Rising Phoenix

RISING PHOENIX is the area's Newest Band, and is One of it's Best 80's Metal and Hard Rock bands, featuring Seasoned Veteran Musicians who are all among The Best Musicians in Central Wisconsin!!

Members include:

Todd Ashbeck - Lead Guitar, Lead & Harmony Vocals
Craig Mitchell - Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals
Chase Keuntjes - Lead Vocals, Harmony Vocals and Acoustic Guitar
Jerry J Kruschke - Drums and Percussion, Lead and Harmony Vocals
Robert Pike - Bass Guitar and Backing Vocals

You may ask, when and how did this band get its start; and what makes them so special? Each and Every band is special in its own right, of course, and as with every other band, RISING PHOENIX has special elements that makes them "Special" as well. And with that said, here's their story..........

"RISING PHOENIX" was "born out of the ashes" of Founding Member, Todd Ashbeck's departure from his previous band. Known throughout much of the state, Todd Ashbeck is one of Central Wisconsin's Very Best, Most Well-Respected and Sought-after Hard Rock Lead Guitarists; as well as one of the area's Finest Vocalists. Previously, Todd has been a member of some of the area's Very Best Rock Bands, including SABRE ('82-'83), TANTRUM ('86-'91), SNAKE BITE ('92-'94), UNIT ONE ('94-'99), FERRIS WHEELER ('04-'10) and most recently SURRENDER DOROTHY ('10-'12). Each one of these bands was the area's Best, and Most Popular bands during each of their eras.

Upon Todd's departure from his most recent band, Surrender Dorothy, he contacted some of Central Wisconsin's Very Best Rock Musicians to start a New Rock Band; mainly focusing on the 80's Metal genre. First, Todd contacted Craig Mitchell, another area Lead Guitarist, through another good friend. Immediately, Todd had found his Lead Guitarist counter-part for Rising Phoenix.

Not only was Craig immediately interested, but he also knew of a Phenomenal Drummer who Craig was currently playing with in another band; that Drummer was Jerry Kruschke. As Craig's and Jerry's band was also nearing it's end, it only stood to reason for them both to join forces with Todd; knowing full-well that they would have a "killer line-up" of Seasoned-Veteran Musicians.

Next, Todd also contacted Chase Keuntjes, a Local Singer, and asked him if he would like to join a band that Todd was putting together with some friends. At the time, Chase had been singing Karaoke in his own business; but Todd's previous band had Chase get up and sing Live with them several times onstage. Todd remarked to Chase at one of those shows, that one day, he would be contacting Chase to play in a band with him. Upon Todd's call, Chase was also interested immediately. With Chase now on board as their Lead Vocalist, the band's line-up was nearly complete.

But after starting the band with another area Bassist and Good Friend who had to drop out suddenly due to scheduling conflicts with another area band that he was already a member of, Craig and Jerry suggested that they invite the Bassist from their previous band over to jam. After one jam-session, the line-up was complete.....(or so they thought!) That Bassist lived about 3 hours away, and after only four rehearsals, he had decided that it was just too far to commute; while also trying to balance a Family and Full-Time schooling. So the search for the "Right Bassist" continued.

That is, until March of 2013, when the "magic of Craigslist" helped find them that "Right" Bassist!! Enter the Newest Member and Bass Guitarist for "RISING PHOENIX", Robert Pike! Bob lives close enough to the band's home-base, and was not currently playing with any other bands. At Bob's audition, not only was he blown away with the Sheer Talent of the other members of Rising Phoenix, but the others felt the same way about Bob's Bass playing.....And the band was now whole!!

But even though finding that "Right Bassist" at first proved to be difficult, it only took one jam-session in early November of 2012 for the other four musicians to realize that they were about to embark on a journey that would create something special - one of The Best, Tightest, and Most Professional Rock Bands to come out of Central Wisconsin in decades. Thus, "RISING PHOENIX" was born! And with the addition of Bob Pike on Bass, the line-up was now complete.

"Rising Phoenix" literally means "Rising up from the ashes"; and for Todd, Craig and Jerry, this has special meaning as their former bands were both on a downward spiral at the time they decided to get together to form this New Power-House Rock Band.

But to the Central Wisconsin Music Scene, specifically to the Central Wisconsin ROCK Community, "RISING PHOENIX" will also mean that Professionalism has once again risen up from the ashes! Everyone can once again look forward to seeing the kind of Rock Show that hasn't been seen in Central Wisconsin venues since the 80's!

Plans for RISING PHOENIX include playing the kind of Music that people will want to listen to, watch the band perform LIVE, dance to, and just plain party to! To go along with the caliber of Musicians that will be performing in this band, RISING PHOENIX will put on a Live Show that will be unsurpassed by other bands in the area. A "Take No Prisoners" attitude is what you can expect from Rising Phoenix!

So Heads-Up!!! RISING PHOENIX is flying toward you with a vengeance!!!