Maniac Bios
Dustin Myles Alcorn
Guitar, Vocals
“Well it actually caught me by surprise when Kiel and Paul asked me to throw in with the Maniacs. I had played one of the Over The Edge (Kiel’s) live streams with my then group The Young Adams and a few weeks later I had a message from Kiel saying that they needed a guitar player and asked if I was interested. There was no way Kiel and Paul could have known just how much I really needed it, I don’t think I even knew then.
It was January of 2020, I was just fired from my job and was sitting around in a slump feeling pretty useless. I had no source of power to draw from. It seems now like a no-brainer to jump this moving train and see where it took us, but at the time it felt like peering over the edge of an uncertain height.
I had been in The Young Adam’s for almost 6 years at this point. I think a huge part of my hesitation was feeling like I was betraying the guys who got me there, wherever that was.
I always joke with the Maniacs that it reminded me of that scene where Will Smith sits on the park bench and the sun goes down and back up all time lapse-ey. Only I was sitting in my office chair staring at the flashing text line.
I also had long held reservations about being in “a cover band”, somehow at the time it felt cheap. Why would we learn other people’s songs and not just write our own? Why bother dancing around if the singing is good and the playing is tight? Why not get obliterated at every show; we’re Rockstars aren’t we?
To say I had and have lots to learn is laughable. I was wrong about so much of what I “knew" about truly being a musician. (Painstakingly) Slowly (I’m hoping) I’m starting to realize what I want from and what I can give to this life. I do know that the feeling of practicing and performing, is second to none. When I spent all week practicing these songs and then rip filthy at the show, I’m 10 feet tall and bullet-proof. When I spend all week with my face in a screen and I butcher every transition at the gig, I can’t even meet my band mates gaze. It’s the highest high or the abysmal depths.
What an almost-year it’s been! I’ve learned so much with the Maniacs, I feel truly grateful to be a part of such a wicked group of wayward minstrels, and we’re really looking forward to shaking the walls at a venue near you.”
- D.
Kiel Colin Edge
Bass, Vocals
Kiel started his musical journey at a young age when his parents put him into piano lessons to learn the foundations of reading and understanding music. Through high school Kiel’s passion and dedication to music grew starting with the baritone in grade 9 and quickly moving to the bass guitar in grade 10, then joining the after school jazz and classical music programs which ultimately led to him taking home musician of the year in his graduating year of 2003. During high school, Kiel joined his first rock band with Brett Jagert and Justin Steinhilber named 4:15 (police code for public disturbance).
From there, Kiel was accepted to Mount Royal College for the Jazz Performance program under the tutelage of John Hyde on the upright (double) bass. It was during his time at college he met Danny Lovelock and Taylor Mackareth and joined their punk band Head First. After a few years of shows and putting out original music, Taylor wanted to branch out with Kiel to try his hand at guitar and lead singer. The first addition was a call back to Kiel’s high school drummer Justin on the drums. After a few jams it was determined a lead guitarist was needed so an ad was placed in fast forward magazine and answered by Marcus Steiner. After a few more practices a hard decision was made to move forward as a three piece and Lies From Elysium was formed with Marcus, Kiel and Justin.
Lies From Elysium went on to put out heavy hitting originals and played around the local bars opening for acts including Vince Neil and Ill Scarlett. At this time Kiel was taking audio engineering at The Beach and was introduced to drummer Rich Jaeger. When Justin decided to focus on his studies in university, Rich came on board and made for a seamless transition. After a few years playing around western Canada and an album released (Behind the Curtain), LFE split up as Marcus and Rich headed to the Yukon for work and Kiel to the rigs for the same.
Fast forward 10 years Marcus was moving back to Calgary at the same time Kiel was finished with working in the field and started transferring into the office. The two decided it was time to get the band back together. After trying a few different drummers (some from the past and some new), the Rocky Mountain Maniacs were formed with the addition of Adam (Goochie) Logullo. The trio toured around Alberta and British Columbia for a year, then the decision was made to part ways with Adam. Paul McCart was added and the Asylum Sessions Pt.1 and Pt. 2 were released. Early in 2021 Marcus decided to move on and was replaced by Dustin Alcorn. With the final change to the Maniac lineup, a new level of chemistry has been found and more new, exciting originals and live shows are on the way from Kiel and the Maniacs.
Paul Russell Mccart
Drums, Vocals
Paul got his first "real" drumset around 12 or 13 years of age; he began playing in his first band, Zippermouth, throughout junior high and highschool. Zippermouth performed a mix of covers and originals such as Deftones, Nirvana and other nu-metal/grundge groups; they played a few shows around Calgary including The Back Alley Nightclub. During this time he was also taking drum lessons at Music Centre Canada; after the dissolution of Zippermouth he spent many years bouncing between different bands and jams trying to find his place. He then joined Before The Storm, a progessive metalcore group, becoming a core member of the group for many years; they played successful shows throughout Calgary and the surrounding area, most notibly opening for Three Inches of Blood at The Devil's Gap in Banff and the Landmark Showcase at Republic. Paul was offered a position at his current job which he thought would be a wise move and chose to leave Before The Storm to focus on his career. Once he realized that the career move was not heading anywhere and that he missed the live show, he quit his job to focus on his musical aspirations and his family. After his father passed away in 2019 and shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic began, he inherited all his fathers musical gear and begun his Youtube Channel, posting mostly covers to keep his musicianship and mental health on the upswing during an extremely difficult time. It was not long after that Kiel from the Rocky Mountain Maniacs saw that Paul was looking for a band and asked if he would like to join the Maniacs. Kiel sent him some demos they had and it didn't take Paul long to send back some drum tracks thanks to his fathers equipment and his new found knowledge of musical production. Paul was officially a Maniac.