Welcome to the site of The Upstart. We're a rock band based out of Los Angeles.
Upstart has its origins in the deep recesses of UCI's Mesa Court. It was there that vocalist Mike Pascua met guitarist Jesse Knepper. After countless nights of Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots, Soundgarden and The Rolling Stones, Jesse decided to pick up a guitar and start playing. The two struck a lifelong friendship which revolved around Ween, recording songs on a Sony tape recorder... and most importantly, the love of rock. The seed had been planted.
At the same time, an incomparable drummer named Bob Lee could be found rocking out and making waves with a number of bands, most notably: Backbiter, Jon Wahl & The Amadans and Claw Hammer. Rocking in every way known possible, Bob has also played with Hot Damn!, Mike Watt & The Black Gang, Crawlspace, Fearless Leader, Paper Tulips, Slotnick and many others. Revolving in the same music circles, Bob met with an energetic bassist named Vinny, who also played with a number of other local LA bands. Both played together, as well. Vets to the end. They've seen it all. And then some.
Two sets of guys. Two different parts of the world. One goal: To rock.
After a few years in a band called Blank Slate, Jesse and Mike decided to venture out and start something new. An upstart, if you will. Sometime around 2004, Mike introduced Jesse to then-guitarist Anthony Daniell. Corporate America then introduced Jesse to Bob. Soon came Vinny from the barrels of Rocktown and the origins of The Upstart were born.
In 2005, the nena-lovin' Gerry Martinez joined the group and The Upstart has been rockin' the Southern California area ever since, blazing trails with their upbeat, sometimes dark, but always energeting set of rockin' tunes.
Upstart doesn't sound like any other band out there. And rightfully so, as The Upstart is beyond compare. Incomparable. Unconventional. Melodic. Plugged-in, leave-it-all-on-stage rock 'n roll. If that's your hunger, The Upstart will feed you.
Every band will tell you that they rock.
With The Upstart, all you'll need to do is listen.
Check out who's checked The Upstart out:
