About Alex Band - Biography

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Alex​ Band is the frontman and founding member of The Calling.

 

Born and raised in San Fernando Valley, L.A., California, he lived on a street named Camino Palmero. 

That's why its his first well-known album's name.

 

Alex first discovered his love for singing and songwriting at the age of 5. And at the age of 8, he started playing the guitar. That year, Alex's parents got divorced and his mother decided to go to Germany. Alex felt it as if it was a huge loss of someone he truly loved (because it was) and this made him write the song Could it be any harder, which would become part of his highly successful album, Camino Palmero.

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Although most people worldwide knows Alex because of The Calling, his first band in life was Maybe Solitude. In this band, Alex had an album with 5 songs produced by one of his best friends at that time: Jethro Rothe-Kushel (who was also part of the band). Jethro also produced and directed Alex's first videoclip: Dormant Prayer (1993). When they decided not to be a band anymore, Alex ended up meeting Aaron Kamin. Aaron was dating Taryn at that time, Alex's sister. The boys, then, formed a band named Generation Gap. However, they needed other musicians (guitar, bass and drum players) and they got them by posting an ad on the classified section of a newspaper. One of the musicians was Benny Golbin, a saxophonist, who brought some jazz vibes to Generation Gap's songs, which resembled Dave Matthews Band's music, a great inspiration to Alex Band.

 

Later, Generation Gap became Next Door, because Alex used to live next to an RCA veteran music business executive  named Ron Fair. Knowing this, Alex and Aaron started putting their demo tapes in Fair's letterbox and they got noticed.

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When Band was 15, he was signed with RCA Records, changed his band's name to The Calling, and in the 2000s he became famous worldwide especially because of his global hit Wherever You Will Go. Due to all his success at an early age, he had to drop school and finish his studies with private teachers at home. He, then, received a diploma through home schooling, but, before that, he used to study at the Oakwood School in L.A.

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In 2004 he released The Calling's second album: Two, but after its tour, he needed a hiatus to take care of a family member who was ill.

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On June 3rd, 2005, while in a concert in Las Vegas, Alex announced his plan to begin a solo career. On June 4th of that year he perfomed for the last time as The Calling, in Temecula. Then, in November, he officially announced his solo career, working with Ron Fair at Geffen Records. Due to several delays of this label to release his first solo album, Alex left it and founded his own in 2008: AMB Records. In that same year, on april 25th, he released his Alex Band EP, which contained 4 new songs in addition to Coming Home. In Brazil, however, he announced that the official single would be Only One. Once again, his lifelong friend, director and producer, Jethro Rothe-Kushel, produced Alex's videoclip for Only One.

 

On April, 2008, Alex Band performed near some U.S.A. colleges and went on a Brazilian tour twice. As usual, he participated in radio and TV programs, too. In 2009, he went back to Brazil for more concerts. Alex has always said that the Brazilian fans are the most enthusiastic.

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On June 29th, 2010 he released his debut solo album We've all been there. And his new single (Tonight) from this album was released on February 15th, 2010.

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​In 2012, Alex was diagnosed with the Parkinson's disease. He announced it during a benefit show performed on Stageit from Ryan Cabrera's home, on March 23rd, 2013. From that moment on, Alex got involved in The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Disease.

 

On August 15th, 2013, Alex decided to use the name The Calling again, showing the public the new hired musicians. They performed in Bally's Atlantic City, in honor of The Calling's coming back, on August 17th, 2013. What they couldn't imagine is that Alex would be kidnapped the next day. Two men robbed, beat him severely, and dumped him on train tracks. One of his colleagues noticed his sudden disappearance, looked for and found him some time later. Alex was taken to an emergency room at a nearby hospital where he was treated and released. This unfortunate event happened in Lapeer, Michigan and made Alex to step back again from playing with The Calling. He had to undergo several surgeries to reconstruct his face and teeth and take care of his own health.

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On October, 2016, the band was back together, but with other musicians. They performed in Manila, in the Philippines and announced their next tour, in Australia, which had to be delayed due to problems with the band's visas.

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On July, 2017, The Calling announced that they would get together with the band Lifehouse as a support for their postponed Australian tour. During that tour, Alex announced he would release some new songs in 2018.

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In 2019 he performed in Brazil, organized a Listening Party for around 30 fans who paid to attend it, played new songs, and talked about them and his life. During that event, he asked for his fans opinions on which songs could be hits in Brazil.

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In 2024, Alex came back with The Calling and a new band: Arms (Daniel Damico, guitar player), Liberati (bass player and backing vocal) and Brandon (drums player).

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Sources: Alex Band Music, Alex Band Fan, Alex Band Brasil, Last FM, Imbd, Wikipedia (PT) about Alex, English Wikipedia about Alex, Letras.com.br, Melodia crítica, and this blog about Alex.

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Extra information about Alex Band

 

Full name:                          Alexander Max Band 

Birth date:                          June 8th, 1981

Origin:                              San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles, California

Occupation:                       singer, composer, musician, producer and actor 

Musical instruments:            guitar, electric guitar, piano, saxophone, and drums.

Zodiac Sign:                      gemini

Favorite Color:                    red

Best friend:                         Jethro-Rothe-Kushel

Physical description:            green eyes, brown hair; he has a scar below his left eye caused by a dog's bite when he

                                         was 9, during Christmas. He got 30 stitches. Due to a scooter accident in Italy, he also

                                         has other scars on his body (feet, hands and back). He used to wear glasses, but only at

                                         home. He used to have 2 piercings on his right ear and 1 on his left.

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Musical influences:              Pearl Jam, Bon Jovi, Live, Train, Coldplay and U2.

Alex is a big fan of:             U2 and David Bowie. That's why his son's name is Max Bowie Band.

But he also likes:                  Beatles, Dave Matthews Band and a band named Ours.

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Favorite U2's CD:                U2's Greatest Hits

First concert he went to:        Bon Jovi 

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Favorite The Calling's songs: Stigmatized and Could it be any harder.

Least favorite one:                Things don't always turn out that way.

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Alex Band used to like:         Mexican / Italian and Asian food, sweets, crepe, Arnold Palmer (tea), lemonade

                                         and vanilla latte from Starbucks. He also used to like gardening, playing ping-pong,

                                         playing video games, watching Beverly Hills reprises and Popeye. He used to sing while

                                         chewing gum, as well.

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First car:                             Range Rover. When Alex was 14 he drove his father's car (Viper) without permisson.

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Places he lived in:                Alex has already lived in more than 15 different houses in L.A. He also lived in Florida.

                                         Besides, his family used to own the Castle of Giove, in Italy. Alex recorded his Live DVD                                             in Italy there (The Calling - Music in High Places - Live in Italy). His father also produced

                                         and directed some movies there, such as: Castle Freak, The Pit, and The Pendulum. When

                                         Alex was young he used to spend his summer vacations there, too.

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Tattoos

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Kokopelli - Alex has it on his left wrist. He had it done when he was 14. Kokopelli is a dance, music and Earth deity. There's a whole legend about it. The Kokopelli used to be the symbol of The Calling.

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Donate Life - Alex has "Donate Life" written on his right arm. He did it for the cause of people with cancer.

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Mother Earth - He has this tatoo on his left arm.

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Fleur-de-lis - It's the new symbol of The Calling. Alex has it on his right shoulder.

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Curiosities

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His passions used to be: U2 and cats

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• Alex had 2 cats (Six and Parigi).

• Parigi was attacked by a pitbull and had its leg amputated.

• He had a plush cat similar to Parigi named Miniparigi.

• He cut Miniparigi's leg so it became exactly like his real cat.

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In the past, Alex Band used to hate: when people said he looked like Aaron Carter, because Aaron was (and still is) 10 years younger than Alex.

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Charity: Alex has always been involved with charity. After Jennifer Sky, one of his ex-wives, needed a transplant, he became a supporter of organ donation and started working with the Donate Life America institution. He also performed concerts named Alex Band's Donate Life Rocks in which he fundraised money to keep supporting his cause.

 

His first Alex Band's Donate Life Rocks happened on October 2007, in L.A., CA. It was live on TV on the Dish Network channel and it also appeared on the TV program named The Real World: Hollywood, which helped promoting not only Alex's event, but also organ donation. 

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The second Alex Band's Donate Life Rocks was held in Richmond, VA, on August 21st, 2008.

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In the past, a woman named Debbie Hagerman, used to run Alex's official fan site. Through it she organized a birthday charity project in Band's name, asking that, in lieu of gifts, fans donated to a charity instead. In addition, a calendar used to be produced by her each year showcasing Band in concerts. All proceeds used to go to The Alex Band Education Fund for Donate Life America. She raised over $30,000 in honor of Alex.

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Marriages

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July 25th, 2004 - Alex married Jennifer Sky. They used to live in Florida and stayed together for 8 years in total, but got divorced in 2009.

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May 1st, 2011 - He married Kristin Blandford, but this relationship didn't last long. They got divorced on April, 2012. Kristin appeared in music videos for his songs Tonight and Euphoria.

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October, 2013 - He married Shayna Weber and they're still together. They had a son, named Max Bowie Band. Max was born on September 3rd, 2016.

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Other pieces of information
 

• If he wasn't a musician he'd probably work in the film industry.
   

• If he could be a super hero, he'd be Batman and if he had superpowers, he'd like to fly and end all wars and misery in the world.
   

• The first celebrity he felt a passion for was Punky Brewster.
   

• He used to be afraid of spiders.
   

• When he was a child, he met Demi Moore who acted in one of his father's first movies, Puppet Master.
   

• When Alex and Aaron Kamin sent their first demo tape to the U.S.A. radios, they used to call them several times making different voices just to vote on their songs.
   

• In the past press interviews Alex said that despite not knowing most of the girls who he used to study with, he thinks he hung out with most of the High School ones.​

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Alex's Family

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Parents: Meda Band / Charles Band

Sister: Taryn

Half-brothers: Harlan Band / Zalman Band

Uncle: Richard Band

Grandfather: Albert Band

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Alex Band's family's business

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Full Moon Features

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Sources: Alex Band Music, Alex Band Fan, Alex Band Brasil, Last FM, Imbd, Wikipedia (PT) about Alex, English Wikipedia about Alex, Letras.com.br, Melodia crítica, and this blog about Alex.