About the Band

Abe “Fingers” Feler

Abe Feler

Rhythm/Lead Guitar/Vocals – complains even if there’s no reason, has a smaller heart but is also just plain cuddly – the undisputed leader of the band.

In 1995, Abe was one of the founding Band members and our first Bass guitarist. Born in Israel, he immigrated to Canada at the age of 8. At age 13, with only 4 months of formal guitar training he commenced his musical experimentation and self-teaching. He is a natural and gifted musician with a tremendous ear for the right sound.

Abe was involved in the mid and late 60’s with the various garage and basement bands in the Montréal suburb of Chomedey. He played Venture tunes with “Sydney Morgue and the Gravediggers” in 1964, Top 40”s tunes with the “Missing Links” in 1966, the Rascals, Vanilla Fudge and 3 Dog Night tunes in “The Family Jewels” in 1967, and 5 in the Attic in 1969. Abe continued to experience different kinds of bands and music part-time for the following decade including one television appearance in 1971. In 1980, he relocated to Toronto where he hung up his strings to focus on career as a computer/electronics geek. Abe is married with three kids. He has a passion for jazz and the jazz world and loves the complexity of its chords and harmony. He steers our Band with his vision of a tight sound, great vocal harmony and a dynamic approach to music.

Adam Epstein

Adam Epstein

Vocals , Saxophone, and other ‘wind’ instruments. Responsible for lowering the average age of the band by a decade.

Adam is a Grade 7 and 8 teacher at a middle school in North York. He is a proud father of two beautiful kids. Adam joined the Faded Genes in July, 2005.  Adam’s formative years were spent in Edmonton, AB and Richmond, BC.  He had a diverse musical career in high school jazz combos, a teen rock band and four leading roles in local musical stage productions. Since moving to Toronto in 1997, Adam has put his acting career on the back burner. For a while, playing music became an occasional pastime, jamming with friends on a weekend here and there. Soon enough, the F. G.’s had pity and took in the singer/saxophonist and there has been sweet, sweet harmony every since.

Arnie “Dead Serious” Davidson

Arnie Davidson

Bass/ no vocals unless it’s “I’ll walk alone” – reality checker of the band.

Born in Port Elizabeth, South Africa to very unmusical parents.  Started playing guitar at the age of 11.  Self-taught and you can hear it sometimes.  Played in various bands and finally settling in a group called the Zeroes in the early 60’s.  The highlight of this era was recording a 45 single that got to number 10 on the radio charts. Immigrated to Canada in 1988 with family and joined the “Faded Genes” about 10 years ago.  Totally enjoying the weekly experience of Band Practice.  Currently, he also graces the bass of the band “Windy Ridge.” Future plans to try and get the drummer to buy new heads and break a stick.

Brian “Bubbleneck” Elkin

Brian Elkin

Trumpet/Flugelhorn/Percussion– “Bubbleneck, you say?”  Yup.  Just watch him hit a high note.  With a big ol’ gear head perched atop, he still walks tall with a *&$%-eating grin.

Brian dropped by a rehearsal late in 2009 after his old pal Adam conned him into a little “jam session with some guys.”  The instant creative synergy of the trumpet and sax left us all speechless. That was the day that TFG’s horn section was born.

Brian started playing trumpet in 1991 after unsuccessful attempts with the piano and guitar.  He says, “it was just too hard to use both my hands at the same time.”  Since then, he has figured out how to tie his shoelaces, drive a motorcycle, and comb his hair (with both hands).  He studied music throughout school, and while playing trumpet isn’t a profession, it’s certainly going to be his life-long hobby.  Brian has been a part of local community theater group The Yorkminstrels and has played trumpet for shows including Gypsy and Hello Dolly!.  He’s had the chance to play in the Recital Hall at the Toronto Centre for the Arts (formerly Ford Centre for the Performing Arts), at the Beaches Jazz Festival, and has opened for both Ike Turner and Leon Russell while playing with the Russell Leon Band (yes, you read that right).

During business hours you can find Brian at MINI Downtown, where he is happy to provide you with a cup of coffee and a test drive of a fun and fuel-efficient car.  Please buy one, as Brian and his loving wife Sara are new parents, and they don’t expect to pay the kid’s tuition with perfect pitch, swing and syncopation.

Chuck “Judge” Ticker

Chuck Ticker

Keyboards/vocals – “Judge” is his method; not his trade.

Chuck is a native of Montreal who has loved music as long as he can remember. When he was 5, his mother would call him from playing outside with the neighbourhood kids to come in every afternoon to listen to the “Hit Parade” on the radio and he would listen and dance along to Elvis.

Chuck started classical piano lessons at age 8 and his first recital got rave reviews in the local paper. He went on to win several awards and competitions.

Then the Beatles came upon the scene and Chuck lost interest in classical music. He stopped his piano lessons and took up the drums and formed his first group “CT and the Rebels”. Another group started in high school was a trio called “The Sarajuana Swingers” which featured Chuck on drums and two friends (on piano and trumpet). The group played the music of Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass who were really big then. Even at that early stage, Chuck was showing his eclectic tastes in music.

In his mid- teens, Chuck became a huge fan of the blues and spent many a weekend at the New Penelope Music Club in Montreal where he had the privilege of seeing blues legends like The Paul Butterfield Blues Band, James Cotton, Junior Wells and Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee.

Chuck went back to the keyboards when he was 16 and started learning some blues licks on his own. Chuck started a band with two cousins and some friends called “Cold Sweat” and played with them during the last two years of high school and first year university. Cold Sweat played a lot of gigs for high school dances and university frats. It was a lot of fun but the most money the band made came when they disbanded and sold the equipment.

After Cold Sweat disbanded, Chuck played solo at various coffee houses in Montreal.

After graduating from McGill in 1974, Chuck moved to Toronto and continued jamming with friends.

He commenced law school at Osgoode Hall in 1975 and played keyboards in the school’s musical revue- “The Mock Trial” where he played keyboards as bandleader “Lou Brown” for a spoof on Jerry Lewis’ annual telethon called ‘The Jerry Lewis Telethon for Disbarred Lawyers”.

Chuck’s musical hero is BB King whom he has had the joy of meeting backstage personally three times.

Chuck was thrilled to be invited by his neighbour (fellow Faded Gene Abe Feler) to play keyboards for The Faded Genes.

When Chuck isn’t living his fantasy of being a rock star, he works as a lawyer in his own law practice in the areas of estates disputes and mediations. Chuck has been happily married for over thirty years and has two daughters.

Danny “Thundersticks” Caplan

Danny Caplan

Drums/Vocals/Thundering Baritones – hopes one day to be the leader of the band.

Danny Caplan, according to his mother, “was six years old when asked to play the drums with the band at his cousins Bar Mitzvah… Danny was reported to be a real” show stopper.” Complimented by the crowd (mostly family) for his latent talent he continued to tap and bang  on furniture through most of his primary years.  Relenting, his parents finally provided some structure to the noise and banging and purchased a drum.

Born in Montreal, his varied musical interests have allowed him to dabble with other instruments including trumpet, guitar and piano. However, drums remain his passion and the only instrument he is any good at playing.

Danny spent a good portion of his adolescence playing with Fingers Feler (known then as “Bagels”) in various Chomedy  garage bands including the Family Jewels, and Five in the Attic in the late 60,s In the early 70’s he recorded an original album but then left drumming behind to attend university and later start a family.

Encouraged by his wife, Hedy, he returned to drumming in the early 90’s as an occasional back up drummer for a local Toronto charity band where he met guitarist Ian Gray, a former member.

Opportunities as “back up” were short lived and as fate would have it, Fingers Feler had remained in touch and was living in Toronto. Commitments were made and a band was born….  The name came 10 years later.

Danny is appreciated for his unwavering commitment to the band, his heavy rimmed backbeat, his contribution to band dynamics and his basement studio where the band practices on Tuesday nights.

A social worker and health care administrator by profession he is happily married for over 20 years and is the father of two boys, both budding musicians.

Matt Moyer

Matt Moyer

Lead Vocals and otherwise responsible for any mistakes made by those playing instruments.

Iwas a lucky guy to be able to grow up listening to the records of the eight brothers and sisters (all older than me) at home. My guitar playing was never going to launch my music career but I did love to sing. My issue as I continued to learn guitar was simple:  five fingers and six strings.

In June of 1981, I stood on the stage at the ‘Legion Hall’ and sang Heart like a Wheel in front of a full audience. At the end of the song, some lady threw her high-heeled shoe at me and just missed my head.  I had arrived.

As the lead singer of Mirror Image,  I was able to experience some great gigs. Our band won the Battle of the Band at the Masonic Temple (Concert Hall) in 1983. We received $500 and some recording time.  The band stayed local and ended up playing clubs around the GTA. I was able to play in some great places and some not-so-great places but I loved to play it all especially ‘Larry’s Hideaway’.  I am told that all great Toronto bands had to pass through the bowels of this Gerrard Street shrine.

In 1986, I joined East Meets West . This band featured Bob and Kurt Reid who went on to form Triple Play . This band (East Meets West) played the club circuit. I was able to play at the Nags Head (north and Eaton Centre) as well as the Chicken Deli and other clubs.  At one time we were managed by Dave Caplan, who was a big name in the Toronto music scene.

So here I am, back at it with the ‘Faded Genes’ and now they will have to drag me away .

Peter Fosbery

Peter Fosbery

Guitars/one harmonica/vocals/occ. keyboards – the undisputed leader of the band to all but the other members of the band; puts the “Fabulous” in the Faded Genes.

“Foz” has been a band member for the past 8 years. He plays keyboard, guitar, and sings. Born in England, he started playing music at the age of 15. In his university years, he did some limited playing in the bar circuit as a member of “The Ascots” at the Royal Military College and “Max Plywood and the Outdoor Toilet” while at Queen’s. “Foz” has a passion for playing original 60’s tunes and appreciates both Folk and Country music. “Foz” is an entertainer by nature well-known for his look-alike Elvis impersonations. His talent, spirit, and physical brawn ensure that the Fabulous Faded Genes is a desirable charity band. He loves to play at Baby Boomer Birthday parties and reunions.

Peter runs his own insurance agency, is married and has 4 children.