Sky-Boxx (aka Skybox NY)

What follows is a short history of my band from the 1990s called Skybox. These are the liner notes for the CD booklet that was included in the Whole Ep. In 2013, we had to change our name to Sky-Boxx for legal reason in case you're wondering. And be sure to check out our music on Spotify and Apple Music.

 It seems that a history of an underground music scene must always include musicians moving from band to band, drawing upon each other’s resources, and growing a tree of talent that sprouts and expands. Guitar could be your main instrument, but you still could be called upon to play bass if needed. The hardcore and metal scenes of Orange County, New York in the early 1990s were no strangers to this phenomenon. In the case of Skybox, the band emerged as a side project for Tom Connelly, drummer and co-founder of All Out War. Its origins began with a four-track demo recorded by Connelly in the winter of 1991.

Influenced by thrash and hardcore, the four-song demo ranged from the crossover sounds and styles of Leeway and Rest in Pieces to Carnivore and Crumbsuckers. The demo caught the attention of Lou Iuzzini and Chris Chisholm, who played for a thrash band called Society for Sale. With Chisholm playing bass, Iuzzini on drums and Connelly on guitar, the three began rehearsing as a side project throughout the summer of that year.

It was also around that same time that Connelly, Jim Antonelli, Mike Score, and Sam Carbone (RIP) were putting together the pieces of what would become All Out War. Antonelli joined Connelly’s side project band on lead vocals. Officially calling their band Sick Joke, the four recorded their first demo in the winter of 1992. As the aggressive and heavy style of All Out War gained attention in the North East, Sick Joke began focusing on the melody and quieter side of their song writing. With Duane Lopez, guitarist of Society for Sale, now taking over bass duties, they changed their name to Skybox, playing shows in and around the Hudson Valley. When Lopez took a temporary leave, local guitarist Greg Melnick filled in on bass, helping to build Skybox’s new sound. 

In the Fall of 1993, Connelly left All Out War to attend college. Soon, Antonelli departed Skybox, putting the band on hold. But it wasn’t long before Todd Eisgruber joined the band, taking over on vocals and bass. Lopez switched to lead guitar, which gave Skybox a fuller sound. With a new lineup and new sound, Skybox was no longer relegated to a side project. Around that same time, Anthony Paranzino (RIP) formed a small independent label called Infamous Records, and offered to record Skybox as an upcoming release. In the Spring of 1994, Skybox and Paranzino went into the studio to record 13 songs. Although the album was never completed, Paranzino continued to be a strong supporter of the band, booking them shows in the Hudson Valley and venues in New York City. But in the Fall of 1994, Skybox went on hold again, with the departure of Iuzzini and Lopez. 

In the Spring of 1995, Nick Verdichizzi (drums) and Ted Williams (guitar) joined the band with Connelly and Eisgruber. The four would remain the core of the band until 1996 when Skybox officially dismantled. It was during this period that the band wrote and recorded some of their best work. The “Whole” EP was recorded in the summer of 1995 by Jacques Cohen (RIP) at The Space in Poughkeepsie, New York. The six songs on the EP span the timeline of Skybox, beginning with “Sunlight,” “Dead by the Sea” and “Fade,” written in the fall of 1992, and ending with the beautiful and melancholy “Shoes,” written by Eisgruber in 1994. In 1996, we began recording a second batch of songs (9 total) that we did not finish. 4 of those songs (the unfinished versions) are now available to stream, which includes No Deposit No Return written for my short film.

The zigzag and stop-go history of Skybox may have prevented their music from making a big splash, but the band has indelibly left a trace of itself in the Hudson Valley music scene.