MEET THE BISHOP
William Giricz - Lead Vocals, Lead Guitar, Keyboards, Producer
William “Billy G” Giricz has been a fixture on the Chicagoland music scene for more than 20 years. He has fronted some of the most inventive original bands in the Midwest — Bompop, Suitcase 72 and Flychild — and has sung in such popular local cover bands as The Cannons, Grand Theft Audio and Bipolar Pills for Pepe/BP4P. Beyond his powerful vocals and front-man prowess, Bill is an exceptionally talented song writer, lead guitarist and keyboardist (and he plays a mean tambourine too). He has also contributed musically and creatively to the bands Disliking Silence (on guitar) and They All Have Legs (on keyboards).
Bill’s influences span a vast array of artists, including Radiohead, Elvis, Jack White, The Who, The Doors, Stone Temple Pilots/Velvet Revolver/Scott Weiland, Ryan Adams, The Beatles, The Posies, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Spoon, Matthew Sweet and David Bowie.
In addition to his performance resume, Bill is also at home in the control room. His passion for capturing the emotions of a song is evident in the rich, intricate and dynamic sound quality of the music he produces. He has amassed a great library of music as a producer: "The Great Air Mystery" (Bompop, full length album); "Travelers Guide to Central Neptune" (Suitcase 72, full length album); and "Convolution Surf" (Flychild, EP).
Bill’s enthusiasm for The Bishop shines through in every performance. He clearly has a blast playing with his band mates, whom he calls “a fantastic group of musicians with boundless passion and enthusiasm for the creative process and performance of rock music.”
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Dan Passarelli – Bass, lead vocals
Dan Passarelli was the front man for the talented yet quirky band Just Buckwheat in the early 1990s, where he sang lead vocals and played guitar. He made the switch to bass guitar upon joining Suitcase 72, which rocked the Chicago music scene in the late ’90s and early 2000s.
Dan has been writing songs since childhood. His diverse influences include The Beatles, Jack White, Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, Matthew Sweet, Frank Zappa, Ryan Adams, Buddy Holly, The Cure, The Doors, Nirvana, The Dead Milkmen, The Kinks, Neil Young, Jane’s Addiction, The Rolling Stones, Simon and Garfunkel, Urge Overkill, Wilco, The Sex Pistols, Daniel Johnston and Elvis Costello.
Dan puts his heart and soul — and sometimes even his joke box — into every performance. “The Bishop is a musically nurturing petri dish of creativity, in which the whole is greater than the sum of the parts,” he says. “And it’s as much fun as a barrel of blindfolded, drunken monkeys.”
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Paulette Bertrand – Lead vocals, keyboard, guitar
Musical progeny Paulette Bertrand can’t remember a time when she didn’t play music. She started playing piano at age 3 and has been performing since she was 7. At 13, she picked up the guitar and began writing songs. From there, her musical horizons expanded to include an arsenal of instruments — not to mention tight vocals and a dynamic stage presence. She has played with many musicians locally and internationally, among them Clarence Clemons of Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band, and she is currently pursuing a minor in music with a concentration in classical performance.
Paulette channels her musical innovation from a wide array of genres. Some of her influences are The Who, Van Morrison Ben Folds, The Allman Brothers, CSNY, Radiohead, Ray Charles, Phish, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Sam Cooke, Beck, Norah Jones, Bob Dylan, Stevie Wonder, Jeff Beck and Herbie Hancock.
Paulette always provides an integral contribution to The Bishop’s sound — whether it’s an intricate keyboard part, subtle vocal nuances or hard-edged lead guitar. “I’m fortunate to be surrounded by so many talented people and musicians that are such a big part of my life and music,” she says.
Darin Gregg – Guitar, vocals
New to the Chicago music scene is Darin “Cappy” Gregg. Darin has been a student of rock and roll his whole life, as evidenced by the multiple dog-eared editions of “The Rolling Stone Record Guide” in his regular reading rotation. His musical tastes were forged listening to albums like “Revolver,” “Exile on Main Street,” “Achtung Baby” and “Led Zeppelin Untitled (IV)”. He brings intense energy and dead-on musical intuition to The Bishop.
Darin cites many of the greats among his musical influences, including Keith Richards, Mick Jagger, Edge, Bono, John Lennon, Jack White, Bob Dylan, Pete Townshend, Neil Young, Johnny Cash, Jeff Tweedy, Tom Petty, Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, Roger Waters, Elvis Presley, Peter Buck and John Mellencamp.
Darin has more energy in his pinkie nail than any band you’re likely to see. He’s an atomic fireball of unadulterated rock-and-roll fury, which he unleashes every time he steps foot on stage. His passion is the heartbeat of the band he loves. “The Bishop is a mix of a creative consortium and a kick ass gang — a lethal brew,” Darin says.
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