ANDREW J. RODRIGUEZ

Professional Business Manager / Music Director / Composer / Guitarist / Vocalist

As a child, Andrew excelled in athletics and played violin in his school orchestras.  Shortly after entering high school Rodriguez opted out of sports and was selected as a saxophonist in the top jazz band.

Rodriguez elected to give up the saxophone to pursue his guitar ambitions which resulted in an academic surge, he was twice named to Colorado's Cherry Creek School District's distinguished, "Principal's Honor Roll" while earning his diploma.   

Rodriguez relinquished his first instruments, the violin and saxophone for his first guitar which has led to his becoming, arguably, one of the world's best shred guitar professional entertainers.   

At the urging of teachers and classmates who recognized and appreciated Rodriguez's undiscovered musical genius, he turned to classical guitar master, Nessa Marquez; a world renowned classical guitarist, professional performing artist and highly touted member of the huge international music organization, ASCAP.  Rodriguez refined and perfected his classical guitar skills while studying under Ms Marquez.     

As a young man, Rodriguez set out to achieve his lifetime goal of performing live at New York City's legendary CBGB'S rock and punk club.  Recognizing the challenges he faced, Rodriguez quickly turned his dreams into reality first; educating and immersing himself in the punk, hardcore and metal scenes where he learned every intimate detail he could. 

While working through the agony and frustration of forming his own band, Rodriguez ultimately rejected opportunity after opportunity to join other established bands in favor of forming the heavy metal band, Elctrikchair, co-founded by Rodriguez and his musician [drums] brother, Bob, during Fall 2003.   

The first five years of his professional music career required spending inordinate amounts of time, energy and money gathering music equipment wherever he could find it.  During that time, Rodriguez performed live with embarrassingly inexpensive but functional guitar amps and guitars still managing to raise eye brows and attract large audiences that took notice of his unusually polished and talented guitar skills.  

Rodriguez began the arduous task of lyrical writing, performing vocals and composing his own music.  He often was forced to braid rehearsal participants for their lack of commitment or inefficiencies and failure to set and strive for higher performance goals. 

Recognizing that music is a business, Rodriguez took to the streets to learn how to sell.  His grit and determination led him to ignore the obvious, that arriving at his goal would be a huge undertaking.  Acquiring a business sense led him to discover yet another valuable hidden talent.    

Over a brief time Rodriguez mastered the art of selling and the relationship between skills of selling and marketing.  Rodriguez and Elctrikchair are now experiencing the fruit of his labor, a successful band along with benefiting from the maturity that is a by-product of challenging and determined efforts.

In 2006, Rodriguez proudly led his headlining band; Elctrikchair, on stage to perform before an enthusiastic capacity crowd at the legendary CBGB'S in Manhattan, New York.  This was a history making performance for Elctrikchair as one of the major contributors to the grand finale of perhaps the greatest rock and punk club in the history of the United States.  It was a night forever engrained in the hearts and minds of fans worldwide, some of whom were at CBGB'S in N.Y.C. acknowledging the steady stream of America's pulsating and thunderous farewell led by Elctrikchair and a frenzied mosh pit witnessed and televised around the world. 

CBGB'S has since closed its doors forever signaling the beginning of a new era in music and, appropriately, giving way to housing for the homeless.  A CBGB'S museum which includes memories of the original N.Y.C. establishment are included in a new CBGB'S museum venue in Las Vegas, Nevada. 

In order to broaden the scope of his music and business education, Rodriguez studied mass communications, electronic media (live sound mixing, recording and audio techniques) at available accredited colleges and universities.  Rodriguez recently launched a successful independent metal radio program, Extreme Metal Hour.  Rodriguez teamed with his radio mentor, Robert 'Bob' Herrera, the host of KCRT's 'Power Surge.'  Mr. Herrera is notably among the most respected independent radio professionals in the United States.  Power Surge Friday Night and The Extreme Metal Hour can be heard across southeastern Colorado and Northern New Mexico.         

Rodriguez continues to lead Elctrikchair into the future, encouraged and confident about his and Elctrikchair's future.