ABOUT THE BAND
LISTED AS ONE OF ALTERNATIVE PRESS’S 50 UP AND COMING POP PUNK BANDS, NEW ENGLAND’S OWN ALWAYS GROUNDED IS A BAND THAT IS REMINISCENT OF THE LATE 2000’S POP PUNK AND EASYCORE HEYDAY, GATHERING INFLUENCES FROM BANDS SUCH AS FOUR YEAR STRONG AND NECK DEEP. MERGING UNFORGETTABLE HOOKS WITH LOUD, AND HARD HITTING INSTRUMENTALS, THIS CONNECTICUT BASED 5 PIECE IS A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH.
SINGER/AMATEUR WRESTLER RJ DIONNE STARTED ALWAYS GROUNDED WITH HIS BROTHER, ELI THE BLIND GUY, AS AN ACOUSTIC PROJECT. AFTER RELEASING THEIR FIRST EP, “FAR FROM PERFECT”, THE DUO DECIDED IT WAS TIME TO TAKE IT SERIOUSLY AND TRANSFORM INTO A FULL BAND. RJ CALLED OUT TO AN OLD FRIEND, JUDE ANGELO ALEXANDER, WHO TOOK ON THE ROLE OF LEAD GUITARIST. AFTER FINDING IAN DE CHANTAL TO FILL OUT THE LOW-END, THEY SOLIDIFIED THE LINEUP WITH MASON COHEN ON DRUMS.
JUDE’S PASSING LEFT THE BAND HEARTBROKEN, BUT THE ONLY CHOICE WAS TO KEEP ALWAYS GROUNDED GOINGIN HIS HONOR. IAN TOOK ON THE CHALLENGE OF LEARNING THE LEADS, AND WE RECRUITED JOE TO TAKE OVER ON BASS.
THE OUTFIT SHARES ONE COMMON BELIEF: THROUGH ALL DIFFERENCES, MUSIC CAN BRING EVERYONE TOGETHER. THIS MINDSET IS A THEME THAT CARRIES OUT THROUGH THE BANDS LYRICAL STYLE, CREATING A SENSE OF SOLITUDE THE LISTENER CAN FIND WITHIN ALL OF THEIR SONGS.
IN 2021, THE BAND RELEASED THEIR DEBUT EP AS A FULL BAND TITLED “LETTERS TO MY YOUTH.” THE GROUP IS AMBITIOUS AND SET OUT ON TOURING RELENTLESSLY AND MAKING AN IMPACT ON FANS, CREATING A SENSE OF COMMUNITY AND HOME FOR THE WEIRD AND WONDERFUL.
In Loving Memory of Jude Alexander
Jude is the original lead guitarist for Always Grounded. He is our brother and our friend, and we’re so grateful that he took a chance on us when we switched from acoustic to full band. His energetic riffs gave us our signature sound, and this band will never be the same without him.
RJ
LEAD VOCALS
RJ DIONNE IS THE LEAD SINGER OF ALWAYS GROUNDED, BUT YOU MAY RECOGNIZ HIS ALTER EGO, RJ RUDE, THE POP PUNK WRESTLER AND VIRAL TIK TOKKER. RJ STARTED THE BAND WITH HIS BROTHER ELI DURING THE PANDEMIC BECAUSE ALONG WITH WRESTLING, HIS DREAM WAS TO MAKE MUSIC LIKE HIS IDOL TOM DELONGE.
ELI THE BLIND GUY
RHYTHM GUITAR / LEAD VOCALS
BORN WITH A GENETIC EYE DISEASE CALLED RETINITIS PIGMENTOSA, HE NEVER LETS HIS BLINDNESS KEEP HIM BACK. INSTEAD, HE JUST WALKS INTO EVERYTHING UNTIL IT’S NO LONGER IN HIS WAY!
IAN
LEAD GUITAR
FROM THE CAPITAL OF NEW YORK, IAN ADDS LAYERS UPON LAYERS TO OUR SIGNATURE SOUND. IN A GROUP SHOWER WITH THE REST OF THE BAND, HE ONCE SAID, “THE ONLY REASON I STILL SHOW UP TO PRACTICE IS TO HIDE ELI’S BLIND CANE.”
JOE
BASS / TECH WIZARD
JOE (LAST NAME NOT MAMA… YET) HOLDS THE FOUNDATION OF THE BAND IN HIS BASS GUITAR AND LTT BACKPACK. COMING AT BASS WITH A METAL BACKGROUND, HE UNDERSTANDS THE ASSIGNMENT AND EXCEEDS EVERY EXPECTATION.
MASON
DRUMS
MASON IS A SPEED DEMON WHO TAKES INSPIRATION FROM TRAVIS BARKER AND PROBABLY SOME OTHER PEOPLE AS WELL. MAYBE I’LL ASK HIM LATER SO I CAN UPDATE THIS… OR MAYBE I’LL LEAVE IT BECAUSE HE’S ALL THE WAY IN LONG ISLAND. HE CAN’T TOUCH ME.