The Florida Metal Connection - There have been many musicians from Florida that have joined bands from around the world, there have also been musicians in bands from around the world that have relocated to Florida, which makes up "The Florida Metal Connection". Here is a list of those musician connections: 1349 - Tony Laureano (Tampa, FL from Puerto Rico) played drums 'Live' for 1349 (Oslo, Norway). AC/DC- Brian Johnson (Sarasota, FL from Gateshead, England) is the Vocalist of AC/DC (New South Wales, Australia). Agent Steel- James Murphy (Guitar, Lakeland, FL.), and Richard Bateman R.I.P. (Bass, Tampa, FL.), were both 'Live' show members of Agent Steel (Los Angeles, CA), in 1987. Alcatrazz - Yngwie Malmsteen (Miami, FL., from Stockholm, Sweden), played guitar for Alcatrazz (Los Angeles, CA). All That Remains - Tony Laureano (Tampa, FL, from Puerto Rico) played drums 'Live' for All That Remains (Springfield, Mass). Amen - Shannon Larkin (Cape Corol, FL from Chicago, IL) was the drummer of Amen (Los Angeles, CA). Annihilator - Dave Scott R.I.P. (Tampa, FL,, from Ontario Canada), played Bass for Annihilator (Ontario, Canada). Aquaria - Bill Hudson (Orlando, FL., from Sao Paulo, Brazil) played Guitar for Aquaria (Rio De Janeiro, Brazil). Aurora Borealis - Tony Laureano (Tampa, FL from Puerto Rico) played drums for Aurora Borealis (Waldorf, Maryland). Belphegor - Tony Laureano (Tampa, FL from Puerto Rico) played drums 'Live' for Belphegor (Salzburg, Austria). Beyond Death - Alex Webster (Seattle, WA, lived in Tampa, FL for many years, from Buffalo, NY), played bass for Beyond Death (Buffalo, NY). Brujeria - Tony Laureano (Tampa, FL from Puerto Rico) played drums for Brujeria (California). Cancer- James Murphy (Guitar, Lakeland, FL.), recorded and played 'Live' for Cancer (Birmingham, England, U.K.), in 1991. Castrator - Robin Mazen (Tampa, FL) is the current Bass player for Castrator (New York, NY). Cavalera Conspiracy- Mike Leon (Tampa, FL.), is the current Bass player for Cavelera Conspiracy (Pheonix, AZ). Cellador - Bill Hudson (Orlando, FL., from Sao Paulo, Brazil) played Guitar for Cellador (Omaha, Nebraska). Chastain- Pat O'Brien (Tampa, FL. from Hebron, KY) was the guitarist for Chastain (Cincinnati, OH). Conquering Dystopia - Alex Webster (Seattle, WA, lived in Tampa, FL for many years, from Buffalo, NY), plays bass for Conquering Dystopia (Portland, OR.). Crisis - Afzaal Nasiruddean (Tampa, Florida / New York, NY) was the Guitarist for the band Crisis (New York, New York). Crowbar - Jeff Golden (Brandon, Florida) played Bass in Crowbar (New Orleans, LA). Crumbsuckers- Gary Meskil (Sarasota, FL) is the Bass player for Crumbsuckers (Long Island, NY). Cycle Sluts from Hell - Bobby Gustafson (West Palm Beach, FL, from Staten Island, NY), played guitar for Cycle Sluts from Hell (New York, NY). Derketa - Robin Mazen (Tampa, FL) is the current Bass player for Derketa (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania). Dimmu Borgir - Tony Laureano (Tampa, FL from Puerto Rico) played drums for Dimmu Borgir (Oslo, Norway). Dope - Angel Bartolotta (New Port Richey, Florida) played Drums for the band Dope (New York City). Doro - Bill Hudson (Orlando, FL., from Sao Paulo, Brazil) plays Guitar 'Live' shows for Doro (Dusseldorf, Germany). Fear of God - Doug Sylvia (Cape Coral, FL, from New Bedford, Mass.), was the drummer of Fear of God (Los Angeles, CA). G3 - Yngwie Malmsteen (Miami, FL., from Stockholm, Sweden), played guitar for G3 the Super group. God Dethroned - Tony Laureano (Tampa, FL from Puerto Rico) played drums on the "Ravenous" album for God Dethroned (Netherlands). Godsmack - Shannon Larkin (Cape Coral, FL from Chicago, IL) is the current drummer for Godsmack (Lawrence, Mass). Gorgaroth- Frank Watkins R.I.P. (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) was the bass player for Gorgaroth (Norway), Frank's stage name was Boddel. Grip Inc. - Bobby Gustafson (West Palm Beach, FL, from Staten Island, NY), played guitar for Grip Inc. (Los Angeles, CA). Hallows Eve- James Murphy (Lakeland, FL.), played guitar for Hallows Eve (Atlanta, GA), in 1989. Hatebreed- Frank Novinec (Orlando, FL) is the currently a guitarist for Hatebreed (Bridgeport, Connecticut). I4NI - Bobby Gustafson (West Palm Beach, FL, from Staton Island, NY), played guitar for I4NI (San Francisco, CA). Insideous Disease - Tony Laureano (Tampa, FL from Puerto Rico) is the current drummer for Insideous Disease (Oslo, Norway). Internescine - Tony Laureano (Tampa, FL from Puerto Rico) played drums on the "Book of Lambs" album for Internescine (Ohio). Iron Maiden- Nicko McBrain (Boca Raton, from Hackney, London, England) is the longtime drummer of Iron Maiden (London, England), (fun fact, owns Rock N Roll Ribs in Coral Springs, FL.). Iron Reagan - Tony Foresta (St. Petersburg, Florida from Richmond, Virginia), is the vocalist of Iron Reagan (Richmond, Virginia). Kataklysm - Maurizio Iacono (Orlando, Florida from Montreal Quebec) is the vocalist of Kataklysm (Montreal, Quebec, Canada) King Diamond - Pete Blakk (Clearwater, Florida from Sweden) is the former bass player for King Diamond (Demark) Megadeth - Gar Samuelson R.I.P. (Orange City, FL, from Dunkirk, NY.) was the Drummer of Megadeth (Los Angeles, CA). Tony Laureano (Tampa, FL from Puerto Rico) played drums 'Live' with Megadeth. Municipal Waste - Tony Foresta (St. Petersburg, Florida from Richmond, Virginia), is the vocalist of Municipal Waste (Richmond, Virginia. Nachtmystium - Tony Laureano (Tampa, FL from Puerto Rico) played drums for Nachtmystium (Illinois, California). Necro - Trevor Peres (Guitar, Brandon, FL.), and John Tardy (Vocals, Brandon, FL.) recorded on the Necro (Brooklyn, NY), album "The Pre-Fix for Death" released in 2004. Nevermore- Pat O'Brien (Tampa, FL. from Hebron, KY) was the guitarist for Nevermore (Seattle, WA). Nidingr - Tony Laureano (Tampa, FL from Puerto Rico) played drums for Nidingr (Borre, Vestfold Og Telemark, Norway). Nile - Tony Laureano (Tampa, FL from Puerto Rico) played drums for Nile (Greenville, SC). Overkill - Bobby Gustafson (Palm Beach, FL, from Staten Island, NY), played guitar for Overkill (New York, NY/ New Jersey). Possessed- Daniel Gonzalez (N. Miami, FL.) is currently a guitarist in Possessed (San Francisco, CA). Powerquest - Bill Hudson (Orlando, FL., from Sao Paulo, Brazil) played Guitar for Powerquest (South Hampton, England). Pro-pain - Gary Meskil (Sarasota, FL) is the Bass player for Pro-Pain (New York, NY). Queensryche - Todd La Torre (St. Petersburg, Florida) is the vocalist for Queensryche (Bellevue, Washington). Ripping Corpse - Erik Rutan (St. Petersburg, FL., from New Jersey) played Guitar for Ripping Corpse (Red Bank, New Jersey). Satans Taint - Bobby Gustafson (Palm Beach, FL, from Staton Island, NY), plays guitar for Satans Taint (Palm Beach, FL) Sebastian Bach - Ralph Santolla (Tampa, FL) and Johnny Chromatic (Tampa, FL.), both played Guitar for Sebastian Bach (New Jersey). Silent Death - Brett Hoffman (Buffalo, NY/ Ft Lauderdale, FL) was the vocalist for Silent Death (Zurich, Switzerland). Skeletal Earth - Doug Sylvia (Cape Coral, FL, from New Bedford, Mass.), was the drummer of Skeletal Earth (Huntsville, AL.). Skeleton Witch - Tony Laureano (Tampa, FL from Puerto Rico) played drums 'Live' for Skeleton Witch (Athens, Ohio). Skrew - Bobby Gustafson (West Palm Beach, FL, from Staten Island, NY), played guitar for Skrew (Austin, TX.). Slayer- Pat O'Brien (Tampa, FL) played guitar for several 'Live' shows for Slayer (Los Angeles, CA). Snot- Shannon Larkin (Port Charlotte, FL from Chicago, IL) was the drummer of Snot (Santa Barbara, CA) SoulFly - Mike Leon (Tampa, FL.), is the current Bass player for Soul Fly (Phoenix, AZ). Souls at Zero - Shannon Larkin (Cape Coraol, FL from Chicago, IL) was the drummer of Souls at Zero (Martinsburg, WV.) Steeler - Yngwie Malmsteen (Miami, FL., from Stockholm, Sweden), played guitar for Steeler (Nashville, TN/ Los Angeles, CA) Testament- James Murphy (Lakeland, FL.), joined Testament (San Francisco, CA) for several recording releases, and tours. The Berzerker - Tony Laureano (Tampa, FL from Puerto Rico) played drums 'Live' for The Berzerker (Melbourne, Australia). The Black Dahlia Murder - Tony Laureano (Tampa, FL from Puerto Rico) played drums 'Live' for The Black Dahlia Murder (Detroit). The Convalescence - Katie McCrimmon (Brandon, Florida / Texas) plays Keyboards and does Backing Vocals for The Convalescence (Toledo, Ohio). The Obsessed - Chris Angleberger (Orlando, Florida) currently plays Bass for the band The Obsessed (Potomac, Maryland). U.D.O. - Bill Hudson (Orlando, FL., from Sao Paulo, Brazil) played Guitar in U.D.O. (Wuppertal, Germany). Ugly Kid Joe - Shannon Larkin (Cape Coral, FL from Chicago, IL) is the current drummer of Ugly Kid Joe (Isla Vista, CA). Venom Inc. - Jeramie Kling (Spring Hill, FL.), is the current drummer for Venom Inc. (New Castle upon Tyne, England, U.K.). Vio-lence - Bobby Gustafson (Palm Beach, FL, from Staten Island, NY), currently played guitar for Vio-lence (San Francisco, CA). Vital Remains - Glen Benton (New Port Richey, FL.), recorded and played 'Live' for Vital Remains (Providence, R.I.). Wrathchild America- Shannon Larkin (Cape Coral, FL from Chicago, IL) is the current drummer and a founding member of Wrathchild America (West Virginia).
