top of page
Since 1998, LOSTinPLACE has been diligently recreating the music of a generation that changed the world.
As the band's name implies, their musical roots are firmly entrenched in a time gone by.
Specializing in classic rock, LOSTinPLACE delivers a diverse selection of songs from the 60's, 70's, 80's, and 90's,
applying attention to musical detail and skilled 3 and 4 part harmonies.
In doing so, they have attracted a growing, loyal following that spans an impressive cross section of age groups.
Close your eyes and you'll think you're listening to the radio!
The band's individual abilities, talents, and tastes enable them to perform an incredibly diverse mix of
Badfinger, Santana, The Beatles, The Stones, Cream, The Doors, Pink Floyd, Tommy James, David Bowie,
Prince, Golden Earring, CSN&Y, CCR, Stevie Wonder, Genesis, Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, Joe Walsh, James Brown,
The Doobie Brothers, Eric Clapton, The Knack, Edgar Winter, Queen, Foreigner, The Eagles, Edwin Starr,
Talking Heads, Average White Band, and so much more ... and they're loving every minute of it.
LOSTinPLACE is the perfect band for clubs, casinos, fairs, vineyards, reunions,
weddings - if you want a rockin' wedding! - corporate events, and private venues -
ANY event where you want the best music from the 60's & 70's done right!
LOSTinPLACE is Rock N Roll the way it was meant to be!
THE BAND
Paul Wheeler
Guitars & Vocals
Danny "Redd" Rojas
Drums, Percussion & Vocals
Drew Wheeler
Keyboards
& Vocals
Russ LaBadie
Lead Guitar
& Vocals
Nelson Cantillo
Percussion, Drums
& Vocals
Peter McCulloch
Bass & Vocals
Paul Wheeler - Guitars & Vocals
Paul, as the founder of LOSTinPLACE, had a vision of forming a band that prides itself on strong vocal harmonies and great musicianship, which is now evident at every performance. "Having like-minded, talented band mates since the band's inception in 1998 has made the band sound better than I ever dreamed possible!"
Paul plays rhythm guitars (electric, 6 and 12 string acoustic) and sings lead and harmony vocals -
one of 4 lead vocalists in LOSTinPLACE!
Paul has been in several bands thru the 80's
and 90's and plays and collects acoustic guitars
for the love of it!
Daniel "Redd" Rojas - Drums, Percussion & Vocals
Danny hails from North Bergen, NJ and he is Lost in Place's newest member. Born into a family of musicians, he began playing drums at just 3 years old and by age 5 he had learned James Brown's classic, "I Feel Good". Within 3 years, his first public performance would at church and from there it was a forgone conclusion that by 20 he would be performing nationally in bands such as Against the Wall, The Veer Union and the acclaimed nu-metal act TRAPT. Danny's fave drummer, when asked, is Dream Theatre's Mike Portnoy but his ability to play and be passionate about multiple genres of music is just what Lost in Place needed.
Drew Wheeler - Keyboards & Vocals
An engineer by education and technical writer by profession, Drew is a native of New Jersey who lived in Virginia while he earned his Bachelor of Science degree. His earliest exposure to music, and to a large extent the music that he loves today, came from his brother Paul.
His initial inspiration towards playing an instrument came from Billy Preston’s keyboard on the song “Nothing From Nothing”. Soon thereafter, he was permanently inspired by the Beatles, and to this day considers them his “musical gods”.
Throughout his teenage years, Drew spent many hours with friends playing air guitar, making dopey sounds with his voice and mimicking the voices of his favorite artists. Though he took organ lessons for several years in his early teens, he was never serious about it and never became proficient.
Drew’s initial foray into live music performance did not occur until his early twenties when a college friend who was a smokin’ lead guitarist asked him if he could just try to do some vocals to help with practice. What started as a lark soon became more serious as they put together what became Drew’s first official band, IRON CROSS. Up to about 1987, he would be part of three more bands in New Jersey (THIN RED LINE, VALHALLA, and STRANGE BEHAVIOUR).
Drew moved to Virginia in late 1987 to pursue his college degree. During those years, he first became a member of the band SKEPTICS that performed both original and copy music. From there he joined MOMENT’S NOTICE, a band that played the local college clubs and frat parties. After graduating, he returned to New Jersey, and in 1998, joined LOST in PLACE. Up to that time, Drew had never played an instrument in any band, being strictly a lead vocalist. Drawing only on the few years of lessons from his early teens, he accepted the additional role on keyboards with LOST in PLACE.
Russ LaBadie - Guitars & Vocals
“When I was thirteen years old I went to see
A Hard Days Night with three other friends
and it was all over for me.
I knew what I wanted to do”.
Russ got a guitar and never looked back.
He’s been gigging since the late sixty’s and played in various bands such as KINK E SLINK, CONTACT, PATTY and The PUSH, NURSERY CRYME, and TINA MASCHI, among others.
Song writing has always been a great passion throughout his career, too.
Russ joined LOSTinPLACE in 2006.
“I’ve played with a lot of talented musicians through the years and it is a joy to play with LOSTinPLACE”.
Nelson Cantillo -
Percussion, Drums & Vocals
Born in NYC of Cuban immigrants, it didn’t take long for Nelson to ‘feel the music’ in his bones. Singing in school choirs and occasional musicals at an
early age, he and his elder brother Peter picked up their first instruments and formed a musical partnership that for a
decade would put them on the stage of high schools, universities and night clubs in the Tri-State area, including the renowned
Trudi Hellers in Greenwich Village. Nelson took a leave of absence while studying marketing at Fordham University to tour the southern states for 6 months, performing 5 nights a week in one of Atlanta’s Century Artists’ top acts, HAT TRICK.
After graduating and while pursuing a sales and marketing career during the day, Nelson continued his real passion as a musical artist in an original project managed by Stanley Snadowski of New York’s Bottom Line where with DOUG REIKEN and MIDNIGHT he would record for CBS Records and play the local club, college, and Jersey Shore and Asbury Park venues. Though now residing in New Jersey, in the early 80’s you could find Nelson with custom guitar virtuoso John Suhr playing originals as
PERFECT STRANGER in the Lower East Side Bowery club circuit.
While composing and honing their skills with up and coming artists in mid-town Manhattan’s infamous Music Building, they sometimes shared the elevator and breakroom with a then unknown Madonna Ciccione. The North Jersey bar circuit is where you most likely would have spotted Nelson over the last two decades whether in FLIGHT, FAT CATS, or most recently BOYS NITE OUT before joining LOSTinPLACE in 2008 as a lead & harmony singing percussionist/drummer. He was also voted ‘Best Vocalist’ in New Jersey’s first Long Beach Island L.B.Idol contest held in 2006. In addition to being a committed husband of 30 years to Melissa, whom he met while playing in the band HAVANA at Dizzy Dunkins in Morristown, Nelson is also the proud father of Alexander and Victoria.
Family and music are his life!
Peter McCulloch - Bass & Vocals
Peter McCulloch is a 30 year seasoned
veteran of the music industry who’s unique talents have served him in a wide variety of endeavors, from writing and performing original music to performing in cover/
wedding bands, as well as commercial voice overs and jingles. Whatever the endeavor, his boundless energy and "chameleonic" vocalizations have always delivered an unforgettable performance.
Born and raised in Brooklyn, his colorful music career began in the original Ska outfit, CIRCLE OF FIVE, serving as lead singer, songwriter, and bassist. As tastes were changing throughout the 80’s, he retired his pork pie hat and checkered sneakers in favor of spandex and a dreaded mullet to front the popular hard rock group, TORA! - resident
favorites at Brooklyn’s famous L’Amours nightclub.
By the early 90’s, he once again shifted musical
gear and found his greatest success in an original, "Alterna-Pop-N-Roll" band, THIS ISLAND EARTH.
The band released 3 albums throughout the 90’s and gained extensive national press and Top 40 airplay on over 350 radio stations nationwide, opening for such notable acts as 10,000 Maniacs,
The English Beat, and Modern English.
But juggling a full-time career in publishing with
his love of music (AND the arrival of his first daughter) proved to be a handful, and thus the decision was made to retire from the corporate world in favor of being a “Stay-At-Home Dad”.
He has never regretted the decision.
bottom of page