Some may not associate the South Valley with the amplified music, aggressive vocals and hard beats of heavy metal music.
Disruption, an up-and-coming band out of Gilroy, hopes to change that.
The band is made up of four self-taught musicians: drummer Brendan Filippi, 19, guitarist and lead vocalist Robert Ramos, 19, guitarist and backup vocalist Mark Riffle, 19, and guitarist Shane Beeman, 18.
The band formed in 2012, and though just teenagers, the members of Disruption have big plans.
“Our short term goal is for the band to open for big bands locally,” Filippi said. “The midterm is to be on the Vans Warped Tour within the next two years and the long term goal is performing as a headline band in stadiums internationally in five to 10 years.”
The four young men are neighbors in Gilroy and three are Christopher High School graduates; Beeman is currently a CHS senior. All currently attend or plan to attend Gavilan College.
On the way up: Contract signed by band
Initially, Ramos and Beeman played guitar together. Two became four when Riffle joined in and Filippi opened up his garage for
jam sessions.
Despite the volume and lack of sound insulation of the studio garage, neighbors encouraged the band’s music; one neighbor even donated $3,000 toward the production of a demo album.
The band recently signed a management contract for tours and will perform locally by opening for big bands, then go on small tours throughout California and along the West Coast. In addition, the band is hoping for a recording contract and Interlace Audio of Portland, Ore. is producing a CD demo.
“We look at this as a business, not just a band,” Filippi said.
Youthful dreams becoming a reality
As a child, Filippi was exposed to rock and heavy metal through his dad, who played guitar. Filippi currently takes drumming lessons from the Music Tree in Morgan Hill.
Ramos attributes his musical interest to friends and family—especially his father who taught him guitar chords and bought Ramos a bass guitar when he was in the second grade. In the seventh grade, he took up acoustic and electric guitar.
“I got hooked on metal when I heard Metallica’s Kill Them All,” Ramos said. “I like the adrenaline rush when I hear heavy metal music.”
Beeman—who has played acoustic and electric guitar since eighth grade—is currently taking an acoustic guitar class at CHS, which emphasizes performing for an audience.
“My goals for the band are exposure and success,” Beeman said. “Success for me is becoming a professional musician, touring and recording.”
Riffle’s musical interest began with a guitar in seventh grade and when he was in eighth grade, he became the bass guitarist for a band called Skitzofrenik. A little older and a little wiser, Riffle now has bigger dreams.
“I’d (like to) play shows, have a fan base and become a professional musician,” he said. “I‘d like to do international tours.”
Perfecting the music of their generation
Disruption performed on the legendary Queen Mary Sept. 13, 2014 at the Rock-the-Boat Festival in Long Beach, opening for the metal bands The Word Alive and Get Scared.
Filippi said heavy metal is an aggressive and fast-paced type of rock and roll that he believes many of today’s youth can relate to.
“It’s our generation’s music,” he said.
And Disruption members will continue to share their music; Ramos and Beeman are working on chords and riffs, the band is jamming and all four are writing lyrics.
“Everyone contributes to the creation of the music,” Filippi said.
