Alex Suarez
Encyclopedia
Alex Suarez is the bass player and additional keyboardist and vocalist for Cobra Starship
as well as co-founder of This is Ivy League
, a band created with fellow Cobra Starship member and high school best friend Ryland Blackinton
.
, Connecticut
but moved to Boca Raton, Florida
when he was young. He was heavily influenced by his older brothers who were into 80's hair metal and grew up listening to bands from Metallica
to Iron Maiden
, which inspired him to start playing guitar. During his final years of high school, Suarez provided vocals, drums, and guitar for popular local band Kite Flying Society, who released a discography CD on indie label Init records
. He attended Olympic Heights Community High School
where he met friend Ryland Blackinton
in 1997, bonding over the fact they were both avid guitar players and both played in local bands with varying degrees of accolade. Suarez got Ryland a job waiting tables at "Mr. Deli's Jewish Delicatessan," in Boca Raton. A few years later, Suarez went off to pursue a degree in the culinary arts while Ryland procured his BFA in Acting. The two lost touch for seven years.
Suarez chose to bank on a future as a chef. His interest in the kitchen took root his freshman year when he had the choice between registering for either Food Production or Sewing. He chose the former and became instantly hooked, sticking with it all four years of high school and capitalized on the school’s work program, which allowed students to work in their chosen field in exchange for class credit. Since he had already decided to attend the Florida Culinary Institute in West Palm Beach, he found qualifying work his senior year at The Roll-up Grille. Post-culinary school, he continued his ground beef making at a Whole Foods before starting a catering business with a few friends in Orlando
- Thyme to Dine - specializing in wine and food pairings.
and took a job as a cashier at Whole Foods Market
to save up enough money for his relocation. Two months later he transferred to a Whole Foods in Manhattan
, delivering groceries in the city for another nine months, then running into former best friend Ryland Blackinton, who was living only ten minutes away. After catching up over lunch and learning that each was writing some music, the duo formed This is Ivy League, an indie pop/folk band that often draws comparisons to Simon & Garfunkel. Just as This is Ivy League started to take flight, Suarez and Blackinton were presented with a contrasting opportunity from Suarez's neighbor at the time, Midtown
drummer Rob Hitt.
's newly formed band Cobra Starship
after he found fast success with the hit song, "Snakes on a Plane (Bring it)
". The song was featured on the soundtrack for the film Snakes on a Plane
and the band was offered a record deal from Pete Wentz's Fueled By Ramen
Records imprint, Decaydance. Suarez accepted and has contributed to four full-length albums and completed several international tours with Cobra Starship since.
Cobra Starship
Cobra Starship is an American synthpop band created by former Midtown bassist and lead vocalist Gabe Saporta in 2003 in New York City, New York...
as well as co-founder of This is Ivy League
This Is Ivy League
This Is Ivy League is an indie band formed in 2005 by friends Ryland Blackinton and Alex Suarez .-Formation of This Is Ivy League:...
, a band created with fellow Cobra Starship member and high school best friend Ryland Blackinton
Ryland Blackinton
Ryland Blackinton is the lead guitarist for the band Cobra Starship. He is from Wilmington MA, but was born in South Kingstown Rhode Island on March 31, 1982. Before joining Cobra Starship, Ryland, along with high school best friend Alex Suarez formed the folk/pop duo This Is Ivy League...
.
Early life
Alex Suarez was born in StamfordStamford, Connecticut
Stamford is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. According to the 2010 census, the population of the city is 122,643, making it the fourth largest city in the state and the eighth largest city in New England...
, Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
but moved to Boca Raton, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
when he was young. He was heavily influenced by his older brothers who were into 80's hair metal and grew up listening to bands from Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
to Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
, which inspired him to start playing guitar. During his final years of high school, Suarez provided vocals, drums, and guitar for popular local band Kite Flying Society, who released a discography CD on indie label Init records
Init records
Init Records is an American independent record label founded in January 2001 in Mankato, Minnesota by Steven Williams. In May 2003 the label relocated to Sioux Falls, South Dakota...
. He attended Olympic Heights Community High School
Olympic Heights Community High School
Olympic Heights Community High School is a public high school, located at 20101 Lyons Road, serving west Boca Raton, parts of Boynton Beach and parts of Delray Beach as part of the School District of Palm Beach County, Florida.- Academies :...
where he met friend Ryland Blackinton
Ryland Blackinton
Ryland Blackinton is the lead guitarist for the band Cobra Starship. He is from Wilmington MA, but was born in South Kingstown Rhode Island on March 31, 1982. Before joining Cobra Starship, Ryland, along with high school best friend Alex Suarez formed the folk/pop duo This Is Ivy League...
in 1997, bonding over the fact they were both avid guitar players and both played in local bands with varying degrees of accolade. Suarez got Ryland a job waiting tables at "Mr. Deli's Jewish Delicatessan," in Boca Raton. A few years later, Suarez went off to pursue a degree in the culinary arts while Ryland procured his BFA in Acting. The two lost touch for seven years.
Suarez chose to bank on a future as a chef. His interest in the kitchen took root his freshman year when he had the choice between registering for either Food Production or Sewing. He chose the former and became instantly hooked, sticking with it all four years of high school and capitalized on the school’s work program, which allowed students to work in their chosen field in exchange for class credit. Since he had already decided to attend the Florida Culinary Institute in West Palm Beach, he found qualifying work his senior year at The Roll-up Grille. Post-culinary school, he continued his ground beef making at a Whole Foods before starting a catering business with a few friends in Orlando
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
- Thyme to Dine - specializing in wine and food pairings.
This Is Ivy League
After opening a short-lived restaurant in Boca Raton, Suarez decided to move to BrooklynBrooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
and took a job as a cashier at Whole Foods Market
Whole Foods Market
Whole Foods Market is a foods supermarket chain based in Austin, Texas which emphasizes "natural and organic products." The company has been ranked among the most socially responsible businesses and placed third on the U.S...
to save up enough money for his relocation. Two months later he transferred to a Whole Foods in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
, delivering groceries in the city for another nine months, then running into former best friend Ryland Blackinton, who was living only ten minutes away. After catching up over lunch and learning that each was writing some music, the duo formed This is Ivy League, an indie pop/folk band that often draws comparisons to Simon & Garfunkel. Just as This is Ivy League started to take flight, Suarez and Blackinton were presented with a contrasting opportunity from Suarez's neighbor at the time, Midtown
Midtown (band)
Midtown was an American pop punk band from Springfield, New Jersey. Midtown was formed in November 1998 by three Rutgers University students, but soon became a quartet. The band took advantage of the fertile New Jersey punk scene to develop a sound that combined elements of pop punk and punk rock...
drummer Rob Hitt.
Cobra Starship
Suarez was approached to join Gabe SaportaGabe Saporta
Gabriel Eduardo "Gabe" Saporta is the lead singer and primary creative force behind the synthpop band Cobra Starship. He was previously the lead singer, bassist, and lyricist for the pop punk band Midtown....
's newly formed band Cobra Starship
Cobra Starship
Cobra Starship is an American synthpop band created by former Midtown bassist and lead vocalist Gabe Saporta in 2003 in New York City, New York...
after he found fast success with the hit song, "Snakes on a Plane (Bring it)
Snakes on a Plane (Bring It)
"Snakes on a Plane ", is the debut single of dance rock band Cobra Starship from the soundtrack album Snakes on a Plane: The Album...
". The song was featured on the soundtrack for the film Snakes on a Plane
Snakes on a Plane
Snakes on a Plane is a 2006 American horror-action-thriller film directed by David R. Ellis and starring Samuel L. Jackson. It was released by New Line Cinema on August 18, 2006 in North America...
and the band was offered a record deal from Pete Wentz's Fueled By Ramen
Fueled by Ramen
Fueled by Ramen is an American record label which operates as a subsidiary of Warner Music Group, and is distributed by Atlantic Records. The label, founded in Gainesville, Florida, is based in New York City...
Records imprint, Decaydance. Suarez accepted and has contributed to four full-length albums and completed several international tours with Cobra Starship since.