Raposo hoping to be signed by major label

04/23/09 - "Most people are surprised to know I was in a boy-band," laughed Greg Raposo in a recent interview. And he is dead on - no one would have any idea if he never mentioned it. Raposo has strayed far from his boy-band days, as he is now in a five-man band touring the United States as well as Costa Rica.Four years ago I went to a local concert in my hometown of Bethlehem, Pa. There, I watched Raposo perform. I had seen him perform many times before this, but this was my first time having the opportunity to see him perform as the frontman of a band. I could use three words to describe Raposo in that concert: entertaining, talented and phenomenal.

In four years, I wouldn't change any of those words. In fact, the only thing that has really changed about Raposo is that he now performs under the band name "Raposo" with four other guys. Those four men are Brian Corona on guitar and vocals, Jesse Leo on guitar and vocals, Danny Miller on bass and Will Tully on drums.

The current band has had this lineup since May of 2008, Raposo said. Several of the members have been on the music scene before this in different bands. Corona and Leo played together in the band Unlikely Heroes, Tully performed with Stealing Jane and Miller played bass with the group Brookside. Raposo said that they came together "through mutual friends and fate."

Fate was friendly to them, as the boys sound in synch with one another on songs such as "Not Letting Go," "Coming Home," "Stay With Me," "Separate Directions" and "The Circus Song," which can each be heard on the band's Myspace page.

Raposo plays keyboard and guitar and is the frontman of the self-titled band. He says "it comes naturally to him." That may be because he started singing and playing the guitar when he was just six years old. Not surprisingly, Raposo says, he's "always loved music."

Raposo called the band's music "mainstream pop rock," saying it's inspired by many different musicians and bands.

"We all have different influences," Raposo said, but among those influences he listed "Nirvana, Green Day, Bon Jovi, and The Beatles."

However, when it came to who the group would like to open for, Raposo's answer was none other than the All-American Rejects. According to Raposo, the bands share similar fan bases. Of course, if Raposo could perform with anyone though-it would be Elvis.

But for now, the band will continue to promote itself as Raposo works toward being the headlining act. The band's latest tour begins in Northborough, Mass., on May 1.

Despite a slew of concerts coming up Raposo said that he is most looking forward to the band's trip to California to record the new album.

He added, "The tours following the album will be great as well, but right now I am the most excited about recording."

When asked if he had a favorite song to play, he responded by comparing a favorite song to having a favorite child. "They are all special to me in different ways."

Raposo looks forward to the day all the songs are special to a big label. "Hopefully in a few years from now we will be with a major label and doing major tours around the world," he said.

Raposo admitted that if he could be any superhero it would be Spiderman "because secretly I am." And in a sense he is, as he spins webs of music that continue to catch people over and over again. And he will keep spinning webs, as he doesn't plan to settle down and stop performing anytime in the future. "It is my way of life," he said.