Ramsey Musician Releases Solo Album

Ramsey resident Dan Lorenzo says his side career as a recording artist isn’t about the fame, rocker lifestyle, or the fortune.

“The most I’ve ever made as a musician, at my height, was $175 a week,” Lorenzo said.

But, his love for performing, and for music, has kept his career alive, and inspired his new solo album, which the heavy metal rocker released last month.

Lorenzo started performing when he formed a band called “Hades,” while he was still a Paramus High School student in the late 1970’s. The group enjoyed some successes – releasing several albums, touring America and Europe and even opening for Twisted Sister at a concert in Germany in 1982.

In the early 1990’s, Lorenzo formed his second band, “Nonfiction.” That band also recorded three albums, and went on several tours across the US and Europe in the 1990's, Lorenzo said.

Though he occasionally reunites with his Hades band members, Lorenzo said he has mostly moved on to his professional career and solo performances.

For the past 19 years, Lorenzo has worked as an ad salesman at Steppin Out Magazine, a local entertainment magazine. In 2011, he took over as editor of the publication. 

But, he still finds time to pursue his passion. Last year, he shot a music video for his 2003 song, “Dan Zig Hates X-Mas.”

And this year, he decided to write three new songs, combine them with a line-up of his previous work, and release a best-of CD. With its release the first week in November, Lorenzo has racked up over 130 songs available on iTunes.

“I’m going to be 50 in January, so I think my touring days are behind me,” he said. “But, stranger things have happened. I can’t help but think that someday, someone will hear one of my songs and love it and do something cool like put it in a movie or something.”

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