BIOS

FOUNDING MEMBER

Strangely, although Cold Sweat guitarist Keith Haase, like a whole lot of rockers, was affected early in his career by some of the early guitar greats of the 1950s, it was, for him, by way of the early 1980s! By this time, of course, there was an ample abundance of rock guitar backlog covering also the 1960s, 70s and 80s from which to be inspired and Keith made the most of his very favorite artists from all of those decades, mixing and matching styles while his own unique style germinated from its various precursive elements.

The result has been a musician with rare depth, subtlety, bombast and amazing technical proficiency, creativity and dead-on artistic instinct.

Among Keith’s earliest inspirations have been Kiss’ classic album, “Destroyer” from 1975, “Led Zeppelin IV” (1971), along with many others.

Through Kiss, Haase took note of just how loud and prominent lead guitar could be and found himself fitting comfortably at the top of the volume heap as a guitarist. His earliest instruments were a Hohner acoustic guitar. Going inevitably electric, he acquired a Univox Mosrite copy and a Peavey Backstage 30 amplifier.

His earliest association was with the ill-fated Social Disorder and their one-and-only gig at The Rising Sun. The other personnel comprising Social Disorder were drummer James Freund, keyboardist Russ Mate, bassist Warren Kitt, some other guitarist, and Mark Davis on lead vocal.

After his work with Cold Sweat, Keith Haase became a mainstay in groups such as Mutley’s Rockit! (which also included final CS bassist Laura Manfredi and CS partner and keyboardist Russ Mate) but also Joe’s Friend, WAAT and Seventh Day (1999-2000). It was through WAAT (1994-96) that Keith teamed with fellow guitarist Dave Timmons wherein the two guitarists discovered their similarities in mutual styles. They worked out their act regularly at Manhattan Beach Studios.

In 2004, Seventh Day released their self-titled promotional album which essentially showcased the stage act that would be their tribute show to Black Sabbath. They were seen at such NYC venues as Cha Cha’s and the Pussycat Lounge.

Keith would reunite musically one more time with fellow CS principal Russ Mate in Miami as part of Russ’ new recording project called Just Offshore in 2005. Among the standout cuts would be “Demon Pomp” which would also feature other CS alumni such as Warren Kitt on bass and Mike Fass on electronic drums and live percussion. Keith’s tracks were recorded on October 11, 2005. These sessions would be significant because they would be the very last performances of Keith Haase on guitar.

On March 16, 2006, Keith Haase was scheduled to perform with Seventh Day when a severe stroke disabled him and he was hospitalized. Not only was he to miss the concert performance but the aftereffects of his brush with death had left him no longer able to play guitar.

“Talent will out”, as they say in this business, and so, unable to be trampled underfoot by adversity, Keith’s creativity found new expression via keyboards, the irony of which was not lost upon him, and his music began to flourish in an exciting new way. Starting out with a Roland Juno D and Koss pads, his new acquisitions would expand his technical repertoire from his previous high powered rocket ship of sound to the command deck of the current starship of musicality from which he creates his masterworks today.

Not only is Keith Haase back at the helm as an outstanding musician and composer once again, he also today runs Haastile Productions out of his very own recording and production studio in Port Charlotte, Florida.

FOUNDING MEMBER

As one of the founding as well as principal members of Cold Sweat, Russ Mate established himself as first, the band’s keyboardist, then drummer, during the early days of their run from 1981-1989. Along with fellow founders Keith Haase (on guitar as the other core member), and Warren Kitt (bass), Russ produced their first 45 single release on Power Voltage Records. That record, “Chain Your Mind” b/w/ “Hide And Seek”, has seen a recent re-release in the years since its initial printing. “Chain Your Mind” was recently included on the U.S. and Canadian punk 45s 1977-1984 compilation CD, “Hyped To Death” #51. As Cold Sweat’s sound, lineup and direction changed, Russ would become the band’s keyboardist by 1988 with Mike Fass taking over the drums for the rest of their run. Jenny Amlen became their new lead vocalist. They received local airplay, which included rotation, and performed throughout the New York City area until they disbanded in 1989.

That same year saw Russ Mate join the New Jersey based, hard rock band, Mutley’s Rockit, as their keyboard man. Ex-Cold Sweat bandmates Keith Haase and Laura Manfredi, on guitar and bass respectively, were on board along with Henk Schipdam on drums and, of course, Mutley on vocals. During his stint with the Rockit, Russ recorded and performed with them in and around New York City. Artistic differences were the reason behind his decision to part company with the group by 1992.

That year, along with drummer Chris Saia and Cold Sweat bassist Warren Kitt, Russ formed Machine Head — The Deep Purple Tribute. Also included in the original lineup was vocalist Rob Cassese and guitarist Guy Stevens, who would go on to record and perform with former Hole/Smashing Pumpkins bassist Melissa Auf Der Maur in the Black Sabbath tribute group, Hand Of Doom. Machine Head performed many successful shows throughout New York City and New England. Following a number of personnel changes, Russ decided to move on. This successful yet brief association did manage to yield the live album, “Machine Head–A Tribute to Deep Purple”, released on the Power Voltage label in 2003, from a concert recorded at The Wave, on Staten Island, on January 22nd, 1994.

In 1994, he performed the fiery organ solo and other keyboard parts for Neon Fire’s single release, “Like Sand” b/w “Moon Over New York City”, also for Power Voltage.

In 1995, under the name, “Mate”, Russ released a single on the Power Voltage label called, “Blue Water”, produced by Peter Goldbeck, which featured, along with Mate on keys, Josh Charles of J.C. Bosco on vocals. The song was composed by Russ Mate and Mike Fass of Neon Fire and, after the “Fire” went out, Doomed Airship. The flip, “Across The Miles”, was a remake of the 1983 flip side of the 1985 Neon Fire single, “Life In Duplicity”. This new version of “Across The Miles”, written by Mike Fass, featured Josh on lead vocal and Mike on harmony.

That summer, Russ produced Neon Fire’s final single, the epic “Sir Wendell”, in addition to providing the organ and piano tracks. It would be his production masterpiece for 1995 and, by the end of the year, his last effort for a while as a musician and performer, as he focused more on his other enterprises.

Ocean Storm, Endless Journey and other tracks, from the debut Russ Mate recording project and album release, “Just Offshore”, from 2004 on Power Voltage, were featured on the soundtrack of the documentary film, “The NYU Suicides”

FOUNDING MEMBER

Warren began playing bass guitar, at a friend’s suggestion, at age sixteen.

After learning the rudiments, he switched on the radio and copied what he heard, learning not only HOW to play, but also the bass patterns for literally hundreds of that which we now call “classic rock” songs.

Warren has played with a roster of artists too numerous to list here but chief among them have been Cold Sweat, Charles Womack & No Exit, Third Stone, Randy Hansen, Bold as Love, Machine Head, Neon Fire, Mutley’s Rockit! and, of course, the phenomenal Shock Me Blue. These days you will find him as part of the regular lineup of ControlZ as well as Metal Godz, Moving Pictures, Dead Roses and The Black Angels NYC.

Other stints over the decades have been with Electric Merx, Stone Free, Looney Tunes, 3 The Hard Way, Wreckollection, Doomed Airship, and Overhead Slam.

Today Warren Kitt is among the most sought-after musicians on the concert scene. His multiple talents, good looks, stage presence and professional dependability keep him in demand as one of rock’s greatest bassists and performers both on stage and on record. He is also among the very founding members of Cold Sweat who now celebrate their 40th Anniversary in 2021.

FOUNDING MEMBER

Rich Casale made a guitar out of rubber bands at the age of 5 to desperately send a message to his family that he wanted a real guitar.

At just six years of age he got one to knock around with.

By his teen years, Rich would have his room full of acoustic and electric guitars, a bass and drum set (and a little organ) and set out to jam with his friends. Meanwhile he worked at Manny’s Music, Rudy’s and We Buy Guitars to be close to his precious instrument: The guitar.

He took guitar lessons with an Eric Clapton aficionado at West Manor Music for years.

Rich started The Electric Warrior Band who would rehearse in the New York City borough of Queens in a studio Rich rented with the two other members of the band.

Always a Rock music fan, Rich Casale listened and learned to play jazz, blues, classical, Heavy Metal/Hard Rock, Progressive and Pop stylings to hone his craft.

Rich Casale worked on his singing at the same time.

And he’s still one of those people that can be found singing in his sleep, almost.

As one of the founding members of the seminal punk/metal excursion out of The Bronx known as Cold Sweat, Rich Casale established himself as a musician, being the frontman during the dawning days of the band’s run. He was there when it started in 1981, and was also a member of Social Disorder, and The Frenzy; both forerunners of what would become Cold Sweat.

Along with fellow founders Russ Mate (drums), Keith Haase (guitars), and Warren Kitt (bass), Rich sang lead vocal on their 45 single, released on Power Voltage Records, in 1984.

Rich’s departure from the band in 1985, occurred before the sound, line-up and direction of Cold Sweat changed.

After his term with Cold Sweat ended, Rich became involved in journalism, founding Death Scream Magazine, as his focus shifted towards the heaviest bands on planet Earth. Resurrected online, the variety it offers these days runs the whole gamut of Rock, Metal, Prog and just darn good music!

Today, Rich is still performing live shows, most recently with his project, Headband.

Born in Brooklyn, New York, Mike Fass was a percussionist for the Evil Eyes in the early 1970s when, upon the departure of their drummer and with no success in finding a good replacement, he was persuaded to switch to drums. It was a great decision. That decade saw rock and pop groups performing at volume levels never before reached. To accommodate this, Mike developed an explosive power style to cut through, making him one of the seventies’ best hard hitters. Initially, some finesse was sacrificed for the sake of force but soon he became a classic stylist in addition to being a notably brute force in rock and pop.

It is no accident, then, that so many of his biggest drum heroes were power hitters themselves.

Mel Taylor of the Ventures, Matt Betton of Sonny & Cher, Ron Tutt of Elvis
Nigel Olssen of the Elton John Band, Bobby Figueroa of the Beach Boys, Dennis Bryon of the Bee Gees

Mike was a major force behind the creation and popularity of one of pop music’s dance genres, freestyle. As studio drummer and percussionist on Neon Fire’s seminal foray, “On Another Highway” in 1983, he and the group, although actually a rock band, became the “Fathers of Freestyle” by being the first recording act to blend the melodic, harmonic and structural sensibility of straight pop music with the experimental patterns of electro funk. Industry executives had no niche market for the song at the time although it did get airplay on urban stations. By 1988, dance clubs around the country were playing it and it became hot in the south with its biggest impact arguably on Florida. Young Puerto Rican and other Latin dance pop groups took to the sound and, by 1994, it finally had a name: freestyle, after the dance that often accompanied it. Surprisingly, all the drums and percussion on “Highway” were real, even though the style has always been computer programmed by all others, giving his performance on it a further distinction. One newspaper even wrote them up erroneously as “computer pop”.

Among the artists with whom Mike Fass has performed and/or shared the bill are:

The Creeps. The Kids, The Golden Eagles, The Vampires, The Evil Eyes, Blue Iridescence, The Happydale Inmates, Richard Belzer, Joe Piscopo, Larry David, Mark Schiff, Mark Wuhl, Andy Kaufman, Paul Reiser, Pat Benatar, Hyway, Neon Fire, Roadrunner, Glenn Roberson
The Henry Williams Comedy Troupe, Swordfish, Full Force, The Phantoms
The Harbour Lights Players, Charles Womack & No Exit, The Skinny Vinny Band, Cold Sweat, Smack, Spice, Alvin Cameron, Gary Hensely, Panzerfaust, M*Thang, Paul Anthony, Raindance, Joe’s Friend, The Brats, Shikhee, The Harptones, Doomed Airship, Mutley’s Rockit!, Modesty Blaise, Edible Soul, Helper, Billy Crystal, Bruce Valanche, The Sin Taxes, J.C. Bosco
Electro-Z (now known as Dasher), The Bleu Ocean Explosion, Freddy Freeman, Just Offshore, Robert Urban, The Day Trippers, and more!

These days, Mike is better known to a new generation as the Soviet Russian fighter, The Red Cyclone, Zangief, on the global hit series, “Street Fighter: The Later Years” (CHTV, 2006-08), which was nominated Best Series at the 2008 YouTube Awards in Los Angeles.