ANDROCLES
About Us
Andy Kapetanakis and Avery Stoker met in 2014 while rehearsing for a local theatre production. They became fast friends, with a shared interest in music and performance at the forefront. They were writing songs together long before forming a band was even an idea in their heads; Stoker says, “[Androcles] was a long time coming, almost inevitable. Leave two musicians alone for five seconds and you can be sure they’ve done something insane.” Their freshman album contains songs written as early as four years before its release, entirely out of a band context. “Avery would come to me with an idea, and I would basically say, ‘Okay, this is how we could make this work,’” says Kapetanakis of the band’s origins. “And eventually, that got me thinking, ‘Wait a second, how haven’t we already been doing this together?’” They debuted their first official song, “Change Your Mind,” at an open mic in the summer of 2017, a mere 16 hours after writing it. Since then, Androcles, with their multitude of styles, nearly poetic lyrics, and earworm melodies backed by unique and unorthodox harmonies, has been a tour de force.
ANDROCLES
Who Are We?
ANDY KAPETANAKIS
Lead Vocals, Bass, Keys, Horns, Occasional Guitar, Arrangement, Production
Andy is a multi-faceted musician based in Hunterdon County, New Jersey. Encouraged in part by his musically apt father, he began training in piano at age 5, followed by trumpet, and has since taught himself a myriad of other instruments. His sweeping, and at times theatrical, style of musicianship is a result of many years spent acting in local troupes, and inspiration taken from Broadway greats. A recently-graduated Honors Biomedical Engineering student at Rowan University in Glassboro, and an avid scholastic tutor of several subjects, including music, Kapetanakis’s intelligence seeps into the band’s music constantly, and Androcles would falter without his organizational skills, his knack for arrangement and harmony, and his spontaneity as a musician.
AVERY STOKER
Lead Vocals, Lead Guitar, Occasional Keys, Arrangement, Production
Avery is a self-taught musician born and raised in Hunterdon County, New Jersey. His father is a drummer in several local bands. Originally a bassist, he first picked up a guitar at the age of 13. He was brought up on classic rock, later dabbled in electronic music during high school, and picked up influence from emo and post-rock groups during a brief stint at Millersville University in Lancaster. This being said, Stoker holds an unbreakable interest in music of all styles, and makes sure to take inspiration from every last bit of it all. For as long as he can remember, his dream has been to create and perform music for a living. His deft songwriting skills and talent for stylistic juxtaposition make him a valuable asset to Androcles.
CJ GAUTHIER
Drums, Percussion
Bio coming soon!