Zak Fusciello-Drums

(Picture taken at Root's Cafe, Baltimore, Maryland)

 

Zak has been playing drums for 18 years. He started out playing with punk/rock bands in the Annapolis, MD area with such bands as Phido, Freak Beans, The Hassassins, Breathing Walker and Moss Icon and recorded with many of these bands on the Vermin Scum record label.

Zak has also recorded with members of Dag Nasty and Brian Baker and Steve Hansgen of Minor Threat. The Fireman (U.K) is a project that evolved from playing with Hansgen, and together they have created several eclectic, experimental and sometimes disturbing albums.

In 2000, the folk duo The Kennedys took Zak on board to perform, record and tour. The album Americana Motel (Bay Gumbo Music) features the collaboration between The Kennedys, Zak and D.C. legend Mark Noone.

Currently, Zak pays most of the bills by working as a modern dance accompanist (drums and percussion) at Towson University, Goucher College and UMBC. He has also worked with members of The Dance Theatre of Harlem and actor/choreographer/composer Geoffrey Holder among others.

In 2002, he traveled to Cuba to study traditional Afro-Cuban hand drumming and is currently trying to get someone to pay for a similar trip to Ghana, West Africa.

Zak received a B.A in sociology/anthropology from St. Mary's College.

He's been playing with The Swingin' Swamis for over 5 years and has played on both of the band's self released CDs. He has also played with local bands Il Culo and The Baltimore AfroBeat Society.

His proudest moment, though, was being a photo double stunt driver for the 1998 film Enemy of the State.

Zak's astrological sign is Taurus.