Nico Constantine

{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2021}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Nico Constantine

| image = Nico Constantine - Producer, Music Director, Guitarist.png

| caption = Nico Constantine with guitar

| genre = Rock and Roll, indie, pop

| occupation = Musician, songwriter, producer, music director

| instrument = Guitar

| associated_acts = Lady Gaga, The Biters, Comes with the Fall, Madfly

| label =

| years_active = 1996–present

| website = {{URL|institutionrecords.world}}

}}

Nico Constantine is an American music director, producer, and guitarist, known for his work with Lady Gaga, Biters, Program the Dead,{{Cite web | last = Haught | first = Lori | title = Program the Dead breathes some life into rock n' roll | publisher = Downtown Express | access-date = April 5, 2011 | url = http://www.downtownexpress.com/de_179/programthedead.html}} Comes with the Fall,{{Cite web | last = Prato | first = Greg | title = Comes with the Fall Biography | publisher = AllMusic | access-date = October 28, 2010 | url = {{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p568256/biography|pure_url=yes}}}} and Madfly.[http://www.adbdesign.com/cwtf/history.html Band History] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722144156/http://www.adbdesign.com/cwtf/history.html |date=July 22, 2011 }} He is the founder of Institution Records.

Biography

=Madfly and Comes with the Fall=

{{Main|Madfly|Comes with the Fall}}

In 1996, Constantine joined Madfly in Atlanta, Georgia, along with singer-guitarist William DuVall, drummer Bevan Davies, and bassist Jeffery Blount. In 1998, Joan Jett signed Madfly to Blackheart/Mercury Records. After releasing White Hot in the Black, the band left Blackheart/Mercury, and reformed as Comes with the Fall in 1999, with Adam Stanger replacing Jeffery Blount on bass.

Comes with the Fall recorded their self-titled album in Atlanta,{{Cite web | last = Rosen | first = Steven | title = Alice in Chains: 'We All Have Very High Standards For Ourselves' | work = Ultimate Guitar Archive | date = September 25, 2009 | url = http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/interviews/interviews/alice_in_chains_we_all_have_very_high_standards_for_ourselves.html | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100819213356/http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/interviews/interviews/alice_in_chains_we_all_have_very_high_standards_for_ourselves.html | archive-date = August 19, 2010 }} a year later, before relocating to Los Angeles, California, catching the attention of Alice in Chains guitarist Jerry Cantrell. Their self-titled album was released the same year through DuVall's DVL Records.

Constantine amicably parted ways with Comes with the Fall during the first leg of the Degradation Trip tour,[http://www.adbdesign.com/cwtf/nico.html Nico] however, some of his writing would appear on their later studio releases, The Year Is One, The Reckoning and Beyond the Last Light. DuVall thanked Constantine along with the rest of the founding members of Comes with the Fall within the liner notes of Alice in Chains' 2009 album Black Gives Way to Blue.File:Nico and The Biters.jpgFile:Nico and Lady Gaga.jpgFile:Program the Dead Live.jpgFile:Constantine and Cantrell.jpg

=Program the Dead=

After leaving Comes with the Fall, Constantine went on to form the band Program the Dead, along with vocalist Matt Koruba, drummer Dave Murga, and bassist Johnny McClay (later replaced by Tom Kafafian). Program the Dead was signed to Universal Motown by Andrew Kronfeld six months after forming. The band toured extensively throughout the United States, Canada and the UK sharing the stage with such bands as HIM, Mindless Self Indulgence, and the Bloodhound Gang.[http://hangout.altsounds.com/features/104702-introducing-william-duvall.html# Introducing William DuVall][http://www.comeswiththefall.com/news.html Comes with the Fall News]

=Lady Gaga=

In 2006, Constantine played guitar on Lady Gaga's planned album release for Island Def Jam. In 2009, he served as Lady Gaga's music director and lead guitarist, assembling her first live band for her World Tour 2009 of the Fame Ball{{cite web |url=http://www.voxamps.com/artists/370/ |title=VOX Artists {{!}} Nico: On the Go go with Lady Gaga |website=www.voxamps.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091001173744/http://www.voxamps.com/artists/370 |archive-date=2009-10-01}} throughout Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Israel and the United States. He also served as Gaga's music director and guitarist for her performances on Dancing with the Stars, the BBC Glastonbury Concert, the Isle of MTV Malta Special, Australia's Live at the Chapel, and many European TV specials.

= Institution Records and Production career =

In 2013, Constantine founded Institution Records,{{Cite web|url=http://www.institutionrecords.world/|title=Institution Records|website=institutionrecords.world|access-date=May 24, 2018}} working with bands such as Biters, Starbenders, Rosegarden Funeral Party, and Brooklynn.

Discography

class="wikitable"
TitleReleaseLabelBand
Get the Silver1996Killing Floor Recordsrowspan=2| Madfly
White Hot in the Black1998Blackheart/MercuryRecords
Comes with the Fall2000DVLComes with the Fall
Program the Dead2005Universal Recordsrowspan=5| Program the Dead
Ginger2007rowspan=4| Sippy Cup Records
Sticks & Bricks2007 (extended play)
Calling the Snakes2008 (extended play)
Dead in the City Basements: Live2008
Poison Arrows2009Full Breach KicksPoison Arrows
It's OK to Like Biters2010Underrated RecordsThe Biters
Dirty Pollyanna2010rowspan=2| Sippy Cup Recordsrowspan=2| Dirty Pollyanna
Tell Angela2011
Last of a Dying Breed2012Pipeline RecordsThe Biters
Take My Hand (single)2013rowspan="21" | Institution Recordsrowspan=2| Brooklynn
Take My Hand (music video)2013
Indigo (7" A-side)2014The Biters
Brooklynn (debut EP)2014Brooklynn
Starbenders (debut EP)2014Starbenders
Free 2 B (EP)2015rowspan=3| Brooklynn
Friends (music video)2015
What I Need (music video)2015
Powder (7")2015rowspan="16" |Starbenders{{Cite web|url=https://www.last.fm/music/starbenders/+albums|title=starbenders albums and discography {{!}} Last.fm|website=Last.fm|access-date=May 25, 2018}}
Powder (music video)2015
Brake (single)2015
Paper Beats Rock (single)2015
Blood (single)

|2016

Heavy Petting

|2016

So High (single)

|2016

Far From Heaven (single)

|2017

Down and Out (single)

|2017

1969 (single)

|2017

Julian (EP)

|2017

Japanese Rooms (EP)

|2019

Death By Amplifier (single)

|2019

London (single)

|2019

| rowspan="3" |Sumerian Records

Holy Mother (single)

|2019

Love Potions

|2020

References

{{reflist}}