Why "Gabriel?" Gabriel was the name of owner, Erik Wayne's band from '70- Halloween of '79.  (Oh, the stories....) In fact, if you'll look to the left, there he is rocking out on his Hammond C3, donning a Big-Bird costume, with a Pineapple on the top of the organ. Why? Don't worry about it. (We're not even sure he knows....) 

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ANYWAY

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      In 1968 Erik started making making a living by fixing all of the decrepit PA systems in venues that he played in.  The club owners eventually just started calling Erik "Gabriel" because he was "that guy from the band that fixes stuff." Gabriel seemed like a natural go-to for a name. 

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     In 69 Erik started playing Organ with Joe Peschi and Frankie Vincent.  He then played with Joey and the Starlighters in the early 70’s, and then started running their sound.  In the mid '70's, when the Grateful Dead were running the biggest Mcintosh Sound system in the country, the "Wall of Sound," Erik was running the 2nd biggest Mcintosh system in the country, utilizing 30+ Mcintosh Amplifiers to power everything from Leslie cabinets, to vocals.  

 

     Erik then became the first sound engineer of "Twisted Sister," a product of his friendship with then bass player, Ken Neill.  Erik started an offshoot company in the 80's, "FFC flight Case," whose cases could be dropped off of buildings with little worry of damage.  Erik merged with another gentleman, and became "Consolidated Audio," but changed back to Gabriel after his partner passed away.

 

     Class-A machinist, and tool and die maker Todd Whitford started out as a customer, buying equipment for bands that he was engineering, but quickly became an employee in 1994, bringing both live sound experience and craftsmanship to the table. Todd is now head of all speaker recones, developing some proprietary techniques that make him one of the most sought after techs in the country. 

 

     Gabriel has had shops in Haskel, NJ, Bellville, NJ, multiple locations in Pompton Lakes NJ, and now resides in Pequonnack, NJ. 

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