Vinnie Fiorello
Encyclopedia
Vinnie Fiorello is an American drummer
, lyricist
and founding member of the ska punk
band Less Than Jake
. As a child, Vinnie's family owned a dog named Jake who was "treated like a king" according to the band's website FAQ page. As a result, everything in the house became "Less Than Jake", spawning the band's name. Vinnie is known to be a collector of Pez dispensers, along with Less Than Jake bandmate Roger Manganelli
.
Vinnie grew up in New Jersey
, having moved to Gainesville, FL at the age of 16. As a result, almost every Less Than Jake album features a reference to New Jersey. Though his drumming style does not reflect it, Vinnie was influenced by Dave Lombardo
of Slayer
. It was his idea to record two Slayer covers ("Evil Has No Boundaries" and "The Antichrist") and release a 7". These two covers are found on rarities collection "Goodbye Blue and White".
As the lyricist, Vinnie is generally regarded as the symbolic frontman for the band, despite being the drummer, and is usually the subject of any interviews with the band as it was he and Chris Demakes, the band's guitarist, who founded the band at the University of Florida
in 1992.
Vinnie is the founder, and former owner, of the Fueled by Ramen
record label. Originally a small project to release music of bands he personally liked, the label expanded, releasing music from such high-profile artists as Panic! at the Disco
and Fall Out Boy
, and list the likes of Yellowcard
, Jimmy Eat World
and Home Grown
as label alumni. Vinnie stated in his blog that he left Fueled by Ramen in late 2006, having been at odds with the record company's direction for a while as well as lacking his personal influence, but the split is not widely considered to be acrimonious. Since then, he and his Less Than Jake bandmates have created a new record label: "Sleep It Off Records".
He also owns the online designer toy and clothes company Wünderland War, formerly Monkey vs. Robot. The company have previously sponsored a Threadless
competition. They are currently manufacturing their third series of toys, entitled "Symptoms", and is creating a new music management company called SETAFIRE. Fiorello has also recently started Paper + Plastick
, a record label focused on joining artwork and music.
As well as musician, Fiorello is now a children's author. His first book "Sometimes Robots Like Being Robots: 13 Stories Looking Into the World of Robots" is due for release in December 2008.
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
, lyricist
Lyricist
A lyricist is a songwriter who specializes in lyrics. A singer who writes the lyrics to songs is a singer-lyricist. This differentiates from a singer-composer, who composes the song's melody.-Collaboration:...
and founding member of the ska punk
Ska punk
Ska punk is a fusion music genre that combines ska and punk rock. It achieved its highest level of commercial success in the United States in the late 1990s. Ska-core is a subgenre of ska punk, blending ska with hardcore punk.The characteristics of ska punk vary, due to the fusion of contrasting...
band Less Than Jake
Less Than Jake
Less Than Jake is an American ska punk band from Gainesville, Florida. Originally formed in 1992 as a power pop trio, the band evolved into a hybrid of ska punk. Less Than Jake have also been cited as showing influences from a wide variety of genres including post-grunge, heavy metal, alternative...
. As a child, Vinnie's family owned a dog named Jake who was "treated like a king" according to the band's website FAQ page. As a result, everything in the house became "Less Than Jake", spawning the band's name. Vinnie is known to be a collector of Pez dispensers, along with Less Than Jake bandmate Roger Manganelli
Roger Manganelli
Roger Manganelli is the bassist and one of the two lead vocalists for ska-punk band Less Than Jake. He is also the lead vocalist and guitarist for Rehasher, and drummer for Greenhorn...
.
Vinnie grew up in New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, having moved to Gainesville, FL at the age of 16. As a result, almost every Less Than Jake album features a reference to New Jersey. Though his drumming style does not reflect it, Vinnie was influenced by Dave Lombardo
Dave Lombardo
Dave Lombardo is a Cuban American heavy metal drummer best known for his work with American thrash metal band Slayer. He has performed with Slayer on seven albums, including their groundbreaking 1986 release Reign In Blood and their 2006 release Christ Illusion, for which he received critical praise...
of Slayer
Slayer
Slayer is an American thrash metal band formed in Huntington Park, California, in 1981 by guitarists Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King. Slayer rose to fame with their 1986 release, Reign in Blood, and is credited as one of the "Big Four" thrash metal acts, along with Metallica, Megadeth and...
. It was his idea to record two Slayer covers ("Evil Has No Boundaries" and "The Antichrist") and release a 7". These two covers are found on rarities collection "Goodbye Blue and White".
As the lyricist, Vinnie is generally regarded as the symbolic frontman for the band, despite being the drummer, and is usually the subject of any interviews with the band as it was he and Chris Demakes, the band's guitarist, who founded the band at the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
in 1992.
Vinnie is the founder, and former owner, of the Fueled by Ramen
Fueled by Ramen
Fueled by Ramen is an American record label which operates as a subsidiary of Warner Music Group, and is distributed by Atlantic Records. The label, founded in Gainesville, Florida, is based in New York City...
record label. Originally a small project to release music of bands he personally liked, the label expanded, releasing music from such high-profile artists as Panic! at the Disco
Panic! at the Disco
Panic! at the Disco is an American alternative rock duo, formed in Las Vegas, Nevada in 2005. Since its split, the band's line-up includes Brendon Urie and Spencer Smith . Former members Ryan Ross and Jon Walker left the group in 2009...
and Fall Out Boy
Fall Out Boy
Fall Out Boy is an American rock band from Wilmette, Illinois, formed in 2001. The band consists of vocalist, guitarist and composer Patrick Stump, bassist and lyricist Pete Wentz, guitarist Joe Trohman, and drummer Andy Hurley. The band released five studio albums from 2003–2008...
, and list the likes of Yellowcard
Yellowcard
Yellowcard is an American pop punk/alternative rock band formed in Jacksonville, Florida in 1997, and based in Los Angeles, California since 2000. Their music features the use of a violin, unusual for the genre...
, Jimmy Eat World
Jimmy Eat World
Jimmy Eat World is an American alternative rock band from Mesa, Arizona, that formed in 1993. The band is composed of lead vocalist and guitarist Jim Adkins, guitarist and backing vocalist Tom Linton, bassist Rick Burch and drummer Zach Lind....
and Home Grown
Home Grown
Home Grown was an American rock band formed in 1994 in Orange County, California. They released three full-length albums and several EPs before disbanding in 2005. Their music is often characterized as pop punk, lyrically favoring humor and silly or satirical subjects.-Formation:Home Grown was...
as label alumni. Vinnie stated in his blog that he left Fueled by Ramen in late 2006, having been at odds with the record company's direction for a while as well as lacking his personal influence, but the split is not widely considered to be acrimonious. Since then, he and his Less Than Jake bandmates have created a new record label: "Sleep It Off Records".
He also owns the online designer toy and clothes company Wünderland War, formerly Monkey vs. Robot. The company have previously sponsored a Threadless
Threadless
Threadless is an online community of artists and an e-commerce website based in Chicago, Illinois since 2000. Co-founders Jake Nickell and Jacob DeHart started the company with $1,000 in seed money after entering an Internet t-shirt design contest....
competition. They are currently manufacturing their third series of toys, entitled "Symptoms", and is creating a new music management company called SETAFIRE. Fiorello has also recently started Paper + Plastick
Paper + Plastick
Paper + Plastick is an indie record label, founded by Vinnie Fiorello, best known as the drummer for ska punk band Less Than Jake, but also co-founder of the label Fueled By Ramen.-History:Announced on March 21, 2008, the label launched on May 30, 2008....
, a record label focused on joining artwork and music.
As well as musician, Fiorello is now a children's author. His first book "Sometimes Robots Like Being Robots: 13 Stories Looking Into the World of Robots" is due for release in December 2008.