Professors, The (1995 - present): Academically influenced blues/rock/heavy metal quintet, noted for their "driving melange of Polish, English and American inflections" - Ralph J. Gleason (the official entry in the Rocklopedia Britannicus, page 613).

The "Colonel" Nick Belkin

The Professors were formed in late 1994/early 1995 when "Colonel" Nick Belkin introduced drummer Robert Kubey (ex-Virgin Forest) and guitar player T-ski and told them of their common interest in blues and rock music. Kubey brought in guitarist Gary Radford (ex-Sosostris, The Alley Cats, The Fabulous Techtones) and the idea for the band came to life over a conversation in the basement bar of "The Corner Tavern," located at the corner of Eastern Avenue and Somerset Street in New Brunswick, New Jersey.

The years 1995-1997 were incredibly creative and fast moving. The Professors played their debut show at the Belkin estate on June 30, 1995, only to announce their "farewell show" the following month due to Kubey taking a year-long sabbatical leave at Stanford University in California. However, The Professors came back hard and fast in 1996 with an explosive performance in Chicago with new members Stephen Cooper (ex-Sweet Poison, Tim McLoone and the Atlantic Coast Band, Mangoes, Gildersleeve, Altha Cook, Stockyard, Village Gentlemen, Tom Elliott, Chatter) on bass guitar and J (ex-Blue Streak) on vocals.

From that point on, the sky was the limit for The Professors. The band went on to play at Kenny's Castaways on Bleecker Street in New York City, a dream come true for all the band members. The Professors performed their first college tour consisting of shows at Rutgers University and William Paterson University. The amazing "Mississippi" John Barrows" (ex-Axis Blues Band, Mr. Fun, The Air Band, Bob Chambers Band) joined the band at their Rutgers show in September 1997. John's original music would go on to define The Professors' repertoire for many years to follow.

The sudden rise of a rock/blues band composed entirely of Professors and their students caught the attention of the media. Articles about the band appeared in The Rutgers Focus, the New Jersey Sunday Record and, most importantly and prestigiously, the Chronicle of Higher Education which is read by the entire academic community. Gary Radford and J also appeared as guests on What It Is, a radio show featuring local musical artists, hosted by Ted Clancey, and broadcast into the Northern New Jersey and New York City area.

Finally, the band entered the recording studio in November 1997 and recorded the following original songs: Crap, Foucault Funk, and The Bottle. It seems The Professors had done everything there was to do in just two short years. Perhaps the only low point was Stephen Cooper's decision to leave the band in December 1997 to focus on his Doctoral studies at Rutgers. Steve's bass playing was the rock on which everything else was made possible.