Five guys from Five different backgrounds, united together to cultivate a hard, metal, yet melodic sound and form what is known today as Undermine X. To see UMX perform, hear the full throttle of the vocals; the intensity of the riffs; and the aggression of the drums; is an unforgettable experience. The group started out with only Jo, the drummer, and Karlo, the bassist. They posted ads in the Voice and the Loot. After relentless auditions, they found a perfect fit, Chris - a black lefty guitarist obsessed with Guns and Roses. Together, the three, formerly known as “I-4-Eye”, composed music for Eye for Eye, Seed, and Both Ways. The former two later became the forefront of Undermine X music. At this juncture, Karlo withdrew from the band due to personal reasons. The band now needed a bassist, second guitarist and singer to complete the band. In November of 2000, Jo came across a good guitarist prospect in the classifieds and called Pete. After a few minutes of conversation, Jo asked, “How old are you?” And Pete replied “16”. Jo was 28 at the time and came to realize that age was no barrier as long as there was dedication and good music. In the same classifieds, they saw an ad from Bern. After lecturing Bern with the same “dedication” speech, Bern said to Jo, “Before I audition, I should let you know that I’m black. I don’t know if that matters or not.” And it didn’t matter. During Bern’s audition, the song, Lost, was created. This song later played on radio stations, such as WSOU, and is now a fan favorite. Without a bassist, the four wrote 7 songs. Their first show, an opening slot for Quiet Riot at the Voodoo Lounge. They proceeded to play at a Gilby Clarke show with fill-in bassist, Andrew - a great friend and fan of the band. In March of 2001, Karlo rejoined Undermine X as permanent bassist. Then on 9/11/2001 a tragedy came upon the world. Everyone wanted to lend a helping hand. And what America needed most was money. So the band decided to host a 9/11 benefit show. It posted boards all over NYC looking for bands and an audience. At $5 cover, the band earned over a $1500 donation contributed to the September 11th fund. After the 9/11 benefit show, the guitarist spot became a revolving door. Chris developed a severe drinking problem. The band later found a replacement, Scott, a great guitarist but suffered from lack of devotion. They found themselves having the same problem with Kevin, and have since filled the spot with a young man from the Bronx named Chris. Chris soon left the band to pursue his wrestling career. The guitar spot has been a revolving door. The band then released their first album, “Thirteen Ways To Die” in May of 2004. The album can still be found on such sites as Amazon.com. They continued to pursue their musical dreams, and were asked to appear on a tribute album for Sevendust. They jumped on the chance performing their rendition of “Bitch”. They also recorded (for the sake of exposure) their versions of songs that were popular at the time such as Under Control by The Strokes, For Tonight You’re Only Here To Know/Drain The Blood, by The Distillers, Ride by the Vines, and Maps by The Yeah Yeah Yeah’s. The songs were released on various tribute albums distributed by Tributized Records (Cleopatra Records). They were produced by former Lynch Mob bassist Anthony Esposito. In 2005, Bern left the band. The band then took a hiatus. Joe and Pete decided they weren’t ready to give up, and tried out many singers, wrote new songs, and stayed determined to keep Undermine X going. But not for long. Today, Bern is writing and recording several projects on his own. Karlo is happily married, and continues to jam with friends. Kevin is pursuing a boxing career, and raising a set twin boys. Joe and Pete continue to take music seriously, with their new project, Up Against Fire. Their new project features the help of former Undermine X guitarist, Chris. As well as appearences from Biohazard’s Bobby Hambel. They’re currently writing and recording their first album at their new studio in Staten Island, NY. Joe and Pete own the rights to the music of Undermine X. The music of Undermine X may not have went as far as all of the members and fans wished it would have, but has definitely made an impact on the scene it once dominated.
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