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Fired History

Fired has been together since 1988. Don't get us wrong about that, back in 1988 the band was not called Fired it was called Projection. Founding members Jeff Barkan & Mike Bridges are the 2 members that stayed together and created Fired. We have always been a rock band and always loved to perform music and entertain. After a little while as Projection, a few of the band members left the band either moving or for other reasons. So Jeff and Mike found a drummer and a keyboard player and created Bad Influence. In that band, we took the best of what we used in the other band and added some of our own music. That's what we wanted to do in the first place. The originals have always been most important to us and they go over so much better than the cover tunes. Early in the band, it was just us boy's. But things changed and we added a female singer. It was an awesome combo, and we played more and more. A lot of parties and clubs loved the band, but as I said things change. In 1999, Bad Influence broke up. Everyone in the band went to different projects. Jeff started a band called Wansum, but that really didn't get to far. Mike was working with Maria Serrano and Debbie Clemmer in their bands, but neither was happy with the projects. Truth be known Jeff was fired from Bad Influence. At the end of that band, it was worse than The Beatles. In the late part of '99, Jeff got into a Band called Another Mans' Poison. He called Mike and asked him to join the band. Mike said yes and they played with them for about 6 months until it was getting to be more work then fun. So Jeff and Mike left and that brings us to FIRED.

We needed a name that would fit us and Fired is something we could all relate to being that all of us at one time was fired from a band. Maria fired Mike from her band. Jeff was fired from Bad Influence. Larry was, naaaaaaaaaa never mind, Ha Ha Ha. Mike came up with the name and it was agreed that that's what we would call the band. The line up was Jeff Barkan on guitar and vocals, Mike Bridges on bass and vocals, Larry Paschall on drums and vocals, and Maria Serrano on vocals. Once again the band rocked! We were happy with the line up and started playing at many clubs. But then while recording our first CD, Maria quit the band. Due to us being in mid CD, it was a real blow to the band. Being that 99% of the CD was finished, it was too late to stop. So we found Kim Carey. Besides being an awesome singer, she fit in well with us and replaced the vocals that Maria did. She even rewrote a song, "Sea of Lies," that was originally called "Lost in you." We finished the CD and yep, as you guessed, it came out awesome.

And that leads us to now. Being in a band is not easy. It's hard to keep the same line up. People move or they lose interest in the band. It happens and there is no way around it. But if its in your heart, blood, and soul, you just keep going and that’s what we have always done from the very start.

Jeff and Mike and sort of like the Page-Plant, Simmons-Stanley, Tyler-Perry of the band. It's always been us from the start. It doesn't matter who we play with. We always sound like us no matter who is with us. It's our sound that sets us apart from the rest of the bands and our love for doing the music, be it a party, club, or anywhere that we can play our songs. Originals or Covers it doesn't matter as long as we can play and have a blast.

And Ya know what?.......... We do!

The one question that people want to know is do you like playing in a band and why do you do it?

And the only answer I can come up with is... it's us!

The Fired line up now is:

• Jeff Barkan - Guitars and vocals
• Mike Bridges - Bass and Vocals
• Bill Menzel - Keys and Vocals

And yes, 2 drummers. Well we have more, but I won't go down that road and bore you with why we have 2 of them. On drums we have Vince Duro and Thom Milazzo. Both of them are Awesome, so we are very happy to have them both to work with. Not that they play at the same time, but you know what we mean.

Also being that Kim Carey moved out of state. We are in the middle of getting another female singer. We are currently working with Leslie Fawset, no relation to Farrah, and she has an Awesome Voice.

Along the way Fired has worked with some Very Special People and so not to forget them.

Here is a list of some of them and we thank them from the heart for there talent:

• Paul Jones - Drums and Vocals
• Carrie Mc Cuistion - Vocals
• Julie Paschall - Vocals * Vocals on the Fired CD
• Brian Blackshire - Drums
• Natalie Peirce - Vocals
• Gary Morris - Drums and Vocals
• Johnny English Walsh - * Keyboards on the Fired CD
• Chris Clarke - Drums
• Scott Bridges - Guitars
• Eddie Dominguez - Bass and Vocals thanks for subbing
• Debbie Clemmer - Drums and Vocals
• Maria Serrano - Vocals
• Tania Miller - * Vocals for the new Fired CD
• Steve "Tank" Kelly - Drums .. RIP
• Lisa Harberman - Vocals and Keys
• Darlyn Barfay - Keys and Vocals
• Bill Crain - Keys
• Kenny Tune - For the laughs and inspiration
• Jerry Cox - Bass
• Mike Quine - Keys and Harmonica
• Jen - for the Web-Page Work

And all our friends and family for putting up with us