Tune in all week at 3:40 as Jay features SLIGHTLY ALTERD on THE LOCAL SPOTLIGHT!
SLIGHTLY ALTERD are a three-piece act from the Niagara area, formerly making waves as “Guilty Pleasures”. The group recently played the Friday night of WAMBO, with tremendous feedback. Meet the guys:
Frank Roberts – Vocals & Bass Guitar
Frank has been playing bass since the age of 13 and has toured with many bands over the years. Influenced by players like James Jamerson, Larry Graham, Geddy Lee, Chris Squire and Spider (Kenny Sinnaeve) Frank spent countless hours learning what the great players did. Frank has been the opening act for many great bands, Nazareth, Burton Cummings, Max Webster, Klaatu, Platinum Blonde to name a few. He was a studio musician for many years for Disney Studios California and also recorded weekly radio commercials heard all over Canada.
A hand injury drastically changed Franks ability to play at the level he was accustomed to playing at, and forced him to rediscover techniques that allowed him to continue doing something he loves.
A devoted family man, Frank enjoys the time he spends with his two sons, Justin, a video game designer, and Stephen, an auto mechanic and solid drummer. Weekend shows are a great time spent with his wife of 25 years, Jenny.
Frank is a full-time professor at Niagara College in the Construction Engineering department, the best job at the best college!
The high caliber of musicianship in Guilty Pleasures makes playing every weekend a blast!
John Ripley – Vocals, Drums & Percussion
John has been banging on pots and pans with wooden spoons since the age of three. His musical background comes from a whole family of self-taught musicians. John purchased his first real set of drums at the age of 14. John joined the high school Concert Band as a drummer in grade 10, then went on to play the drums for the Jazz, Dixieland and Concert Band until graduating grade 12.
As John hit his teenage years he was a big Kiss and Pink Floyd Fan. AC/DC was also one of John’s favourite bands and was the very first band that he had seen in concert. Other musical bands that influence John are, The Guess Who, B.T.O, Supertramp, David Wilcox and Billy Joel.
After high school John was asked to join a band at age 17. They played a few gigs and found that no one really wanted to commit to practicing and learning new tunes, so they went their separate ways. John sold his drums and concentrated on college where he was an honor graduate of Sheridan College as a Major Appliance Service Technician, which he now has his own successful business under the name of Ripley’s Appliance Repair & Installations.
In 2008 John was anxious about getting back behind a kit and looking forward to getting out and gigging. With the support of his loving family (Jeannie & Jacob), Guilty Pleasures was formed, and is now one of the busiest bands in the Niagara Region.
John Sargent – Vocals & Guitar
John has been a working musician in the Niagara area for 35 years and has taught music since the 1980’s. He was tutored by the late Gary Clark, a Berkly graduate and musical director of Busch Garden’s, Tampa Florida.
John is a huge Beatles fan and while attending a music conference with key note speaker George Martin, he was allowed back stage for a meeting with the famed Beatles record producer. George graciously signed Beatles albums and posed for pictures with John and his daughter Melody, creating a lasting memory of his hero’s.
John loves to play at bonfires with his 85 year old dad accompanying him on the shakers, and with the support of his family (Maggie & Melody), he is currently living his dream by playing and teaching music.
