing that, I’d be in studio, writing with the band, practicing, rehearsing, all of it. While working as an actor, I’ve been very fortunate to have been able to afford studio time whenever we can get in there. Committing to a band is a tremendous amount of work, not only are you working with different personalities but dealing with everything else that comes from a band. Booking shows, promoting, booking hotels, getting venues, recording, getting producers, everything is involved.
STILLCODA: On a normal day for you, what’s filled in?
MICHAEL: A lot of the time, I know that I’ll be filming all day and that I’ll be done at a certain time. Sometimes we do 12-14 hour days but other days we’ll do 16-18 hour days. So I always know when I’ll be off. So if I go in at 6am, I’ll be done by 6pm and have rehearsal at 7pm. Other days we’ll have rehearsal per episode.
STILLCODA: What have been some of the expectations you’ve gotten from people that have been with you through this whole process with the music?
MICHAEL: Being an actor and being in a band, there’s always this kind of stigma around it and I totally understand that, but I’m doing what I love to do. I know that there are so many other actors doing the same thing, but there are also a lot of musicians who act as well. So you just have to do your thing and enjoy every step of the way, no matter what you end up or where it takes you. I’m definitely learning a lot but I have to say, I think the music stands on its own and I’m very proud of it.
STILLCODA: Having the music stand on its own is what makes it for any band, it’s makes them memorable. How did you find the other members of the band to join you in this?
MICHAEL: I started playing with Hank Woods, which is the guitar player, and I met him through a mutual friend. He and I started playing together and we had a drummer and a bass player at the time. So we’d rehearse and have fun, did some cover songs then I really started getting serious about it. Hank and I had a pretty good vision of where we wanted to go with it but the drummer and bass player we had at the time, didn’t. So we moved on and Hank had a friend Mark that he went to Berkley with. He said “Hey, I have this drummer and he’s great!” So we auditioned Mark and we brought him in. Then Mark had a friend who was a bass player, David. So we met with David and he was awesome, he knew all the songs coming in so he added so much more. Then Nick, the other guitar player came in and we widen the sound and have a complete group now. We’d rehearsal like 4 days a week, put gigs under our belt and everything. Now we have a real band, people that stand behind each other.
STILLCODA: What are some of the future plans for Apache Stone?
MICHAEL: Right now, we’re just focused on getting to the next level. We have a great manager, Becky that just jumped on board with us. She’s helped booking us with some great charity events for the Firefighters along with some shows along the way. It’s perfect to be able to play for Firefighters as their jobs are so dangerous and they’re such amazing people. So we’re just taking it to the next level by playing a lot more throughout the summer. We have a bunch of options for record labels; we have songs on ITunes, Myspace, all of the social networks. So right now, we’re getting a lot of great responses from everyone, from the internet, everything. Hopefully we’ll grow enough that we can tour and get another album written within the next year or two. So we’ll see what happens and I’m going to enjoy the ride for as long as I can. Have fun playing!
STILLCODA: When you’re writing a song, what are things that you pull from around to help create that song?
MICHAEL: I really write for the thought of the song. Whether I want it to have a killer bass or a hard rock tone, I like to think of the song and how it’ll make me feel. A lot of my stuff isn’t majorly up tempo, its more music that can really move you and expresses a lot. I’ll take that feeling, take some poetry that I’ve written and write about what I know from my own life’s journey. I’m really, really driven by lyrics and telling the story. I want to make it colorful but explaining it in a way that a symbol for a word can be used instead of an actual word.
STILLCODA: What is one song that either you or others are really drawn to most out of all the ones you’ve performed or that are out there?
MICHAEL: So far, we have about 3-4 songs on our Myspace page that people listen to. “Synthetic Self” is the one that’s on the airwaves right now, so that one seems to be drawing people in more. But other people tell me “Highlighted Life” is their favorite. I love them both but there’s a song called “Let it Live” that’s a really killer tune. There’s another song called “Ways to Nowhere” that has a really nice open chorus to open it up. It’s hard to say which one I’m more drawn to as they’re all ones I’m drawn to. “Without Tomorrow” has that epic classic rock feeling to it that’s one of my favorites.
STILLCODA: We definitely can’t wait to hear everything you guys are working on and see what the future holds for the band! Apache Stone has a clear path ahead of it and I for one can’t wait to see it!
MICHAEL: Thank you so much! We can’t wait to be able to get out there and play for you and for everyone!
Make sure to stop by and listen to Apache Stones new music and keep an eye out for their shows and future appearances on the hit TV Series “Rescue Me.” Links to Apache Stone: MYSPACE: www.myspace.com/apachestonemusic FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/pages/Apache-Stone
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