 |
Born Anthony Jude Pero in October 1959 in
Staten Island NY, A.J. epitomizes the saying "born with the sticks in his hands".
A.J. received his first drum kit at the age of 3 and began taking lessons shortly thereafter. A.J.
was invited to perform as a solo artist on the
Mike Douglas show at age seven, and he brought
the house down! At 10, he played the Jerry Lewis
Telethon with two other talented young
performers, covering songs from jazz icons
Charlie Parker and Dave Brubeck.
At age 11, A.J. was asked to join a college jazz band to fill in for a drummer who had broken their leg. A.J. went on a three week tour of Europe with this ensemble, during which he won 3 gold medals at the Paris Jazz
Festival for the best performance as a
drummer.
After high school, A.J. was offered the
opportunity to join a well-known Tri-State area
band, Twisted Sister. A.J. recorded
6 albums and embarked on 4 world tours with Twisted Sister, earning 32 gold
, silver, and platinum albums and singles,
most notably the triple platinum album
"Stay Hungry" which spawned two gold singles.
|
 |
 |
5B
Tear drop tip. Ideal for rock, band and practice.
L=16", Dia.=.595" |
|
In 2001, Twisted Sister found themselves together again as a result of the tragic events of September 11th. The band reformed to host a charity show with other NY area musicians. The event, "NY STEEL", was a benefit for the families of the uniformed men and women who lost their lives on that day.
Although they had not anticipated it, Twisted Sister continues to tour today, headlining sold out arena and festival shows around the world. In 2004, A.J. went back in the studio with Twisted to re-record the "Stay Hungry" album, entitled "Still Hungry". This album completely showcases A.J.'s talents as the rhythm backbone of that band. |
|
