JOE HAMPTON & THE KINGPINS

Joe Hampton and The Kingpins have played over 370 gigs since they began in 1991. They are known for playing an upbeat mix of classic rock and blues that always gets the crowd dancing. Through the years they have crisscrossed Long Island playing in many bars and restaurants, at festivals and private parties including most recently: 75 Main, Michaels at The Boardwalk, The Maples, and The Handlebar. Some highlights of the past include: The Riverhead Blues Festival, Berkner Hall at Brookhaven National Lab, The Stephen Talkhouse, The Vail-Leavitt Music Hall, Patchogue's Live After Five Festival, The Brickhouse Brewery Pub, The Suffolk County Fair, Memory Motel, The Sayville Yacht Club, North Fork Little League's opening day, Diggers, Chowder Pot Pub, C.B.'s Bar and Grill, WRCN parties, The Olde Speonk Inn, The Wild Rose, Belle's Cafe, My Fathers Place, The Hansom House, Southampton 4th of July parade, and many events for ABATE of Long Island (American Bikers Aiming Toward Education).

In 2001 the band released their first CD Guilty As Sin. Also in 2001 Joe Hampton and The Kingpins appeared on the Cablevision TV show Neighborhood Journal. Their second CD Alligator Shoes was released in 2004.

Joe Hampton, the lead singer and the driving force behind the band, has been on the New York music scene since the late 70's. In the early years, his bands played all original songs, mostly composed by Joe and his brother Matt Wellen. Joe's first group was a wild group called Cemetery World that played in Westchester County. After moving to eastern Long Island in 1979, Joe started a punk rock/new wave band called Joe Hampton and The Mindless Members who played C.B.G.B.'s, Max's Kansas City and The Mudd Club in Manhattan as well as many clubs on the east end. They released the single Dogs in Traffic in 1980, and Joe hosted one of the first music video shows in New Jersey called Cable Rock. After The Mindless Members broke up in 1981, Joe was a member of an off-the-wall group called The Phantoms of the Opera that evolved into Joe Hampton and The Phantoms and finally The Vacuums. In 1986 Joe's song "Phone to Rome" appeared on the compilation album The Bands That Ate New York. In the late 80's Joe released three books; Vacuums (a series of comics about a vacuum cleaner salesman), and two others which are collections of Joe's poems and Matt Wellen's illustrations - and they are not for the faint of heart: It Has No Head and Take My Headache. Around the same time Joe played drums and sang with the band Cold Comfort and also harp player Jim Turner. After years of playing his own songs Joe decided to play songs by other artists. Cover songs are recognizable, and therefore it was easier to get gigs. So, in 1991 he started Joe Hampton & The Kingpins and has been leading them ever since. In 1995 Joe decided to take a hiatus from playing live and recorded his first CD Angry Joe and The Relatives - Revenge For Tomorrow - it was released in 1999. He released another CD in 2003 called Joe Hampton and The Mindless Members - Not Afraid of Anything. Joe Hampton also has an acoustic act called The Joe Hampton Blues Trio. The trio plays gigs where quieter music is desired ….. not the room-shaking rock ‘n roll of The Kingpins. Joe has kept on pushing to constantly improve the bands and expand their talents, and getting many gigs year after year. He vows to rock till he drops!

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 Ohio. He plays excellent rhythm and lead guitar, and his enthusiasm is very inspiring.

Jim Nanos is a founding member of The Kingpins and is a gifted rock-steady guitarist and bass player. He's played with a plethora of bands. In L.A. he produced X's first single and played many gigs with Billy Zoom. Back in the Hamptons he was a former member of Crossroads. He also plays with Papa Stitch & The Church Boys, South of the Highway, The G Force, Black Limo, and others.

Paul Ceglia is one of the best drummers to join the Kingpins. He was the original drummer with Mean Gene & The Flamethrowers. Paul has also played with Trapp, The Remainders, The Six, The East Slope Kids, Damon Rock, The Potentials, and The Pocats.

The Kingpins now have a new 'newest' member, and that's Ro Sluyter. Ro was born on L.I., and he began playing bass in high school. In college he became a member of a band called The Adults. In graduate school he was a founding member of The Band of Gold. The Band of Gold is still going, although without Ro. Since school, he’s been on a 17-year band hiatus - raising a family and working. His bass guitar playing is a welcome addition to the band.

Chris Bruschi, aka Zeke, fills in on bass. He also plays with Papa Stitch & The Church Boys and Blue Wild Angel. He was a founding member of Mean Gene & The Flamethrowers, The Straightjackets and The Saynts. Zeke has been in many bands in the tri-state area.

Tom Sanfillipo fills in on guitar and bass. He has a great voice and is a very accomplished musician. He fills in or has played with the Herb Garden, the Denise Given Band, the Vagrants, the G Force, the Underdogs - and fronts his own band the Infinite Mind Unit.

Glenn Zazzarino is our back-up drummer. He does a great job filling in - he knows most of the Kingpins line-up of songs and can keep up quite effortlessly. He also plays with the Hendrix Tribute Band Blue Wild Angel; and has also played with The Straightjackets, The Saynts, and The Reporters.