marty allocco

What is your favorite part of coaching at ROC Star Academy?

Being able to give kids the advice I wish I could have heard at their age.​

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Hometown: Rochester, NY

 

Your musical focus/instruments you play: 

Guitar, vocals, and songwriting are my focus. I also play bass, drums, ukulele, and can fake my way through keys and a few randoms like mandolin and banjo.

 

What is your musical background?

I have been / am involved in a vast number of projects, usually playing guitar and singing either lead vocals or harmony. These projects range from chill acoustic live looping to hard rock tribute bands. I’ve also done a decent amount of studio and production work for myself, my bands, and other artists.  

 

What are your musical influences/favorite bands? 

I’ve been influenced by just about every genre there is. I got into guitar because of Green Day and Guns ‘n Roses. Later on I got very much into pop artists, then jam bands, acoustic folk artists, funk, heavy metal and hardcore, and of course the classic stuff like ACDC, Journey, Led Zeppelin etc.

 

What one album would you choose if you were stranded on a deserted island? 

I’m predictable, so I’d probably land on American Idiot or 21st Century Breakdown from Green Day

 

What is your favorite venue or event that you’ve performed?

CMAC was pretty cool. I really like doing smaller gigs though, because they end up feeling more intimate, like you’re just hanging out in a room with your friends. That’s my whole vibe.

 

What’s the craziest thing that ever happened to you onstage?

Not sure if this is the craziest, but it’s a story I enjoy. Our bassist was running late to a gig and we knew he wasn’t going to be there by the time we were supposed to start, so I set my guitar to the side and planned to play bass until he got there. When he walked in he immediately got on stage and took the bass from me mid song, somehow without missing a note, and I made it back to my guitar just in time to do an end-of-song solo. Just an overall great flavor of chaos.

 

What’s the best piece of musical advice you’ve received in your career thus far?

Play exactly what the song is asking of you, no more and no less. Also be weird. Also also, it doesn’t matter how good you are if you carry around an ego. Be the person you want to be around.