JOE HAMPTON & THE KINGPINS
Joe Hampton and The Kingpins have been playing in Long Island bars, restaurants, festivals and private parties for over twenty years. The band plays a mix of classic rock, blues and original songs in a highly danceable style. Joe also has two acoustic acts, the Joe Hampton Trio and the Joe Hampton Duo. The last few years the acoustic acts have had very successful performances at Long Island vineyards: Osprey's Dominion, Laurel Lake, One Woman, Jason's Vineyard, Vineyard 48 and Sherwood House.
The Kingpins have most recently performed at 230 Elm, Diggers, Bridge Gardens, The Chowder Pot Pub, The Lobster Roll, and East Hampton Bowl. Highlights from the past include three appearances at The Riverhead Blues Festival, the Stephen Talkhouse, Berkner Hall at Brookhaven Lab, My Father's Place, The Vail-Leavitt Theater, The Hansom House, Burke's Roadhouse, Belle's Cafe and The Maples.
Joe Hampton started as a punk rocker in the late seventies. He played at famous New York punk clubs with his band Joe Hampton and the Mindless Members. They appeared at C.B.G.B.'s, Max's Kansas City and The Mudd Club. The Mindless Members also played other NYC clubs as well as many east end clubs. In 1980 Joe Hampton recorded the single titled Dogs In Traffic and he hosted one of the first cable music video shows in New Jersey called Cable Rock.
Through the eighties Joe Hampton played with an off-the-wall group called The Phantoms of the Opera. They did some sensational shows at the Parrish Art Museum, The Hansom House and other spots in the Hamptons. The Phantoms recorded hundreds of songs written by Joe and Matt Wellen and also artist/musician Aage Bjerring, a.k.a. Howard Boring. In 1986 Joe Hampton's song Phone To Rome was included on the compilation album The Bands That Ate New York. In the late eighties, Joe published three books: two books of his poems and illustrations by Matt Wellen and a book of zany cartoons about a vacuum cleaner salesman called Vacuums. Around the same time, Joe played drums and sang in two other groups, Cold Comfort and The Jim Turner Band.
Joe Hampton formed The Kingpins in 1992 and they've been playing ever since. Through smoky bars, fancy restaurants and biker runs, The Kingpins have had their fun. Joe has worked very hard to keep things rolling. In 1999 Joe released his first c.d. Angry Joe and The Relatives - Revenge For Tomorrow with longtime cohort Dominick Cantasano and drummer Gerry Giliberti. In 2001 Joe Hampton and The Kingpins put out the Guilty As Sin disc, and appeared on the Cablevision program Neighborhood Journal. In 2003 Joe Hampton and The Mindless Members - Not Afraid Of Anything was released. It contained new recordings of songs from Joe's old bands The Mindless Members and The Phantoms. The next Joe Hampton and The Kingpins c.d., Alligator Shoes, came out the following year in 2004.
In 2010 Joe Hampton released his most recent c.d., Joe Hampton Trio – Keep On Truckin’. It is a collection of cover songs that Joe plays with his acoustic act. Joe Hampton and friends are currently recording many awesome new songs for future releases. Through the years there have been many lineup changes but Joe has maintained the quality of the bands sound and is always trying to move ahead, write songs and play as many gigs as possible.
Matt Wellen is a smokin' lead guitarist who has played with Joe in most of his bands. Some other acts he has played with are Uncle Fester, Black Limo, Jim Turner, Ned McDonald, T.R. Deroche, Secret Squirrel, and a band called Tothas Tork U 4 from his college days in
Glenn Zazzarino is our drummer. He has played with many bands on the east end, and can keep up quite effortlessly with whatever the Kingpins choose to play. He also played with the Hendrix Tribute Band Blue Wild Angel, wThe Straightjackets, The Saynts, and The Reporters.
Ro Sluyters is our bass player. Like the rest of us, he's been playing since he was a teenager. He's an excellent musician, and really enjoys being a Kingpin. He was a founding member of the popular band in Albany called The Band of Gold. The Band of Gold is still going, although without Ro. Before that, he was with a band called The Adults.
Rick Manwaring started to rock out on the guitar in high school. In the late 70's, he joined his first band Over Dose (OD). He played in all different bands around the Tri-State area including Radagast and Inside Out. He also played in the Straight Jackets with Glenn, who is now the Kingpins drummer. He still continues to carry out his life long journey with Joe Hampton and The Kingpins.
Southold Slim/Joe Sferlazza is an excellent guitarist and singer with a great sense of humor. He performs solo and with his own bands, The Park Avenue Gypsies and the Crazy Helen Band. He specializes in tin pan alley standards, hot jazz, blues and western swing. Southold Slim fills in with The Kingpins, and also plays with the Joe Hampton Trio and Duo.
Quotes from local newspapers:
“Joy radiated from the stage when the musicians played their original recordings. Leads were passed effortlessly from one guitarist to the next and then back to lead vocalist Joe Hampton.” - The Southampton Press
“Mr. Hampton’s voice is deep and distinctive and projects easily across the room.” - The Southampton Press
“From the opening bar - blues riffs of “Bad News” you get the feeling that this record is going to bear good news.” - Newsday review of first CD “Guilty as Sin”
“The band played each of the cover tunes fairly close to well-loved renditions, while always allowing their musical style to make it’s mark on the music. The two-set performance ended with a rocking version of “Paint it Black” that the Rolling Stones could easily have approved.” - The Southampton Press
