John DeServio

It all started for me when I left Berklee College of Music in 89, The same year I got into Mike Varney's Spotlight column in Guitar Player magazine as an up-and-coming bass player. I left Berklee to go on tour with Jodi Bongiovi, who was John Bon Jovi's cousin of all things! I got to tour and then record at The Powerstation in New York. I played with some legendary cats including Steve Ferrone. About a year later, Zakk(Wylde) got me an audition for Lita Ford. I got the gig and toured with her for almost a year. We opened for Motley Crue on The Doctor Feelgood tour. It was awesome playing arenas! After Lita I joined a New York underground type heavy funk band. It was members from a band call Defunkt. We played in NYC quite a bit and toured Europe for 2 months. That tour was life changing. Next I joined Vinnie Moore's band. He's a virtuoso instrumental guitarist and currently plays with UFO. We toured for a year and opened up for Rush on their Roll the Bones tour. It was amazing to play with those guys! I actually got to play Geddy's bass and jammed with Neil Peart! After Vinnie I was in Jersey for about a year, teaching and playing covers when I was asked to go on tour with Zakk for the first time in Pride and Glory. We toured America, Europe, Japan and opened up for Aerosmith in the states for a month. A year later, I joined a band called Drill. We did a record which I wrote 2 tunes for and toured for a couple of years. We toured with Stabbing Westward, Marilyn Manson on the Antichrist Superstar tour, as well as other hardcore industrial type bands. After we did our second record, the record company went under, and that was the end of Drill. Too bad, the 2nd record had a shot. After Drill, I got back with Zakk for Black Label Society's first tour. We did America, Japan and Europe. After the tour I stayed in Jersey for a few years teaching, recording, and practicing piano, drums and guitar. I moved to California and did some touring with Richie Kotzen. We went to South America, Spain and Korea. I've also done some recording with The Hideous Sun Demons! The side project including Ray Luzier and Toshi Hiketa of David Lee Roth's band. In 2005, after touring with Richie, I got back in Black Label Society. Since then, we've toured the world many times over, recorded like 4 records, a DVD and there is much more to come! I also have a side project called Cycle of Pain. It's a great band with guys I grew up with in Jersey! I am endorsed by Samson, Hartke, Schecter, Monster, Korg, and Coffin Cases.