Our Story
BIOS
Matt Kizer of Nuevo, California was into soccer and hockey throughout his youth. In his senior year of High School a group of friends got together to start the band Recognition for Discussion (RFD), they asked Matt if he wanted to join them. That’s when Matt picked up his first bass. Having a natural affinity for music, Kizer quickly mastered the guitar and bass, expanding to the key board. RFD played alternative and punk rock shows at small venues and local parties, but couldn’t play bars because the members were too young. In 2005 Matt was asked by an acquaintance to join the band Speaking in Metaphors, that’s when Matt and Corey hooked up. SIM went on to perform at the House of Blues and the Viper Room along with many smaller shows, before disbanding in the summer of 2007. Matt has a collective sound and likes all music; he believes you can never have enough musical influences; he is able to follow that belief performing and creating in RA(Z)NER.
Manny Garcia of San Bernardino, California has been surrounded by the sounds of classic rock his whole life. At a very young age Manny picked up his father’s Ibanez guitar and learned to play. Manny then saw Joe Satriani in concert and that sealed it, he knew music was his destiny for life. At the age of 13 ,Garcia began to take lessons from Mike Freeland a graduate of G.I.T. at Musicians Institute of Hollywood, he continued with lessons throughout high school and early in high school he formed his first band Beyond the Sun. It was then that Manny was able to create, perform and record music. Influenced by the sounds of Black Sabbath, Joe Satriani and Jimi Hendrix Manny went on to attend the G.I.T. program at the Musicians Institute in Hollywood , he graduated with an Associates of Arts degree and now teaches guitar at the Academy of Music in Rancho Cucamonga to other music lovers. In the fall of 2009 Manny joined the band Zentonic . Zentonic played many shows with RA(Z)NER and early in 2011 Dawson and Kizer approached Manny about joining the band .
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Corey Dawson of Riverside, California, began playing the trumpet in 6th grade but just could not make the proper sound. Still yearning to play music he was handed a pair of drum sticks in Junior High School by the band leader, finally in High School his band teacher Mr. Razner put him behind his first drums. The major musical influence for Dawson though was the Riverside SKA movement. Corey attended a lot of shows with his friends Travis Barker and Freak Daddy who have gone on to make a mark in the music industry. One summer, Dawson’s band 1Away opened for the Skeletones at the Riverside Orange Blossom Festival. Corey loved the beat of the Skeletones, their funky bass, happy groove, and dance songs. This was the inspiration Dawson needed to go on and create his sound of today. Prior to RA(Z)NER, Dawson was told that only amazing performers/ musicians were in rock bands. After finding Kizer and Garcia all the pieces have fallen in place and they are creating great music together and having fun that ultimately results in amazing performances.
