Joined Forces

Rock n' Roll was born to be raw, dangerous and sexy. If there was ever an original rock act from CT that fit the bill and lived the lifestyle that band would be CT. rock heroes Joined Forces. The history of this band is long and colorful. Actually one could write a book on this bands history and its members. Born in 1984, Joined Forces paved the way for all the other original rock acts in Ct. t...o follow.

Born in 1984, Joined Forces paved the way for all the other original rock acts in Ct. t...o follow. Lifelong friend guitarist Jimi Bell and bassist Mark Franco felt it was time to do their own music. So along with vocalist Marc Diamond and drummer Michael Karpiak, they decided in their own words,
?Fuck cover shit, we're only playing our original music and no 3 set bullshit; one set of our music, that's it?. The club owners said it couldn't be done, the band told the owners to kiss their ass, ?we're doin' it our way? the plan was an immediate success, it seems the CT. rock climate was as ready as the band for something new.

Sometime in bands first year original drummer Michael Karpiak was replaced by Joey Aparo at which point Joined Forces exploded on to the scene.... they became CT's ?must see band?. In ?86 the band was featured in the movie ?The Light of Day? starring Michael J Fox and Joan Jett. The band already had a working relationship with Joan having toured with her. With managers Joe Lennane and Scott Bernstien leading them, it looked like there was no stopping Joined Forces .

By ?88 the band had its first break up ... loss of management played a big role in the bands breakup.
Bell went to England, Franco moved to LA and Aparo moved to New York. Sometime in 1988 Bell and Franco started talking about doing another band.
With drummer Joe Aparo back on board they brought vocalist Livio into the mix. Not missing a beat the band took off again, this time with a harder and a bit bluesier edge. The only thing missing from this great band was once again that illusive record deal. Coming close but never achieving its goal of a major label record deal, the band called it quits again in 1992. With Joined Forces seemingly broken up for good , the members moved on to other musical projects with Franco checking into rehab for as he says ?a little vacation?.

Save for a couple reunion shows with original vocalist Daimond in 1993 and 2000 there was no Joined Forces....that is until this year. The idea of a Joined Forces reunion was born of all places, on the internet. In Mark Franco's words ? I called up Jimi and said? 'dude I put a Forces blurb and some pics on my Facebook page just fuckin' around and the page exploded with people asking if the band was going to play again?

As fate would have it the best original rock band in CT history , the legendary Joined Forces.. (Jimi Bell, Mark Franco, Joey Aparo and Livio) are back together for another show and they have achieved their goal some 20 years later signing a record deal with Retrospect Records.

Just when you thought it was safe to go out again...ladies and gentlemen welcome to Joined Forces 2010.