Nap LaJoy officially began playing together in the fall of 2005. However, the friendship and musical connections of Nap LaJoy began long before. Devin O’Keeffe, Ben Toscano, and Dave Newman had been friends since their days at East Ridge Middle School in their hometown of Ridgefield, CT. They performed in various bands, separately and together, over the years. Devin was the vocalist, Ben the guitarist, and Dave the drummer. These early band experiences culminated in back to back Ridgefield High School Battle of the Bands victories by their band the Kick-Ties during their junior and senior years in highschool.
After a year at various colleges across the northeast, Devin, Dave, and Ben made a monumental decision. Based on their common goal of creating music for a living, they all decided to transfer to the University of Connecticut. They arrived at Uconn with a driving need for success and an even greater need for a bass player.
The second of these needs was fulfilled by a moment of fate in Ben’s anthropology class. By chance, Ben took a seat next to the future bass player of Nap LaJoy, Kyle Charette. The two conversed in class, leading to the first group practice in the study room of Ben and Dave’s residence hall. Kyle and the rest of the band hit it off well, immediately forming a connection. With this, the line-up of Nap LaJoy was complete.
The music of Nap LaJoy is extremely diverse, touching such styles as sixties psychedelia, modern alternative, blues, country, and even reggae. Their music is fresh and new, yet always grounded by an abundance of timeless melodies. In addition to a wealth of original songs, Nap LaJoy are constantly adding to their large repertoire of cover songs, including songs by the Beatles, The Strokes, and Radiohead.
During December of 2005, the band recorded a demo album with acclaimed producer Ron Sutfin at Wildwood Ranch Studios in Durham, Connecticut. They are currently performing on and around the Uconn campus, rapidly gaining a devoted following.
