Artie to close friends, family and about 150 nuns at work (yes, he really does work at a convent), but his demon rock-n-roll alter –ego is rarely discussed openly in those hallowed halls, began his musical career singing in his uncle's barber shop in the early 70’s. He would entertain all while he awaited his turn in the chair to get, as his brother-in-law so elegantly put it, the exact same haircut he has today. Then he would get the “buzz cut” because that was the only cut his uncle gave. Now he gets it because there isn't enough hair to do anything else.

In those days, Harry Belafonte tunes were his favorites and entertaining the family was the order of the day. Art moved up to solos at church and even took a shot at a high school musical but couldn’t seem to find his place in the music world. After many years of air-guitar in his bedroom and singing along with the radio his career was at a standstill. One fateful morning in college, while on a leaf gathering excursion in botany class, Art dazzled Damian Dieter & Matt Irish with his knowledge of Pure Prairie League and Marshall Tucker Band lyrics and a friendship began. At that time, Damian and Matt had someone else singing with them. On spring break their lead singer opted to go to Florida, leaving the boys with no one to sing at Damian’s spring break bash. Desperate for someone who actually knew the words to “Twist & Shout”, Art stepped up and has been at the mic with Matt and Damian ever since.

Art’s soulful and heartfelt renditions of songs have been known to leave people speechless. Sometimes from shear awe, other times from laughing so hard they pass out. Art attributes his unique vocal stylings and stage persona to his Italian heritage, and to the fact that if you couldn’t dance the only way to meet girls in college was to be in a band and be a little on the wild side, which could be why it seems that now and again Art is auditioning for the vacancy Dean Martin left in the Rat Pack.

His wild days behind him, Art makes his home in South Bend with his wife, Deanie, and daughters Madison and Emma. Family life keeps his social calendar full, so playing out is strictly for fun…..and maybe for a martini or two. Art likes to say what he lacks in vocal ability he makes up for by coercing the crowd into drinking more! “The more you drink, the better we sound!”

Matthew James Irish was born January 15th. He shares his birthday with Martin Luther King Jr.(no relation). When he was in the 7th grade he was going down S.R. 23 with his mother, to go to Bernard's (for you old school Grangerites, who can remember when Grape Road was two lanes) there was a yard sale with a drum set in the front yard ($25) and Matt somehow talked his mother into buying the drum set for him. He took lessons from Eddie Knight and joined the school band.

When he entered college (okay, jr. college - like high school with ash trays) he met Damian Dieter and Art Kopec, the foundation was built for what would eventually become Art & the Artichokes. The cornerstone of this foundation, by the way, was beer...and lots of it! While in college (two years at Holy Cross Jr. College and one semester at I.U. Bloomington) Matt had a feeling that he was meant for more in life, that he had a bigger calling that could not be fulfilled by schools of higher learning.

He moved back home and after a brief sabbatical of life introspection, he realized what had to be done. He enrolled at The Benihana School of Diesel Burning, where he interned directly under Bennie himself to learn the art & zen of 18 wheelin'. Now he finds peace in driving the big rig to support his drum playing habit. He still lives in Granger, but now with his wife Lisa and their son's Ethan and Brady.

Mike says "Well, I couldn't find any musicians to form a Chad & Jeremy tribute band with me, so when the Artichoke gig became available I said, 'What the heck', and so here I am."

Mike got the job because: A.) he plays guitar, and B.) he sells beer for a living. 'Beer guy that plays guitar....yeah, he's in'. Being a product of the 70's, Mike has a great love of classic rock,funk/soul, and bubblegum music. ('Edison Lighthouse rocks'!) "I think the first two 45 records that I bought with my own money were, ' Little Willy',by The Sweet, and 'Superfly',by Curtis Mayfield. My taste in music is still all over the map to this day". But one fatefull day Mike happened to hear the guitar solo to 'Whole Lotta Love'. "That was it!! I was hooked. I've been in love with the guitar ever since."

Mike's influences include, Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, Eddie VanHalen, The Monkees, and Gilligan's Island. (remember 'The Mosquitos'?) "Playing in the Artichokes is kind of like hanging out at a frat party--we're just here to have some fun, drink some beer, and hang out with our friends,....kinda like my day job!" Mike resides in the middle of some remote cornfield in LaPorte County with his German Shepherd, Samson.

Damian Dieter, one of the founding members of the Artichokes (along with Matt Irish, Art Kopec, and the exhiled Professor Jeff Roessner of Erie, PA), began his musical career as a classical pianist. His training began at the South Bend Conservatory of Music and for three years in a row he was the first pupil to play at the annual recital. The first piece he ever performed in public was "Monkey Business" in C major. Once he discovered that the really bad pianists played early in the recital, he became dispondent and quit the piano in favor of his other favorite hobbies: model aircraft making and knitting.

In high school he discovered the bass guitar which was borrowed from a friend, and after mastering "Smoke on the Water", decided to learn an entire albums worth of music. That album was the Rolling Stones' "Get Your Ya-Ya's Out". This record dripped with Chuck Berry style riffs and explains why Damian is most comfortable playing songs with just three chords. Damian on bass guitar and Matt Irish on drums round out the formidable rhythm section of the Artichokes, and their motto is: We may not be great musicians, but we can move the hell out of equipment! Damian's other contributions to the bands musical stylings includes an occasional harmonica solo, melodic chops with the kazoo, and most recently he has dabbled with the juice harp while waiting for his sitar to arrive, which has been on back order from Witmer-McNease Music for nine years.

Damian is the owner and chief surgeon of the Portage Foot Clinic and has practiced podiatry since 1994. He makes his home in South Bend with his cat Sparky and fish Saka.

Even when he was a lad Kent was fascinated with music. Some of his most vivid childhood memories are related to music. Going down to the basement to hear his older brothers bands play. Sneaking down in the middle of the day to bang on a drum or two. Even jumping up and down on his bed strumming his sisters tennis racket to old Beatles 45's. He always knew music was going to be a part of his life. Kent started his musical journey in fourth grade band playing the saxophone. After two months he switched to trombone which he played until graduating high school.

Not satisfied with just the trombone, at fifteen he followed in both his brothers footsteps by picking an old acoustic guitar that was lying around his grandmother's house. After several minutes of hitting the strings as hard as he could his grandmother appeared with a Mel Bay book. And the rest, as they say is history. At the age of eighteen Kent was asked to join his first band, The Mongo Catz, with whom he still plays. In January of 2003 he was asked to join his second band, Art & the Artichokes. Being a long time fan of the band he quickly accepted. And even more quickly regretted his decision. The doctors don't know if proper liver functions will ever return. The one thing that keeps Kent disobeying doctors orders is that he finally gets to share the stage with his big brother Mike.

Kent lives comfortably in an undisclosed location spending his days thinking he's a turnip. No. I'm sorry. That last bit about the turnip is Sid Barrett. My mistake.

Notice: In spite of several requests to the contrary, Mr. Jensen insisted on also writing his own bio. The Management would like to apologize in advance. Thank you.

"I like cheese. I like bread. Only wheat, and not the other kind. I like beer. But not wheat beer. I like cats. There's my kitty now. Hi kitty. I like skiing. The snow kind, not the water kind. I like guitars. The Fender kind, not the Gibson kind. I like amps. All kinds of amps. But not the Marshall kind. I like music. But only the music I like, not the sucky kind. I like rain. I like sun. I like beer. I like beer. I like beer. I like beer. I like Hunter S. Thompson. I like beer. I'm afraid of clowns. Clowns are evil. But not as evil as mimes. I like the word parsnip. It's a funny word. I like apples. I like peanut butter. Not the chunky kind, the smooth kind. There's my kitty again. Hi kitty. I have to go now. Have to play guitar. strum strum strum strum strum strum strum strum strum."

Oh, alright, they asked nicely if I'd write some idiocracy about myself, so here's what I've got. Porkchop (a.k.a. Nathan) has been in and out of the local music scene since 2003, playing in Concrete Vibe (progressive rock) and Fat Tony & the Sharks (blues). He does a lot of writing for his own project, Axaholics Anonymous (jazz fusion), and with a friend in Iowa, The DNA Project (acid jazz / house).

Porkchop plays a keytar for live gigs. Yes, a keytar. It wasn't meant to be a keytar but he doesn't like sitting down when he plays out so he modified an Evolution MK-461C controller so he could hook a strap to it and hang it around his neck. The keytar then goes into a MacBook Pro running MainStage where he can split and layer any various sounds to fit the song the Artichokes are playing. Plus it beats lugging around 3 keyboards.

Nathan got his start in music when he was around 5. His grandparents bought a piano and he instantly took an interest to it. They must have thought he had talent or something because they kept buying him instruments, trying to encourage him to pursue it. He took lessons for a while but the instructors were only teaching him classical and sacred hymns so he quit and just taught himself. He listened to a lot of jazz and progressive rock to pick up on different modes and chords but always loved simple rock songs with good melodies, like The Beatles.

Porkchop lives in South Bend with his wife Mrs. Porkchop and their son, Porkchop Jr.