Rick Barton: vocals, guitar
Gentlemen James Gambino: keyboards
Joe "The Animal" Donnelly: drums
Billy Loosigian: guitar
Greg Burgess: guitar
Paul Kochanski: bass guitar
Another Boston Massachusetts product, THE SHADOW BLASTERS, hope to make their own mark, following the fine tradition of Boston bands that have come before them.
THE SHADOW BLASTERS are fronted by former Dropkick Murphys' guitarist and songwriter Rick Barton. Barton assembled a cracker-jack lineup featuring the scorching guitar work of one Mr. Greg Burgess from the late, great Amazing Royal Crowns. Barton dipped into the richly rooted rhythm section of The Swinging Steaks featuring the master painter Paul Kochanski on bass guitar and the rhythmic pounding of Sir Craig Macintyre. Joe "The Animal" Donnelly (ex-Del Fuegos) also made an appearance playing drums on four tracks of the band's debut album An American Rock Song." Rounding out the line-up, though listed last he's certainly not least, Gentlemen James Gambino on piano. Also appearing on the album, though not in the band, is the legendary Billy Loosigian. Billy played lead guitar on the entire record.
The long awaited debut album, due in the store by April of 2004, combines a unique blend of Rock, Punk and folk music. The lyrical content deals with the internal struggle and hope common to all human beings (especially in the singer himself).
We don't sing songs about getting the party started, staring fires, songs that glorify drinking and drug use, or songs that boast about doing it all night long. I don't have anything against bands that sing those songs, as a matter of fact, I think that they provide a necessary outlet for those void of thought.
Between his work between the Dropkick Murphys and the Continental Band, this founding member of the legendary seminal Boston punk pop band The Outlets, dropped one of the greatest collections of music anywhere in the early new millenium, An American Rock Song.
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The co-founder, rhythm guitar player & lead songwriter for The Dropkick Murphys through Sing Loud Sing Proud.
Rick Barton was the original guitarist for Dropkick Murphys. He played on Boys on the Docks EP, Do or Die, The Gang's All Here, and the Mob Mentality split album with The Business. He no longer plays for Dropkick Murphys, working now with the newer band "Everybody Out!". Rick was also a member of the early Boston based punk band The Outlets. He recently founded the band Continental, with his son Stephen on bass, Tony Continental on drums and Dave DePrest on guitar. They opened for the Joe Perry Project in 2009 and recently completed a full US tour with The Street Dogs, Devil's Brigade, Flatfoot 56, Reverend Horton Heat and Left Alone.
He produced the Street Dogs newest self-titled album, released in the Spring of 2010.
Continental participated in 2011 Warped Tour dates.
