Generation Seven
El Cerrito, California, United States | Established. Jan 01, 2015
Bio
Gen-7 started as a studio production project between Bryan “Brain” Mantia, Melissa Reese and Allen Ling. Our network of musicians allows us to invite other amazing talent to play and contribute to our work. We love music and our songs show that...weather it is a jazzy riff on the bass, the electronic beats in the studio, the seductive crooning vocals, or the drums that are all rock and roll the combination makes us what we are: modernized 80's retro music.
Brain met Allen Ling in 2005. Allen is a physical therapist and ran a multi-clinic business and had been diagnosed with terminal cancer just a month before. Brain reminded Allen of his passion for music that been set aside so long ago. Allen shared some old 4 to 8 track demos that he did back in the 1980s with Brain and from there they began a musical production collaboration that continues to this day. Allen doesn’t regret putting aside music to focus on patient care and sending his kids off to college, he is a living reminder that it's never too late to live your dream. Allen is in full remission and works with Brain and Melissa on various projects.
Before Brain Mantia began blessing Gen-7 with his elaborate grooves on the drums he has worked with such headliners as Primus, Godflesh, and Guns N Roses (imagine the stories he has to share!) as well as passing along his knowledge of how to shred on the drums in the video "Longtime, the Ostinto and the Up and Down technique". Brain joined up with Melissa as commercial music production partners shortly after meeting Allen.
Singer Melissa Reese is a musical prodigy and her talent is astounding! She sings the National Anthem at NBA and MLB games, she is an enchantress with ProTools, producing and composing music for popular video games, commercials, and music videos with Brain and of course singing with Gen-7.
Brian Kehoe, the local king of Rockabilly, has been friends with Allen since the 4th grade. His antics and stage presence are renowned. When he was with M.I.R.V. (and Brain), the group regularly had a contest to pick a woman in the audience that would end in her grabbing Brian's groin...sending him into operatic song. This blend of talent and fun made him one half of Duo de Twang.
Carl Restivo also has been jamming on the guitar during a star-studded musical career that we are lucky to be a part of. He co-wrote the song "Go All the Way (into the Twilight)" on the Grammy-nominated Twilight soundtrack; he has also toured with NIN and Jane's Addiction as a part of the Street Sweeper Social Club. Carl arranges many of the bass and guitar parts on Gen-7 songs.
Bass Players Victor Little and John Spiker of “Tenacious D” contributed their studio session playing.
The studio production and collaboration has gone on for 6 years, and only recently has their work gone public.
Band Members
Links
