photo credits: Joe Twelve, Crazy Mike Lanham, Bonesaw, Pete Altieri, Jim Bethel, Michelle Baughman, Gabby Hinkson, and tons more!
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additional galleries: Group Fans/Friends Tits & Ass (adults only)
former band members: Les Aldridge Tim McCleland Steve Chestney
| Les Aldridge - former guitarist (1998-2008) |
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| Les was born
and raised in Bloomington, Illinois. His first interest in
music initially started at 6 years old, listening and copying a
couple of old albums on a Hammond air organ! Les' first real desire
to want to play guitar came at 12 years old when his grandmother showed
him some of the basic chords and said that "if it sounds good to
listen to, play it and work on it!"
The desire grew intense at 21, when Les found that playing live was the release that he needed to pursue being in a band that was going to be playing their music and not covering other tunes. Les has played in other bands with Tim McClelland (ex-Low Twelve) and also in Broken Altar, a progressive metal band with current Low Twelve drummer - Wes Pollock. He joined forces with Low Twelve in December of 1998 and has made huge contributions ever since. Not only was he an important member of the band, but he was the mechanic and master driver of the official Low Twelve van and equipment trailer. Once on a road trip, Les spearheaded the operation of changing out a bad radiator in less than 50 minutes! Les left the band March 2008 after 10 years of loyal service! Les appeared on all the Low Twelve recordings including the "This Side Toward Enemy" CD in 2006 and the "Live at Eastside" DVD in 2007. |
| Tim McCleland - former guitarist (1998-2001) |
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| Les was born
and raised in a small town - Carlock Illinois. Tim started playing
guitar at an early age and was always drawn to the most offensive, brutal
metal possible. Tim loved death metal and craved bands like Cannibal
Corpse, Carcass, and more. But he also loved incredible guitar players
and listened often to Yngwie Malmsteen, Paul Gilbert of Racer X, and Dimebag
Darrell of Pantera.
Tim and Pete co-founded Low Twelve in the summer of 1998 and the band practiced in his basement on Graham Street in Bloomington. Tim's patented crunching sound and incredibly unique persona, were an integral part of the band in the early years. Tim appeared on the early Low Twelve demos, as well as their debut CD release "Flesh of the Weak". Tim left the band in the fall of 2001 and died only months later in February 2002. It was a sad day for Low Twelve, as Tim was loved by the entire band, crew members, and countless fans. The funeral home where his service was held was standing room only, as hundreds came to pay respects to one of the most wicked guitar players around. Oddly enough, new guitarist Jeremy Meister has one of Tim's guitars and so in a way - Tim is still right up there with Low Twelve. Tim is gone but never forgotten . . . |
| Steve Chestney - former drummer (1998-1999) |
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| Steve was born and raised in
Bloomington Illinois. He comes from some serious musician stock, as
much of his extended family are musicians! Steve's drumming roots run
deep and extend into much of the rock genre . . . on bands like Blue Oyster
Cult, Foghat, and Deep Purple. Steve knew Pete from being a fellow
Pittsburgh Steeler fan and watching the games together each Sunday at a
local bar. Even though Steve wasn't a huge metal head, Pete thought
his rock-solid style would fit nicely . . . and it did. Steve played with the band for a couple of years, but left late in 1999 for personal reasons. Still a friend of the band's today - Steve is still playing music but this time he's got a guitar around his neck. His son Spencer is continuing in the family tradition and plays drums himself! Steve appeared on the band first demo "Blunt Force Trauma" before he was replaced by current drummer Wes Pollock. |
| Wes Pollock - Drums & Flying Chunks of Sticks |
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| Wes was born
and raised in Clinton Illinois and started playing drums at an early age.
His family is very talented and nearly all of them play multiple
instruments! With such a talented gene pool, it's no wonder why Wes
picked up the drum sticks so young and has sent drum heads home crying
ever since. He played in various bands with Les Aldridge and former
Low Twelve guitar player, Tim McCleland.
He joined forces with Low Twelve in November of 1999 and has made huge contributions ever since. Several of the songs that have been written since Wes joined the band, were written with a drum beat first. Wes has brought many exciting ideas to the table, for example the verse in "Trench" was written on drums and Pete put the basic riff together based on that . . . vocals fell in place and the rest is reserved for the Brutal Hall of Fame. Much of the "This Side Toward Enemy" material features interesting time signatures and off beat stuff that Wes manages to pull off with incredible precision. Anyone watching Wes play can't seem to see everything in one eye full as he bashes and crushes his drums while at the same time - finessing his cymbals with the skill of a surgeon. His trademark machine gun shredding double bass remains a definitive piece of the Low Twelve sound. |
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| Wes' Arsenal | More stuff about Wes | |
| drum set:
7 Piece Pearl Vision VBX Series
drums: Two - 22" x 18" bass drums, 12" x 9", 13" x 10" and 14"x 11" rack toms, 16" x 16" floor tom, a 14" x 5 1/2" Pearl Chad Smith signature series metal snare & a 14 x 5 1/2" Pearl Custom Sensitone steel snare. cymbals: 18" x 45 cm Zildjian Z custom projection crash, 18" x 45 cm Zildjian K medium thin dark crash, 16" x 40 cm Zildjian K medium thin dark crash, 18" x 45 cm Zildjian Avedis china high, 22" x 56 cm Zildjian Z custom power ride, 14" Sabian rock sizzle hi hats (Very Old), & a 6" Zildjian Zil-Bel. pedals: Axis X Series single pedals hardware/misc: Pearl and Ludwig hardware, Evens Genra G2 heads, Vic Firth 5BN Hickory Sticks. recording: Sony Vaio Computer, Sony Vegas, Acid Pro, Sound Forge Studio, Peavey PVM Drum Mics, & Audio Technica ATH-M40 Headphones. |
The top 5 CD's in his
collection:
One musician that got him interested in playing drums: "My uncle Dave "Batman" Eddy." What is Wes' favorite Low Twelve song to play live? "Not Forgotten!!!!!"
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personal myspace page: http://www.myspace.com/killfloorkid
email: wes@lowtwelve.com
snail mail: Low Twelve Command Center, PO Box 4324, Bloomington IL 61702 USA
| Pete Altieri - Bass, Vocals, and Bone-Crunching Rumbles |
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| Pete was born in Bronx, New
York and grew up in Bethel, Connecticut. He first picked up a bass
when he was 17 and played in a couple of bands before getting serious.
His first bass was a natural wood grain Memphis 4-string, and he played
through a pathetic 25-watt amp with a 15-inch speaker he bought with his
paper route money and cleaning pools.
He was one of the founding members of Sacred Oath, a progressive metal band that played good old school metal. At the time, he was only playing bass and doing background vocals. This was where he learned about promoting bands, writing music/lyrics, and running the business side of things. He was able to get Sacred Oath signed to an independent label from New York City after only 18 months, put out a record called "A Crystal Vision", and did some regional US touring. They broke up in 1988 due to serious musical differences. In 2001, a label re-released "A Crystal Vision", and added some new material the band reunited to record in 1998 and again in 2005-2006. Disgusted with the music scene, and after taking several years off playing, Pete was the founding member of Low Twelve in 1998. He wanted to sing full time and write most of the material, and Low Twelve gave him the perfect outlet to do just that. Pete is the webmaster of the site, writes the weekly Brutality Reports, runs Heavycore - a union of heavy bands worldwide, and is the host of the Heavycore Chopping Block radio show. Needless to say, he's a busy mother fucker. He's been featured in Metal Maniacs, PIT and other zines for his work with Heavycore. His raw and aggressive vocal style coupled with sack-crushing bass playing, is an important part to the trademark Low Twelve sound. |
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| Pete's Arsenal | More stuff about Pete |
| amps:
Peavey 700-watt Firebass Head, Gorilla stack for home practice processors/misc: Digitech BP-8 bass processor, Peavey PVM-46 vocal microphone, Peavey boom stand, Anvil flight cases cabinets: Peavey Black Widow 15-inch and Black Widow 4 x 10-inch strings: Peavey Stainless Steel 5-string picks: real bass players don't use 'em basses: Schecter Diamond Series 5-string, Washburn Force Four 4-string, and custom made Poser "Blood" Bass 4-string recording: a Peavey RQ 200 mixer, personal computer, Sony Vegas, Acid Pro, Sound Forge and CD Architect
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The top 5 CD's in his
collection:
"Carcass "Heartwork", Testament "Demonic", Kreator "Live Kreation", Death "Sound of Perseverance", and Mercyful Fate "Don't Break the Oath" One musician that got him interested in playing bass: "That's a tough one, because it's really a combination of Geezer Butler of Black Sabbath, Bob Daisley of Ozzy/Uriah Heep/Rainbow, and Steve Harris of Maiden. Geezer for his sick sense of groove to create metal, Bob Daisley for his great writing and cool behind the scenes style of playing, and Steve Harris for his killer tone, fast fingers, and galloping that changed bass playing forever. There were others like Cliff Burton of course, but I had already been playing for a while before I discovered him. Even Stanley Clarke, the jazz bassist is one sick mother fucker that I had the privilege to see front row back in the late 1980's. He made me want to pawn my shit and give up!" A vocalist that got him interested in singing: "That's another tough one. I would have to say Chuck Billy of Testament was my main influence. He's so strong and powerful and has a great sense of melody, which is very difficult to do amidst the chaos of heavy music. He was incredible back then when I started and still is to this day the best in heavy music! Others would be Cronos of Venom and Tom Araya of Slayer - true innovators when the heavy stuff was just beginning." What is Pete's favorite Low Twelve song to play live? "I love the ones that really get the crowd into it. Brutal World might be the best one for that - it always seems to get the Twelve Heads into a frenzy. Of the new material, Mountains of the Dead might be my personal favorite - it's by far the most challenging of all our songs to play live." |
band myspace: www.myspace.com/lowtwelve
email: pete@lowtwelve.com
snail mail: Low Twelve Command Center, PO Box 4324, Bloomington IL 61702 USA
| Meister - bludgeoning guitar and backing growls |
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Meister (as he as known . . . most people don't even know his first name) hails from Pontiac Illinois and has been shredding guitar frets since he was 16. He remembers his sister Anna took up playing guitar, but stopped taking lessons and passed her guitar to him. He started his first band soon after, but broke into the metal scene with The Breed of Sedition with many of his friends from Pontiac. Together they played many shows, several with Low Twelve - so Meister has been a friend/fan of the band since it began in 1998. After The Breed of Sedition broke up, Meister took to doing vocals in the band Human Hatemachine, and then back to guitar again in Killborn. When Les left Low Twelve in March of 2008, Meister was on the top of the list of guys to call. Pete and Wes not only wanted him for his wicked riffing abilities, but also for his leather lungs . . . to finally have a vocalist that could go toe-to-toe with Pete and do some really brutal vocal stuff. He's done that and much more as his contributions are already being felt in the new Low Twelve sound. Meister brings lots of energy to the table and a great sense of humor . . . prepare for mayhem to ensue when he takes the stage! |
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| Meister's Arsenal | |
| amps:
NADY power amp processors/misc: Digitech cabinets: Crate/Randall 4 x 10's strings: Blue Steel guitars: Ibanez 7-string, and 6-string The top 5 CD's in his collection:"Full Blown Chaos "Within
the Grasp of Titans" What were Meister's early influences? "I was influenced early on by stuff like Suicidal Tendencies, Cannibal Corpse, Sepultura and Earth Crisis. |
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personal myspace page: http://www.myspace.com/meister79
email: meister@lowtwelve.com
snail mail: Low Twelve Command Center, PO Box 4324, Bloomington IL 61702 USA
| Dan Steinlicht - shredding guitar mayhem |
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Dan is originally from Colfax, IL where he lived
until he graduated from Ridgeview High School and moved to Bloomington
in 1999. He played baseball and basketball growing up until high school
where a combination of personal problems and a certain basketball coach gave
him the "fuck you" heavy metal attitude. He got serious about music when he
was 17 when I got into Metallica, Pantera, Megadeth, Ozzy, Rage Against the
Machine, etc...
Dan played in a variety of early bands before
getting serious with his other current band, Zeroshift. He also played with
Heavycore members Redeeming Damnation which was his first job as a lead
guitar player. Redeeming Damnation broke up in 2007.
As Redeeming came to an end, Dan got Zeroshift back together and so he shares his guitar shredding time between them and Low Twelve. His wicked biting guitar tone along with a screaming lead attack - means Dan is making huge contributions to what Low Twelve has evolved to in 2008. He joined the band a week after Meister in March 2008 after Les quit. Just like Meister, Dan was also on the short list of guitar players to call when Les left, and so it's great that he decided to join forces and make brutal music together! |
| Dan's Aresenal and more | |
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amplification:
Crown XLS 202 Poweramp
Sans Amp PSA1 Preamp
Alesis 3630 Noisw Gate/Compressor
Digetech 256 XL Effects Processor(Only
there to look cool)
Sabine RT-7000 Rack Tuner
Alesis Quadraverb Effects Processor
Pedals:
Digetech Mic 7 MIDI Controller
Cabinet:
Ibanez 4x12 Cabinet
Strings:
Ernie Ball Super Slinky's
Guitars:
Gibson Les Paul Studio
Jackson Kelly w/Dave Mustaine Sig
Pickups
Jackson Dinky w/George Lynch Screamin
Demon Pickup
Jackson 7 String w/Seymore Duncan USA
Pickup
Top 5 CDs:
Children of Bodem "Hate Crew Death
Roll"
Arch Enemy "Doomsday Machine"
Slayer "God Hates Us All"
System of a Down "Toxicity"
Any Metallica or Megadeth released
before 1992
"Luke Dennis and Aaron Yeakle are the
ones who inspired me to pick up a guitar, and for that I will always
thank them for that gift. Without the musical confidence Eric gave
me, I never would have even tried to step into a lead position.
Thanks."
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personal myspace page: http://www.myspace.com/ddevildan
email: dan@lowtwelve.com
snail mail: Low Twelve Command Center, PO Box 4324, Bloomington IL 61702 USA
April 2008 (first promo shots with new lineup) - photo by
Gabby Hinkson
April 2008 (first promo shots with new lineup) - photo by
Gabby Hinkson
March 2008 (first pic with new lineup, outside our
practice spot at Wes') - photo by
Michelle Baughman
previous lineup
January 2005 promo photos with Joe Altieri,
Bloomington Illinois
January 2005 promo photos with Joe Altieri,
Bloomington Illinois
summer 2005 in Pontiac Illinois with 12 Gauge and
Buck home from Iraq on leave . . . and January 2006 signing the deal with
Rotting Corpse Records at Les' house, Bloomington Illinois
Central Illinois Metal Fest - Canopy Club, Urbana
Illinois . . . Club 217, Springfield Illinois
Illinois Brewing Company, Bloomington
Illinois . . . Bubba's Benefit II, Tri Lakes Bloomington Illinois with friends
| FANS/FRIENDS We can't say enough how important our fans and friends are to Low Twelve. Simply put - we COULDN'T do it without your support. Huge thanks! When times were down, the Twelve Heads have always managed to rise to the occasion. When Pete had cancer during 2001, the fans sent in tons of emails and cards, and that was instrumental in helping him fight for his life. When Tim died in February of 2002, the band really needed some strength and the masses of Twelve Heads who sent in messages where welcomed twelvefold. Pete tosses tampons out at the crowd - and yells stuff out at them . . . like "you pussies" and "you fags". It's a Low Twelve tradition of sorts . . . but you all should know that all the members of Low Twelve (even the tampon thrower himself) really love doing what they do and playing each and every show like it was the last. We hit the 200 live show mark in November 2005 and much of that is because of you! Thanks again to all the Twelve Heads - we owe you more than you could imagine!
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| TITS
& ASS What more can be said other than the visual here? Crazy Mike is a man of legendary proportions for capturing these young ladies . . . in the throes of nastiness after watching Low Twelve perform. People are amazed at how Crazy Mike does it - maybe it's the smooth lines? Or possibly his bulging package? Or it could just be a primitive charisma that takes them by surprise. 2007/2008
2005/2006
CLASSIC SHOTS FROM THE PAST
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