Twisted Finster

Twisted Finster has been riding the rock and roll express since their inception last July. Their popularity landed them as the Express readers choice for the “best new band” of last year. The band is made up of bassist Finster, Pounding Paul on drums, Zimmy 6-String on guitar and Ninja Dave on lead vocals.
Last June the guys didn’t know each other; all four had pretty much resigned themselves to never play in a band again. That all changed when they collectively refer to the “magical moment.”

“I walked into Union Street Station last June and saw this sign that said ‘Kenny Olson Stage.’ I went to the cute gal at the door (Union Kate who is now part of the morning show) and told her that I wanted to book my band here,” said Finster. “She asked who my band was. I told her that I didn’t have one, but just give me 100 days and I would find three guys and we will put together three 55-minute sets and blow the roof off of this joint.”

FOUR NOTES IN…
The next morning when Finster went on the air he told the people what he wanted to do.
“I started taking auditions at Don Swan’s studio and I randomly put a drummer, guitar player and vocalist together. One of those auditions was the group that would become Twisted Finster,” said Finster. “When Dave, Paul and Zimmy came in it was just a fluke or maybe it was destiny. None of us knew each other. Four notes into the first song we all looked at each other and I knew this was the band. It was a magical moment.”

Ninja Dave agrees.

“I was retired from music. I had been with a national act, toured, had a video on MTV, played in a couple of touring tribute bands. But it was the spirit of Bugs Bunny that came to me in a dream that convinced me to do it,” said Ninja Dave. “I called in and Finster asked me to sing and I sang Led Zeppelin’s ‘Whole Lotta Love,’ and Finster told me I better audition. I agreed with the four notes in. There was a lot of eye contact and our jaws dropped.”

Finster went back to Union Street and booked his band to play on Omelette’s birthday in August. The morning show had adopted A.C. Paw (a no-kill animal shelter in Northern Michigan as its charity and Finster wanted to use his new band to raise $10,000 for the shelter over the next year. He was faced with one challenge.

“That 100 days to get a band ready was now just 40 days,” said Finster. “Look, these guys are all talented and I am just a hack. So that first show was all easy songs. But the place was packed. We raised over $1,000 and as promised, we rocked the roof off.”