By Courtney Dentch
But between forming the Queens-based band Defected out of the ashes of another band, recruiting what turned out to be a revolving door of drummers and juggling work, high school and college schedules, five 20-somethings are having a ball.”There've been a few roadblocks,” said frontman John Strohschien, 21. “This is what I want to do. It would be a dream come true if it worked out.”Playing a brand of “rock with some yelling,” Defected has been filling area clubs with their sounds for the past year. Singer Strohschien, of New Hyde Park, and 20-year-old Carla De Ycaza, a bass guitarist from Forest Hills, had played in a band called Stratosphere since high school. When the band broke up, they recruited 21-year-old Danny Abrams, of Jamaica, and Frank Bongiovanni, 17, of New Hyde Park, to play guitar in the newly formed Defected. The band has seen its share of drummers, but with the addition of Mike Moroni, of Howard Beach, the band seems to be hitting its stride, Strohschien said. “It's starting to come together,” he said.The band writes original tunes, inspired by alternative and rock groups, including Coheed and Cambria, Atreyu, The Mars Volta and, of course, classics like The Beatles.And as the musicians bring in songs to work on, other band members add their touches, De Ycaza said.”It's a matter of incorporating a bunch of different styles,” she said. The band has landed gigs in clubs throughout Queens and Long Island – many unpaid – and last month they played a “Battle of the Bands” concert at Queens College. Another area band, Severed, won the competition, but Defected won some new fans, including the guys from Severed, Bongiovanni said. “They all went crazy,” he said of the crowd. “It was an amazing feeling. We're usually our harshest critics so that was really great.”And for the band, it's all part of the game to draw larger and larger crowds to their shows. “We play a lot of shows just so other bands' fans will see us and will come to our shows,” De Ycaza said. In the meantime, the members of Defected balance the band with other obligations.”It's hard to find time when all of us can rehearse or play a show,” Strohschien said. “With everyone in school it makes it a lot harder.”But they all agree, it's worth whatever hassle they have to go through.”Music is my everything,” Bongiovanni said. “It's all I want to do with my life.”Catch Defected at the Red Zone, 79-56 Metropolitan Ave. in Middle Village Jan. 29.Reach Assistant Managing Editor Courtney Dentch by e-mail at news@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 139.
