A., Chris

Biography

Chris A is a writer, photographer, guitar player, businessman and retired USAF Security Police Master Sergeant. Chris served 20 years in the USAF on assignments that took him from the corn fields of Indiana to the halls of the Pentagon.

A rock ‘n’ roll and metal fan for 35 years, Chris has attended hundreds of concerts and as seen some of the world’s greatest rock and metal acts. In 2004, he became a free-lance writer and photographer for Guitar Digest. Read more

Allen, Mark

Biography

Mark Allen has a job as a Federal Correctional Officer in order to pay his ridiculously oversized mortgage, but his real passion, the thing that gets his juices flowing like a ravenous Rottweiler eyeing a raw rib-eye, is creative writing. Action novels, horror screenplays, avant garde short stories, hardboiled novellas, romantic poetry…he’s done them all, some published, some not. In 2009 he became involved with reissue specialists Eonian Records, penning band biographies and press releases. Read more

Barbieri, Alex

Biography

For more than 20 years, Alex has been a singer and frontman in various rock bands. His lead vocals are featured on the critically-acclaimed Tango Down album Damage Control. Alex has had the pleasure of performing at Rocklahoma, Dakota Rock Fest, and opening for many of his rock ‘n roll heroes, including Don Dokken, Phil Lewis of L.A. Guns, Stephen Pearcy of RATT and James Christian of House of Lords. He has been a fan of hard rock and metal since his early teens, and is excited to continue his rock ‘n roll journey as a Staff Writer for Hardrock Haven. Read more

C., Marc

Biography

“My story begins in the womb way back in the early ’60s and culminates to today where drumming is still one of the most important factors of my existence”

Prior to becoming a father in 1997 I lived & breathed drums! From elementary through high school it was rare for me not to have a pair of sticks handy. I started with the school orchestra in 3rd grade and graduated high school as part of a state champion drum line. Following high school I became a private drum instructor and marching band drum line instructor as well as marching with both a DCA & DCI drum corps. In 1987 I put my marching career behind me and became a full time set player and that’s when everything changed!! Read more

Gaines, Justin

Biography

So what is a clean-cut corporate type doing writing about hard rock and heavy metal anyway? I’ve never been in a band, and I have never even had long hair. Still, the one constant in my life since I first heard Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ on a Prayer” at the tender age of 11 has been an insatiable appetite for all kinds of melodic rock and metal. I obsessively follow this kind of music, have a CD collection that’s fast approaching 3000, and I love to write about the music that means so much to me. Read more

Groeneveld, Marcel

Biography

Marcel “Mars” Groeneveld was infected with the rock virus in the mid-’80s and hails from the Netherlands, home of the Van Halen Brothers, Golden Earring and Vandenberg. Groeneveld works as a claims and insurance manager for a trucking company to make a living, but music is his love and passion and where his heart lies.

This Dutch rocker has been active in the music business. Groeneveld started out promoting Dutch bands, such as Sleeze Beez, Vengeance, Jewel and Read more

Higgins, Ron & Don

Biography

Ron & Don are passionate music lovers who got hooked on hard rock over 30 years ago when they purchased their first album (the best live album of all time in their not so humble opinion), the incredible Alive II by the legendary rockers KISS. They still have it in their collection along with hundreds of mp3’s, CD’s, tapes, records, and 8-tracks. Yes, you read that right… 8-tracks. If the economy doesn’t pick up soon they may have to resort to selling their Love Gun 8-track on eBay for 25 cents. Read more

Jo, Cynthia

Biography

Born and raised in the music capital of the world, Los Angeles, California, Cynthia Jo has always had a vision and passion for music, especially rock and roll. At the young age of twelve, she began promoting local bands and became intrigued and very passionate in describing them. Anything from metal to pop rock to hardcore she wanted to be the first to describe them to anyone she came across. With that passion, she entered a writing contest at her high school. She wrote a poem about one of her favorite bands, Metallica, and won first place. Afterward, she became the entertainment writer for her high school’s newspaper and, by her senior year, the editor for the entertainment section. Read more

Kindred, John

Biography

First thing first, thanks for taking the time and stopping by and checking out the site. Hopefully we are providing you, the reader, with a balanced perspective on the “genre” of rock, which for us includes classic rock, hard rock, metal of the progressive, power as well as old school loud and heavy.

The birth of the site, way back in ’02, has led to many evolutions, redesigns and through it all led to continue growth. As of today Hardrock Haven has 15 staff writers here in the U.S. and as faraway as Europe. But don’t mind the locale this is a global site! Read more

Kindred, Kathy

Biography

Hi! I’m Kathy Kindred. If you don’t know already, I’m the publisher’s better half. I definitely have a hard-rocker soul. When given the opportunity, I love to forget about grown-up life and rock out. I got hooked on rock ‘n’ roll via the 1970s TV show “Midnight Special” with Wolfman Jack. And my first rock concert was Molly Hatchet in St. Louis.

I like classic ‘80s big-hair rock as well as alternative. My absolute favorite female singer is Stevie Nicks. My favorite male singer changes almost daily, but I’m fond of Sammy Hagar Read more

Labonoski, Adam

Biography

Adam Labonoski lives in a rural Upstate New York area with his wife and 3 children. He is an “emerging photographer” with a love for music and considers himself a freelance music photographer. He enjoys most forms of music, but especially enjoys rock music. He currently can be found circulating the music scene in and around most of Upstate New York (Albany to Buffalo, Watertown to the NY/PA border) photographing the local, upcoming bands. Read more

McCarthy, Sara

Biography

In my everyday life, I work in a hospital in order to keep our two teenage daughters in makeup and hairspray as well as supply our small zoo of two Rottweilers and four cats with plenty of toys! My husband and I also are very involved in our local girls’ softball league; my hubby coaches, and I am the photographer for the league.

I listen to a wide range of music, but I love rock. I was raised on Led Zeppelin and have done my best to pass the torch on to our girls. So far, I am 1 for 2. I haven’t given up though; I am convinced I will one day bring her back to rock side. Read more

Miller, Derric

Biography

Hey ya’ll! I hail from South Dakota, born and raised, and I’m still there. I’m a guy who has published horror and nonfiction in the mainstream markets, and co-authored two history books.

But what got me into metal?

That’d be Dokken’s Tooth and Nail, which is still one of my all-time favorites. I joined Hardrock Haven many moons ago, and besides reviewing and interviewing bands, I also play a PR and label relations role with the site. Read more

Mis, Joe

Biography

A big “Yo!” to all from Brooklyn, N.Y.!

I was Brooklyn born and raised – and still live in one of the most interesting and vibrant places in New York City. In my real life, I am the all around “computer guy” for a small higher education institution and a very unlikely Metalhead – with an Iron Maiden poster on my office wall (Eddie makes the students think twice about bothering me!).

I was hooked into metal back in high Read more

Mrozowska, Alexandra

Biography

Born in Poland in 1991 I was growing in the world of hip-hop, techno and digital downloads. How come I have found myself in love with rock ‘n roll in such inappropriate time and place? Heaven only knows, it seems! I have spent my earliest childhood years hanging ’round the radio and soon I was to discover I have a soft spot for anything labeled ‘classic’ or ‘oldie’, no matter whether it was 50′s vintage rock ‘n roll, 70′s bluesy rock or 80′s synth pop. Read more

Ordabai, Alissa

Biography

Alissa Ordabai is a freelance music journalist living in working in London, UK. She prepared for her career by studying art history at the Courtauld Institute of Art, and later doing a post-graduate course in music and sound technology at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts, also known as Paul McCartney’s Fame School.

Having abandoned her one-time intention of becoming a copyright lawyer (despite graduating with a law degree from the University of London in 2006), she is now a full-time journalist. She travels extensively, one day interviewing an American band in New York City, the next day flying to Moscow for a rock magazine’s staff meeting, and the next day returning to her hometown of London to catch an up-and-coming underground band at a local venue. Read more

Portz, Trevor

Biography

Trevor has been living the rock and roll dream (or, perhaps more accurately, dreaming of the rock and roll life) since he was lucky enough to catch Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park when it was shown as a “Saturday Night Fright” in the late 80s. Though such an experience would scar most young minds and drive them to a life of musical abstinence, it managed to open his eyes and illuminate his path.

London born, Denver raised, and Brooklyn based, his younger years were spend basking in the glory of hair metal, wearing slashed jeans and high tops, and spending all his time drawing pictures of the band he hoped to Read more

Rao, Deb

Biography

First of all I have to start off by saying I have a strong passion for 80′s music. You just can’t beat the melody, lyrics, and overall vibe that transpired from one of the most exciting genres in music. I started out in the music business as a singer-songwriter and pop-rock guitarist. I love performing and being onstage. My love of music inspired me to start writing concert reviews.

I started out being a free-lance writer during the Millennium for KNAC.COM. My first review for them was Dokken on their 20th Anniversary Tour in Maine on New Years Eve. I have promoted many bands including Dokken, and owe a lot to Don for introducing me to a lot of the 80′s bands for whom I have interviewed during my career as a writer. Read more

Roymans, Elsie

Biography

Elsie is a freelance concert photographer, secretary, animal & music lover. After being active as a model, she became a photographer herself. Since she was a teenager she was into rock and metal music, and went to several gigs. So she took the challenge to start concert photography in 2009. It’s her passion to capture emotions and certain moments during metal and rock related concerts. Read more

Skoumas, Nikiforos

Biography

I was born in 1988 in Athens, Greece, definitely not the metal capital of the world for that matter, but there was always a healthy supply of rock and metal in terms of CD stores and gigs. I resided in Greece up until the age of 17; at which point I moved to the United Kingdom in order to attend university- three years in Cambridge for a bachelor’s degree in management and another at Leicester city for a master’s degree in Marketing. Read more

Trager, Steve

Biography

Steve Trager resides in Philadelphia, where he has spent more then two decades working in the photography field as a photo lab technician. He has fine tuned his skills by printing countless images that have become the core of Trager’s talent in the photography world throughout a lifetime of working. Steve said he enjoys all types of music genres that including rock, metal, country, alternative, blues and classic rock. Read more

Tweedy, Erik

Biography

Back in 1977, I went to my first concert, Styx, on the Grand Illusion tour. That night changed my life forever. Music became my one constant, my best friend, no matter the situation. Over the years, I have seen thousands of concerts and bands, and my wife and I routinely see 150+ bands a year. Growing up in the ‘70s was awesome; so many great bands came out of that decade. Styx, Journey, Foreigner, REO, Van Halen, Heart, AC/DC and Triumph were all staples in my early catalog. Read more