Rock’n Me 12: Talking About Western Music - Richie Castellano

For this 12th post, I would like to introduce Richie Castellano.
And no, I’m not talking about Ritchie Blackmore, Richie Sambora, or even Lionel Richie.
Richie Castellano, born in 1980 (41 years old at the time of writing this), is a phenomenal artist from New York.

Chances are, most people aren’t familiar with his name.
He’s currently a member of Blue Öyster Cult, a rock band that’s been active in New York since the 1970s, and he also works as a producer.
This alone makes him a pretty big deal—but Richie’s true brilliance shines in his YouTube activity.
What makes Richie so impressive is that he sings and performs every part of a song himself in his home basement studio.
He plays string instruments, keys, drums, and handles audio and video production all on his own. He’s a truly multi-talented creator.
What brought him global recognition was his one-man multi-track performance of Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody”.
If you haven’t seen it–go watch it. It speaks louder than words.
He nails not only Freddie Mercury’s legendary vocals but also the layered harmonies, Brian May’s guitar, and every piano, bass, and drum part.
Even the intro mimics the iconic music video using just a flashlight to recreate the original’s atmosphere.
At that point, all you can do is laugh in awe.

■ Richie Castellano – “Bohemian Rhapsody”

Richie continues his cover project called Band Geeks with his musician friends. It’s a collaborative concept where a core group of musicians recreates classic songs, sometimes inviting guest performers depending on the track.
Among the core members, Ann Marie Nacchio (vocals, bass, guitar, keys) and Andy Ascolese (drums, keys, vocals) stand out for their jaw-dropping skills. Their performances often surpass the technical level of the original recordings—it’s almost frustrating how good they are.

A must-see video is their cover of “Under Pressure”, the legendary collaboration between Queen and David Bowie. Richie not only pulls off an uncanny recreation of Freddie Mercury, but he also nails David Bowie’s parts (and Brian May’s guitar work too). You start to wonder just how much vocal power this man really has.
On top of that, Ann Marie’s soaring high notes are absolutely stunning.

■ Band Geeks – “Under Pressure”

In Band Geeks, famous musicians such as guitarist Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal (former Guns N' Roses, current Sons of Apollo) have made guest appearances and started belting out classic songs from bands like Boston and Iron Maiden. Their vocal abilities will leave you stunned, as you never expected such power from them. Constantine Maroulis, the singer and actor from the musical Rock of Ages, guest-stars on their cover of Van Halen's “Right Now”, delivering a voice reminiscent of Sammy Hagar in his prime.
But it’s not just big names — Emily Nacchio, an unknown vocalist (sister of Ann Marie), also shines. She sings Dio’s “Holy Diver” and Alanis Morissette’s “You Oughta Know” with such passion and skill. It feels as if the original artists themselves are channeling through her.

■ Constantine Maroulis & Band Geeks – “Right Now”

■ Band Geeks – “You Oughta Know”

The range of songs covered by Band Geeks spans pop, R&B, rock, prog, and metal, and their versatility is truly overwhelming. To give you a sense of their eclecticism, I could list countless incredible examples, but one particularly shocking moment was their cover of the entire album Yes’ Close to the Edge (Japanese title: Kiki / 危機). It may only be three tracks, but if you're unfamiliar with the original, let me explain: the first song is over 18 minutes long, and it’s a piece that I couldn't even play a single bar of on my pitiful guitar.
For those who understand prog, let’s talk in their language. What made me laugh was their recreation of the intro’s sound effects and their tribute to Rick Wakeman’s cape. But what brought tears to my eyes was their reproduction of the bass and snare sounds. They replicated Chris Squire’s aggressive bass using Helix, and Bill Bruford’s snare and toms were recreated with electronic drums triggering sampled sounds (there's even a video explaining the process). In the original Yes band, Chris Squire passed away, and Steve Howe long struggled to keep up with the tempo. In contrast, Band Geeks’ performance sounds even more Yes-like than the original band itself.

■ Band Geeks “Close to the Edge”

Watching their activities, you realize just how many incredibly talented people there are in the world. Recently, rock music from the 1960s to the 1980s has come to be referred to as "classic rock". The original artists who created these masterpieces are gradually leaving us. However, the next generation is carrying on these incredible performances, and they are literally becoming classics. Personally, this sentiment inspires me to keep practicing the first measure of “Close to the Edge”. I still can’t play it, though.

The “sound & person” column is made up of contributions from you.
For details about contributing, click here.