Young Punk / Metal Band Member with Audio Engineer Aspirations

    Orinda resident and bass player, Nicholas Morosini, loves everything about the punk and metal music scene, which is one reason why he joined the Hell Bound Pound band and wants to become an audio engineer.
    “The band got organized a few months before I started,” said Morosini, who attends Orinda Academy. “My band mates, Alex Hernandez (guitar) and Marcos Hernandez (drums), were initially just a guitar and drums power duo. After I saw them at a show in San Jose, I asked them whether they wanted a bassist or not.”
    He tried out and after their first gig together in May 2021, the duo band turned trio.
    Hell Bound Pound performs free concerts at Orinda Community Park, and Morosini has nothing but gratitude after having their park rental and insurance papers approved in March.
    “I just want to say thank you to the Orinda Community Park for letting events like these happen and extend a special thanks to Todd Trimble for helping us organize it,” he said.
    Morosini also thanks his parents for their ongoing support and musical influence.
    “My parents are very supportive. My dad has been playing the drums since he was 11. It helps to have a parent with a big musical background supporting me,” said Morosini. “My Mom is very supportive as well, even if she doesn’t like all the bands that come over to    record sometimes.”
    By “record,” Morosini is referring to his recording studio in his parent’s Orinda home called, “Trez Rek Studios.”
    His father, Tony Morosini, explains how his son’s recording studio got started.
    “I had a very small recording studio in our prior home in Moraga, and I taught Nick how to use Pro Tools, which is software used for recording and mixing music,” said Tony. “Nick took to it immediately and started playing bass guitar and recording himself. He now plays bass, drums and guitar and has started a business recording local bands. Most of the bands at their festival in March have released music on Spotify, which Nick has mixed and recorded. He has over a dozen engineering credits so far.”
    Tony has credits too, since he’s played guitar and drums on nearly half a dozen albums, including with the Mineral Kings, Trez Rek 500 and his solo act, Morosini, from the early ‘90s.
    “We are very proud of Nick and the passion he has for music and recording,” said Tony.
    Morosini said his band practices in an art and storage rental place in Richmond, usually about two to three times a week. His long-term goal is to head to Nashville.
    “I’ve committed to Belmont University in Nashville, and I plan on sharpening my skills with sound and music production for the next four years,” he said.
    His mother, Amy Morosini, approves: “We are very proud of Nick. Not just for his music ability, but also for his passion for the business side of music,” she said. “He started taking bass guitar lessons when he was in middle school. His instructor at the time was the husband of the Orinda School District’s Superintendent.”
    Amy said Nick gets his musical talent from his dad.
    “Tony also played in a band in high school with Dave Grohel from Nirvana and Foo Fighters’ fame,” she said. “I, on the other hand, being tone deaf, take no credit whatsoever!”
    She also attributes the pandemic to Nick’s growth and education in producing music.
    “Tony taught Nick about recording when COVID-19 hit, and because of all the social distancing restrictions, Nick spent much of his free time in our garage learning everything he could about music technology,” she said. “He spent hours on YouTube and offered to record young bands for free, just so he could learn how to do it. As much as we all hate COVID-19, I don’t think Nick would be as adept as an audio engineer and producer as he is if the pandemic didn’t imprison us. Nick definitely used the isolation time to his advantage.”
    The band’s next performance is in Santa Cruz, June 4, location to be determined. Visit Hell Bound Pound on YouTube at https://youtu.be/FYf9RzHpk-k or Instagram @hellboundpound.

Charleen Earley can be reached at editor@theorindanews.com.