Roger Zee: What piqued your interest in music as a child?
Ken Chiocchi: I grew up listening to my parents' Fifties and Sixties music collection. The Beatles first got me excited to play.
I remember trying to learn every one of their songs! I started on the drums and than switched to bass. I thought McCartney was amazing and
still do!
Roger Zee: How did Sugarush come together? How did you pick the name?
Ken Chiocchi: In 2009, after returning from a year in Chicago for my day job, I wanted to start something new
and exciting! Before I left, I played every weekend in "Timeline," a popular Eighties band. So I called my brother Chris,
who always covered drums in my groups, and he agreed immediately. My brother wanted me to convince Linda, who we played with in the Nineties,
to come out of retirement. Linda's known as the "Queen of Disco" all over Westchester. Luckily, she jumped on board before I even finished
my pitch! Then we added some members who no longer remain with Sugarush. Because we could not figure out what to call the band, we emailed people for
suggestions. One of Linda’s friends came up with Sugarush and we loved it!
Roger Zee: What kind of music do you play?
Ken Chiocchi: Sugarush does around 70% Current Radio Hits, 15% Eighties Pop (with some Cheese Rap), 10% Classic Disco and 5%
Classic Rock. We're a true Top 40 Dance band and one of the only groups that play to the crowd. Sugarush performs non-stop music like a
DJ with no talking in between songs. Our high energy lifts the audience to the next level. Most bands play 36 to 40 songs per night.
Sugarush performs over 50 songs! We also do a lot of modern radio hits that no other band will touch. Because a lot of today's music's
over-produced, we re-write the arrangements. Sugarush does not perform to tracks. We play everything live!
Roger Zee: Who's in the group?
Ken Chiocchi: The band consists of Linda Valent Argiento (lead vocals), Ken Chiocchi (bass, vocals, booking),
Mike DePalma a.k.a Mike E Dee (keyboards, vocals, musical director), Angelo LoCascio (guitar, vocals),
Chris Chiocchi (drums, percussion), and Mark Veralli (drums). We use two different drummers due to the demanding nature of the gig.
We play two 90 minute non-stop sets! So Mark usually works Fridays and Chris Saturdays. Linda, Chris, and I remain as original members.
Roger Zee: Which clubs and private events do you play on a regular basis?
Ken Chiocchi: We rotate through Pete's Saloon (Elmsford), The Hudson Room (Peekskill), Victor's (Hawthorne), Patrick's Pub & Grill
(Mahopac), Pier Restaurant & Tiki Bar (Rye), as well as a few other places. We do work for the Cortlandt Yacht Club as well as other
private parties. We play out six to eight times a month.
Roger Zee: How often do you add new material?
Ken Chiocchi: We try to add a few new songs every month -- either new radio material or older tunes that have withstood the test of
time.
Roger Zee: Describe your favorite and/or most unusual gig.
Ken Chiocchi: My favorite performance? That's hard. I have a lot! One of the most memorable occurred last July 3rd at the Pier
Restaurant and Tiki bar in Rye. We were playing to over 1500 people when it started to rain the final half-hour. But the crowd kept on
dancing and would not leave. That energized us! The most unusual performance occurred at a restaurant who's name I won't mention. Someone
we knew booked us there eight years ago but we didn't first check out the venue. When we arrived, the place had the vibe of a funeral
home. We never went back!
Roger Zee: What advice do you give young and upcoming musicians?
Ken Chiocchi: Practice, practice, practice! Listen to the Beatles to learn chord and harmony. Do not act like a rock star until you
get a record deal! Always promote yourself and/or your band. Never disrespect anybody because you never know when you'll run into them again!
Roger Zee: Do you have anything else you'd like to add?
Ken Chiocchi: I would like to go on record saying please support live music! We play with so many great bands on
the circuit. I encourage bar/restaurant owners to charge a cover. We need to keep live music going strong. For a $5 admission,
you get a full night of entertainment! I would also like to thank my band mates. These great musicians are family.
We live to bring happiness to others for a few hours each weekend!
©2018 Roger Zee