BIOS
ROB SANDBERG - LEAD VOCALS/PERCUSSION
Rob started his musical career at home at 13 singing along with KISS into a tape recorder. He had never played in a band until he was 21, singing for the first time in public at an open mic night at the UCR Barn, and that was it. An original band forming in Riverside at the time (Skin Trade/Nasty Habit) asked him to join as their lead vocalist.
Rob’s roots include a wide range of music from bands such as The Cult, The Alarm, Billy Idol, The Police/Sting, Hagar and numerous punk bands, just to name a few. Over the next 15 years, and a couple band incarnations playing the club circuit in and around LA and Hollywood, he became more and more comfortable behind the mic.
After recording a couple albums and playing tons of shows, real life hit everyone, so Rob took a break from live music for many years. But the bug never leaves true music people, so he joined some local buddies and formed a cover band called “Crisis”, as in mid-life crisis. Rob can’t turn down a good thing, and when members of Arena Red came calling, he couldn’t resist. So let’s get to it!
JEFF GALEENER - DRUMS/VOCALS
Straight Outta Compton! Yeah, baby! Well, Jeff was born in Compton, though he didn’t spend much time there. Jeff grew up and went to school in Anaheim. In high school, he was a true band geek, playing in all the school bands (marching, concert, jazz, drum line) as well as garage and classic rock and roll bands with friends. In the 80’s, his entire life changed when he first heard Rush and Neil Peart (the high priest of linear rock drumming), as well as bands like Pink Floyd, Steely Dan, Yes, Return to Forever and the Elektric Band. After playing improvisational jazz in college for a few years, life eventually came calling (work/money/family/responsibility-being an adult-YUCK!) and “the dream” was put on hold, taking him away from music and into a career in IT.
After nearly 25 years away from playing, Jeff picked up his drumsticks for his 50th birthday, sat in with the band, and hasn’t stopped since….”the dream” now officially alive again. And joining AR is a huge part of the resurrection. Says Jeff, “Making music is fun. Making good music is really fun. Making good music with good guys and great musicians is really, really fun. Making really good music for an audience that is totally into the show and having a great time is the BEST! And that’s what I’m finally getting to do with AR.” Besides music, Jeff is a huge fan of craft beer (beer snob) and a devoted follower of the LA Kings (GKG!).
TODD McMEANS - BASS/VOCALS
Todd’s bass journey began in junior high when he found an old upright bass in a dusty closet just begging to be played. An electric bass came soon after, and he immediately started creating music with neighborhood friends. Through high school, Todd played in several rock, R&B and jazz bands all over the Inland Empire.
After high school, Todd cofounded the original alt rock band, the Amateurs. The Amateurs performed at every Inland Empire haunt they could find, sometimes opening shows for national roots rock acts like The Unforgiven and the Grapes of Wrath, and hosting epic outdoor music parties with other local bands.
Todd has since worked extensively with original band Art Gone Wrong, as well as other regional bands including 442, Zeroland and Box of Rain. If you’re coming to a rock show, Todd believes you should expect to have a great time! He hates standing still and wants nothing more than to see you having a blast and rocking your asses off!
PHIL BRUN - GUITAR/VOCALS
Phil’s love for music started at an early age; his parents played records in the house constantly and he vividly remembers the sounds of Boots Randolph and Louis Armstrong. When Phil was 12 he started listening to rock & roll and got his first guitar for Christmas when he was 13. Upon hearing “Kiss Alive”, Phil decided he wanted to be a musician. In junior high, Phil and his friends started bands called “ABC” (Arabatze, Brun & Cesario) and “Tyrant.” In high school, Phil was in a band called “Children of the Grave” and played at the 1980 Redlands High School homecoming pep rally at the Redlands Bowl and, it seemed, every weekend at house parties for quite awhile.
At a party across the street from Kimberly Crest in Prospect Park, where they were filming a movie called Hell Night with Linda Blair, the film crew bought the party a truck load of beer and wine to get them to stop playing for awhile during filming. “Skatarak” was Phil’s next band, playing original and cover metal tunes.
Work, marriage, children and life forced Phil to put down his guitar for years. When his two oldest sons were 6 and 8, he bought them mini Strats for Christmas, and the music started to come back to life in his house. When the call came to get back into a band, formed by eventual ARENA RED singer Rob Sandberg, Phil jumped at the chance to join “Crisis”. This band had two Brun’s on guitar; Phil and his 16 year old son.
Phil has always loved playing guitar and has found a renewed passion for playing rock music. His favorite guitar is his BC Rich Bich he bought in 1983, although his Scheckter Hellraiser and Epiphone Les Paul get a lot of work too . Phil is extremely amped up to rock out with ARENA RED!