Meet The Truants

THE CORE FOUR:

(left to right)
Bill Scheft – Drums and vocals
Gabriel Fabella – lead vocals and Fender Tele rhythm guitar
Dank Delong – Fender bass and vocals
Gregory Gruber – Keys, harp and vocals

BILL SCHEFT (drums, vocals)
The Author. Former corner man for Dave Letterman.
1967-69: Fessenden School band (bass drum, snare)….1971: Deerfield Academy pep band (cymbals)….1978: Quincy House Talent Show Winner (Harvard College) for Joe Cocker impression….1982-92: Opening act (Stand-up) for Tower of Power, Leon Redbone, Steve Forbert, Sheena Easton, Burton Cummings, Jay Black….1984: Broadway Show Softball League, doubled off Meat Loaf….1990: After set on “Evening at the Improv,” host Little Richard told him, “Shut up!”….Influences: Richie Starkey, Dino Danelli, Chip Damiani, Anton Fig, Tom Scheft….
Bill’s website     Bill’s blog     Bill on Bluesky

GABRIEL FABELLA (vocals, guitar, percussion)
The Voice. Day gig: Women’s shoes, Macy’s Herald Square.
Did his first Truants gig a week after his second daughter was born….He and his telecaster just celebrated their 35th anniversary….Is equally and unfairly comfortable and adept doing Paul, John, George, Mick, Elvis, Eric Burdon, Gerry Marsden, Mike Smith, Ray Davies, Mark Lindsay, Felix Cavalieri, Del Shannon, the Sonics Gerry Roslie or anyone else you call out….Born and raised in the Philippines, his longtime band The Dilettantes, performs his original Tagalog rockers such as “(Si Altar Na) Eddie Peregrina” and “Eto Na….”
Gabriel on Facebook

DANK DELONG (bass, vocals)
The Show Stopper. Day gig: Target Practice.
When THE TRUANTS went in for their required every-decade Eastern medicine evaluation, the tests came back:
Low on metal. That was solved instantly when Dank Delong agreed to join the band as our new bass player….Rhymes with “wank….” Migrating to the Lower East Side of Manhattan from Pennsylvania Dutch Country, Dank quickly became a fixture of the 80’s Metal, Hardcore and Punk scenes, playing bass at CBGB’s and the Bitter End in La De Da, White Plastic, Ultra-Violence, and fronting King Of Kings….Best known for his recent work with the metal monsters Whiplash, with whom he toured internationally for over ten years….Only member of THE TRUANTS who has played Musikfest AND Hellfest….He met lifelong friend and now-fellow Truant Steve Goodman in a 1990s cult….They have played together in (among other bands) Infradig, The Psychedlicats and Fuggit…. Subbed during a 2018 TRUANTS reconfiguration when longtime bassist Roger Lipson moved to lead guitar, and Summer 2022….Don’t let appearances deceive you. Despite the metal/punk pedigree, Dank can find the authentic bottom on a 60s British or Garage cover quick as an Entwistle….Okay, let appearances deceive you….Charismatic, gritty, playful, show-stopping, stage-stomping and unapologetically Dank-like…..Raise your goblet of rock!!!!!!
Dank on Facebook

GREGORY GRUBER (keys, harp, vocals)
The New Guy, Day gig: Not since Reagan.
Aka Gregory G., THE TRUANTS newest New York City native has been singing ever since he could open his mouth and playing electric keyboards since 1967. Since 1967??? How convenient…. A regular in the acclaimed Woodstock Revue “Back to the Garden,” Gregory’s five-decade career as a professional musician includes sharing the stage of New York City’s famous China Club with the legendary John Entwistle of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees The Who, as well as international tour dates with Peter Noone & Herman’s Hermits. Entwistle? Noone? British Invasion royalty? How convenient…. Multi genre-friendly, Gregory has been adopted by New York’s Irish music community, performing on stages throughout the northeast with Joe Nellany & The Sligo Aces, The Kitty Kelly Band, Andy Cooney and Paddy Noonan….just to name a few. It raises the question: How old should you be before a music community tells you you’re adopted? In addition, he still finds time to perform a few dates with his own group The GOOD COMPANY G. Band. A FEW dates….which is nothing but good news for THE TRUANTS…. (Best credit: Childhood friend of John Merjave).
Gregory on Facebook

THE AXES:

JOHN MERJAVE (guitar, vocals)
There is no room on this page for all his credits. Lead guitarist for Liverpool, the house band at Beatlefest. Lead guitar and vocals for the Beatles-inspired recording artists, The Weeklings. Guitar chair for Live and Let Die: A Symphonic Tribute to Paul McCartney. And a host of other projects, covered and uncovered, plugged and unplugged…. One of maybe 26 guys on Earth who has only made his living as a musician….He loves playing with us because we play the songs he doesn’t get to play anywhere else….Only discernible bad quality: Yankee fan.   John’s website

DIAMOND DAVE DILORENZO (guitar, vocals)
Steve Goodman brought Dave to a rehearsal in May, 2015. 30 seconds after he plugged in, we realized we were auditioning for him…. Dave toured with Champion in the late 80’s and most recently as the guitarist for The Party Dolls who recorded 2 CDs and played shows coast to coast….He has shared the stage with The Beach Boys, Little Richard and Chubby Checker….Over 2500 live shows played, over 200 rehearsals attended….Musical influences: Ace Frehley, Alex Lifeson, Michael Schenker, Galeazzo Frudua….Likes: Rush, NASCAR. Dislikes: The Doors, parking tickets….