The Band – Almost Creed

meet the band

Lead Vocals

Rob Semtek

Born into a heavily music influenced family, Rob knew at a very young age that music would eventually be his destiny. At age 12 he started playing guitar wanting to be a lead guitarist/shredder, until he discovered his vocal ability and passion for singing. He has since, and continues, to record original material/albums with some very well known, top level producers. Rob has also supported many national acts in his career with his original bands, including, Skid Row, LA Guns, George Lynch, Dream Theater, Saving Abel, just to name a few. He has also had the honor of collaborating his original material with the late music icon Chris Cornell, as well as now being the Lead singer/ Guitarist of Black Days an Ultimate tribute to the music of Chris Cornell. In Almost Creed, Rob replicates Scott Stapp like no other and takes you on a musical journey you will never forget.

lead guitar/vocals

John Michael

John Michael, lead guitarist for the band Black Days, and Almost Creed has been studying music since he was 8 years old. A multi-instrumentalist at heart, John has played guitar, bass, keyboards, drums, and sung lead vocals in various bands throughout his musical career which spans over 30 years. His love for music led him to pursue it formally as a college major, eventually graduating with a Mus.B. in Performance and Education. John is heavily influenced by progressive rock and metal and has credited guitarists such as Edward Van Halen, John Petrucci, Mark Tremonti and Joe Satriani for shaping his style. John’s blend of technical proficiency and musicality allow him to perform all styles of music with ease. The audience is always in for a treat when John takes the stage. In Almost Creed, John replicates the intricate guitar work and tone of Mark Tremonti so accurately, it will leave you speechless.

drums

Rob Cardone

Rob , a native of Bellmore, New York, possesses a diverse skill set as a drummer, having contributed to numerous successful original, cover, and tribute bands throughout his career. With a musical journey spanning from tributes from Pat Benatar to the hard rock Beatles tribute, Helter Skelter, Rob currently lends his talents to acclaimed tribute acts such as “The U2 Show” and “The Journey Show.”

Immersed in music from an early age, Rob’s passion for drumming ignited in his formative years, leading him to perform with various bands since his early teens. He attributes his profound love for music to his father, a lifelong guitarist who continues to inspire him. Influenced by drumming icons such as Neil Peart, Mike Portnoy, Chad Smith, Gavin Harrison,Steve Smith, and of course Scott Phillips, Rob’s dedication to his craft is evident.

Rob embraces the opportunity to showcase his talent by immersing himself in the music of Creed, approaching each performance with arms wide open

Bass guitar/Vocals

Scott Heller

Scott first got his start in music on violin in the third grade and then switched to the much “cooler” instrument of bass guitar in 10th grade. He studied privately with renowned jazz bassist Mike Frost and then continued his musical studies first at the University Of Miami and then at Berklee College Of Music. After college, he went on a summer tour in Eastern Canada with the band Velvet Jones. At the tour’s conclusion, he returned to Long Island and began playing with the original band Mute, (who’s lead singer was Tony Award nominated singer and actor Adam Pascal). In 2003, Scott entered the world of tribute bands by co-founding Monkey Wrench – America’s 1st Tribute to Foo Fighters. He then went on to perform with numerous other tribute and cover bands over the years. Currently, in addition to Almost Creed, Scott performs with Facelift (the longest running Alice In Chains tribute band in the world), The U2 Show (U2 tribute) and The Journey Show (Journey tribute). He has even had the good fortune to have performed a number of shows as bassist with Grammy Award winning producer and instrumental guitarist Larry Mitchell. Additionally, he is also endorsed by Valenti Basses. In Almost Creed, Scott hones in on Brian Marshall’s thunderous tones and fluid, low-end bass lines while driving the ultra-powered rhythm section to another level.