The Alternate End has been a work in progress for years. Guitar virtuoso Mike Bernardi and guitarist-turned-bassist Dave C. were best friends equipped with nothing but a love for playing and creating music, a distinct vision, a band name, and dangerously-inflated egos. From 2001 to 2005, the two made countless attempts at assembling the perfect band, which were met with nothing but failures, exits, and overall skepticism. In an exercise of blind faith, the two continued to jam, write songs and tighten up their playing. Using an MP3 player, Mike's signature guitar set-up, and Dave's bass played through a tiny, inadequate guitar amp, the two created amateur recordings of songs which would eventually become Possession, An Alternate Ending, Elements and 767.
The project's major breakthrough came in January of 2007. Two days after posting a want ad for a drummer with skill, experience, musicianship, raw talent, vision and creativity to match their own, Neil "Peart" Lukewich would respond. Neil was a seasoned musician and former member of Save Haven, and had been in the hunt for talented musicians to jam with for some time. A dedicated individual with aspirations to match his talent, he knew he would settle for no less than skilled, serious individuals who prioritized stellar song-writing over all else. After a few beers and a quick listen to the amateur recordings, Neil knew he was about to become part of something special.
As expected, Neil's full, intense, carefully-crafted style of writing drum parts mimicked the rhythms that, until then, had only existed in the imaginations of Mike and Dave. After only a few solid jams, the three would realize that their fusion was not coincidence, and that in fact they were brought together for a special purpose: to show the world an Alternate End of the musical spectrum. This End was more sophisticated, more intelligible, more intense, and more dynamic than the new age trash that has littered airwaves and music channels for far too long. They were determined to show that music was still an art, contrary to the passive, mindless, mass- produced disappointments being made by countless feeble "rock" artists of our day.
Most importantly, though, the members of the band were passionate lovers of rock music who just wanted a new band to come out that could create the kind of music they love to listen to. They wished that a new band would emerge which could carry on in the tradition of legends like Floyd and Zeppelin, take the torch from personal idols like Nirvana, Soundgarden, Pantera, Nine Inch Nails and Metallica, and play in the same league as Tool, Radiohead, Queens of the Stone Age and Mars Volta. Eventually, they realized that the best way to make this happen was to create it themselves.
It was not going to be easy, as things never are. The band would endure a string of bad luck between June and November of 2007; arrests, rehab stints, forced sabbaticals and the quest to find the perfect vocalist, would limit the band's progress during this stretch. In the end, the band came out of it stronger, louder, and more vicious and determined than ever before, recording instrumentals for their first demo, "Means To An End", in December of 2007.
Destiny finally showed its face once again, its face being that of Craig Burnatowski. Craig was a very talented and experienced lead vocalist looking for a group of serious musicians that could propel him to rock stardom. After hearing Craig's brand of intense but highly-melodic vocals, the members knew that their struggles and longstanding anticipation had finally come to an End.
After a few jam sessions, the comfort, cohesiveness and parallel thinking between Mike, Dave, Neil and Craig naturally reinvigorated their momentum, and united them as a single musical entity; the project had now become a band.
Alternate End's first gig blew the audience away, and earned them a coveted spot on the bill at the Mod Club on 4/20/2008. Anybody that witnesses the band's live show will quickly realize that these guys are not fucking around. Soon to come are the band's official demo, and a string of prestigious gigs in Downtown Toronto. After that, the band will have to wait and see if Destiny shows its face once again.
