Eric's Band History
(In no specific order)

SEVEN WITCHES/JACK FROST  (2003-?)

Alan Tecchio,  - Vocals  James Rivera - Vocals  Jack Frost - Guitars   Joey Vera, Dennis Hayes - Bass  Eric Ragno - Keys   Jeff Curenton - Drums

Jack Frost and I used to live in the same neighborhood, and played our first metal show together (in rival bands) at his high school when we were kids.  There were lots of metalheads in bands back then, but Jack was a little more ambitious than the rest of us, and people teased him for it.  Bad mistake!  While the rest of them are fat and listening to their old CD's at home, Jack is cranking out CD's and playing before thousands of fans all over the world.

Of course I hadn't seen Jack in 20 years, and was oblivious to this.  We ran into each other at NAMM in 2001, and have been trying to work together ever since.   I did some pre-production work for the much acclaimed Year of the Witch CD, but our schedules prevented me from getting my parts to tape.  Man that sucked.  But we made up for it in 2005, where I arranged and played keyboards for two tracks each on Jack's solo album Out in the Cold, the Seven Witches CD Amped, and the live Witches DVD Years of the Witch.  Jack is a great friend and after 20 years, it's great to finally be working together.  

DAWN ROBINSON

THE DRE ALLEN PROJECT  (2004-2005)

Dre Allen - Vocals  Dawn Robinson - Vocals  Bruce Lawrence - Guitars   Eric Ragno - Keys   Sheldon Bonada - Bass  Eric Ragno - Keys   Peter Lobo - Drums

Dre Allen (IV Xample) and his wife Dawn Robinson (En Vogue, Lucy Pearl) recorded an album together called The Dre Allen Project.  I started as just the keyboard player, but by the end of last year's nationwide tour (sponsored by Jammin Nectars) my role had stretched much further than that.  Dre Allen had previously had a Top 40 hit with his previous group, IV Xample.  Dawn Robinson had dominated the world (and at one point, the Grammies and the MTV Awards) as lead singer of En Vogue.  

So we did a lot of radio, a lot of TV, and toured the country incessantly.  It was my idea to put together a Dawn Robinson set, a comeback if you will.  Doesn't make much sense to bring a Grammy winner on the road and relegate her to background vocalist, does it?  I built the set around a hard rock vibe, and the crowds ate it up.  (Check out the videos!)  Most of us parted ways at the end of our last tour, and both Dawn and Dre are now pursuing solo ventures.  I care for them both deeply and cherish the awesome times we all had together. 

TAKARA  (1996-PRESENT)

Neal Grusky was looking for a permanent keyboard player, and found me on stage in the Valley - and we became fast friends. We began work on Blind in Paradise, and the band gave me free reign in the studio, allowing me to help shape the songs.   Being a member of Takara has given me the chance to work with some real music legends, like Bob Daisley and Jeff Scott Soto.  The loyal Takara/JSS fans welcomed me with open arms. Despite lineup changes, Neal Grusky continues to be the heart of this great band, and one of my best friends.

EQUINOX (1998 - 2002)

Equinox was the name of my family's band - my legacy, if you will.  This new Equinox had a multi-album deal with JVC, and their first album did pretty well worldwide.  So when they invited me out to Minneapolis to test the waters, it seemed like destiny.  We wrote a lot of great music together, but sadly our drummer/manager became more focused on his own career, and the various ways to exploit the Equinox name - leaving the band badly mismanaged.  Despite excellent songwriting and musicianship, four years went by without the release of a second Equinox album.  

We loved our drummer for his talent, and as a friend - but it was clear that the management aspect needed to change.  He soon presented a series of demanding contracts, under which he would control us professionally and personally.  We suggested that the group should control its own destiny.  He instead chose to resign, and hasn't spoken to us to this day.    

Despite this turn of events, we felt badly about losing our friend, and wanted to credit him for his contributions, and insure that he reaped the benefits for his hard work.  As mixing began with Erik Norlander, we made repeated efforts to extend this olive branch.  Ultimately, he chose to sever all ties - requiring us to re-record all new drums, with a new drummer. 

With no other options, we continued on without him.  The album that was recorded as the second Equinox album will now be released as Vox Tempus.

VOX TEMPUS (2003 - Present)

In January 2003, it became apparent that Equinox would need to start a new page.  We had already written and recorded the songs that would comprise the second Equinox album, and began mixing with Erik Norlander.  Our drummer and founding member had abruptly departed, and looking at how the music had evolved since the five years (!) since the band's debut was released, we changed our name to Vox Tempus.

We cranked out three new songs, and found ourselves a new drummer in Gregg Bissonette.   Gregg brought a level of fun and professionalism that we hadn't had in awhile - and it was a welcome breath of fresh air!  As mixing continues, the band took a brief break to record Stone in Love for a Journey tribute album.

MICHAEL RIESENBECK  (2003)

Michael is a Dutch guitarist, who after leaving Alibi had scored rave reviews from his performance and overall supervision of the Toto Fanfields album.  While assembling an all-star cast to record his solo album, Michael asked me to collaborate on two amazing tracks, letting me do whatever I wanted.  One of the album's highlights is an instrumental called Toto's Giant Journey - which features some manic and unedited keyboard solos!  I also contributed to the album's title track, Shouting Silence, with Timo from Urban Tale.  I am very proud with how this came out, and the critics seem to agree!  : )

THE QUEST/SHIME'S QUEST/DAMIR SIMIC-SHIME  (1993-2000)

Shime (pronounced shee-mah) was a Croatian guitarist who performed instrumental guitar music in the vein of Joe Satriani.  We were good friends, played some great shows, and together we built the monster that became The Quest.  We released The Quest on Metropolis Records, and Shime let me write both the album's intro and a piano solo for that album - how cool.  Being in this band allowed me to work with well-known musicians like Tony MacAlpine, Mike Terrana, Barry Sparks - all pro musicians to the bone.  Shime used to say I was the magic of this band, the "chairman of The Quest", etc - some very kind and awesome compliments.  However, the true magic of this band was all the talented people we had in Keith's garage, who worked so  hard at making great music - and all the while, we were really great friends.  Hard work, friendship and mutual respect is the true magic of any successful band.  Lose one, and you lose it all.

BLACK 13  (1995-1998)

Richard Black spent years singing for Shark Island before joining the all-star super-group known as Contraband.  A veteran of the Sunset Strip, he has a solid understanding of the music business.  When he decided to put a new band together, he called Shime, who then called me.  We brought in Ricky Riccardo and Simon Wright of AC/DC, and immediately started working on various songs, including some amazing (and still unreleased) Shark Island material.  We did a lot of rehearsing, and made some scattered live appearances.   

It was an interesting dynamic, as the rest of us were also doing Shime's stuff on the side.  Shime's solo career soon became the focus, and the group splintered.  It wasn't long before Simon joined Dio, Ricky went on the road with Tony MacAlpine, and I found myself at Jeff Scott Soto's house, as Takara was mixing the new album.   

Ten years later In 2005 I was invited to record the Shark Island reunion record.  This story does not yet have an end, so stay tuned... 

AMAZING GRACE  (1989-91)

Lisa St. Ann-Vocals  Jimmy Valentyne - Guitar  Chris Tristram - Bass  Eric Ragno - Keys  Kevin O'Brien - Drums

This band was my first taste of the big time.  I answered an ad, went to an audition, and went on the road with them three weeks later.  Armed with a demo produced by David Prater (who produced Dream Theater's Images and Words later that year), the band traveled around North America, opening for bands like Slaughter and Winger.  We were often treated as local celebrities in these remote towns, doing interviews and gaining radio play as we went along.  I still get mail from fans of the band, who remember those 80's glory days.  

CRUCIBLE  (1987-1988)

I was just coming out of semi-retirement at the ripe old age of 20, and wanted to get my music out to the world. Crucible was made up of some great friends that lived in the neighborhood, and their band was well-known in my home town.  The band said they wanted some polish - and in return, they welcomed me into their extended family.  We recorded some demos and played a good number of shows.  Some of life's happiest moments came through this band.

CHINA BLUE  (1988-1989)

Tom & I were tighter than ever, & wanted to get serious about our careers.  We formed China Blue from the now-defunct Crucible, and suddenly accrued a decent entourage!  Tom's vocal coach, an A&R scout for CBS, was taken with a batch of new songs we had written.  All it took was some beautiful women and one incredible summer for our focus to change - and sadly, the band was no more.  However, we wrote some really amazing music  together, that I hope we might finally release together one day.  

LIVE NUDE GIRLS  (1994-1996)

LNG was the first pro band I played with after moving to LA.  It was the first time I recorded in California, the first time I headlined the strip - this was a milestone.  Not many local bands "break" in Los Angeles, but this one appeared on TV, magazines and rock radio.  Robert Lusson is a twisted genius, and suffers from the same traits and fates that most twisted geniuses do.  Still, we had a lot of fun together.  This band moved me into the house I am still in today.  After lots of shows and recordings, the LNG craze eventually subsided.

LNG went through several incarnations (at one point the band was primarily women), and as time went on I got to meet some of my fellow alumni - including Rana Ross, who went on to play with Vixen and Sinboy, and tragically died in 2003.  John Carfi & I went on to form a techno band for awhile with fellow alum DB Tressler and Mark the drummer, recording demos and swapping stories.  

SIGN  (1998-1999)

While playing with Shime's band, I got to meet his friends in SIGN. The band was essentially Craig & Arne, and whoever was with them at the time.  They wrote classic rock songs with great musicianship. We shared a few live shows together, when they were promoting their self-titled debut record.  I was always a fan, and when I was offered the chance to work with them, I jumped on it.

The band received lots of attention from the record labels, and had gotten radio airplay here in California. They also had management.  This seemed as professional as it gets!  After recording some great new songs with them, I didn't hear back for awhile - until they called about doing a live TV performance.  Alex came in from the band Steelheart.  This was a LOT of fun, and again, it felt like the start of something great.  Then out of the blue, Arnie moved back to Scandinavia, and was never heard from again.  This was a shock!  And sadly, the new songs never were released.  : (

EQUINOX/STELLAR GYPSY (1982-1986)

Equinox was a rock band that my parents created when I was a kid.  They started by doing rocking covers of songs by groups like Heart and Bad Company.  They went on to make good money playing their own music, winning big regional contests, and sharing the bill with folks who went on to become rock legends.

The band used to take my sister & I on the road with them.  I started to roadie as soon as I was old enough to carry a mike stand.  It was a fun way to see other parts of the country.  Everyone knew who my parents were, from my school teachers to the other parents at Cub Scouts.  My folks strongly believed in music education, and there were a lot of nights where I literally had to play to earn my supper!  

When I was 14, I sat in for their missing drummer - and it turned out I had rhythm!  We all played multiple instruments, and would help finish one another's songs.  After the band contributed a song to a movie soundtrack, I got to attend my very first movie premier at 15.   Building on this momentum, we recorded some new songs that were later turned into music videos.  Fledgling video outlets were still the rage (keep in mind that MTV was in its infancy), and our videos soon found regular rotation.  This was the life!  I couldn't go tux shopping for the prom because we had radio interviews that day.  By the time the prom was over, we went from playing bars to playing colleges.  

Equinox taught me the essentials of this business very early in life.  I learned how to write songs, book shows, and saw first hand what drinking and drugs could do to people.  If anyone's parents ever took an active role in preparing a child for their future, it was mine.  : )