The Kings of Strings
The Kings of Strings are an independent American rock & roll / blues rock band formed in Detroit, Michigan in 2016. It consists of Aaron Weisman (vocals, guitar), Jake St. Pierre (guitar, vocals), Luke Porada (bass), and Noah Wojcik (drums). In September 2022, The Kings of Strings released their first singles, We Were Young and No Shame. In November of 2022 they released their self-titled full-length debut album The Kings of Strings. The album consists of eight original songs and was written, recorded and produced by The Kings of Strings from their home studio.
On July 22, 2023, they released the single All the Way from their second album and on June 29, 2024, they released their second full-length studio album, Memento which contains eleven original songs.
History
Formation and early years (2016–2018)
The band was formed in 2016 in Dearborn, Michigan by high school classmates, Luke Porada and Jake St. Pierre. With a heavy influence from rhythm games and a love for music since they were children, Luke and Jake, both lefthanded guitar players, picked up their respective instruments and joined an afterschool guitar club program. Practicing their guitar and bass playing, they later added fellow classmates Giovanni Rugiero as vocalist and Ben Bustamante on drums. Close friend Noah Wojcik would later replace Ben on the drums and help to define the bands current sound, Giovanni would later leave the band to pursue other obligations and would be replaced with another longtime friend and fellow classmate, Aaron Weisman on vocals and rhythm guitar.
Practicing and performing cover songs the band began to write their own original music in 2018 and performed both covers and originals in clubs, bars, venues, outdoor festivals and private events in Detroit, Ann Arbor, Lansing, Belleville, Grand Rapids, Livonia, Royal Oak, Chicago and Toledo. The band’s name came from Giovanni, Jake, Luke and Ben sitting around brainstorming good, bad and memorable rock bands. One standout rock band name was her majesty: Queen. What is the opposite of that? King. One of the guys wanted it to rhyme when Giovanni said, “The Kings of Strings” The name stuck from that moment forward. The band logo consists of the four Kings in a deck of playing cards, but instead of the Kings holding their traditional axes and swords, The Kings of Strings are holding a microphone, electric guitar, bass guitar and drumsticks. An entertaining representative of each of the four band members and their contributions to the group. After settling on the name for the band, the lead guitarists father George St. Pierre II, designed the logo for the band.
Musical style and influences
The Kings of Strings music takes elements of rock and roll, blues rock, punk, and funk, to create their own sound with all four members contributing to the song writing process uniquely.
With sounds and influence from the likes of Rage Against the Machine, The Raconteurs, Bob Mould, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Muddy Watters, Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Danzig, Chuck Berry, and many others. The band went from getting together to jam in high school, to playing covers, then writing originals songs and playing live.
Members
Current
- Aaron Weisman – lead vocals, rhythm guitar (2021 – present)
- Jake St. Pierre – guitars, backing vocals, piano, keyboards (2016 – present)
- Luke Porada – bass guitar, backing vocals (2016 – present)
- Noah Wojcik – drums (2019 – present)
Former
- Ben Bustamante – drums (2016 – 2019)
- Giovanni Rugiero – vocals (2016 – 2021)