Mike Paradine

This is the brand new website for Mike Paradine, based out of Bayonne, NJ. All the information you need to know will be noted in detail in this area. Be sure to check back frequently for updates and new information !

Mike Paradine was born and raised in the industrial city of Bayonne, New Jersey on March 6th, 1962. Almost immediately, he was greeted to the sounds of rock n roll as he parents spun the 45 rpm records on the home stereo. At the age of 3 he was introduced to the pop songs of The Beatles by his Uncle Ronnie and continued to be a fan of the band for several years to come. It was at the same time that his beloved Uncle started to show him the artistry of comic books, particular that of Batman. This was love at first sight. Mike began to observe and them mimic his Uncle’s drawings until he had a basic understanding of comic book drawing. At the age of 6 his sketches would rival that of children twice his age. He than began to look past the artist’s renderings and started to read the adjacent stories. In particular, he found the Spiderman stories more believable. Peter Parker had the problems of a real teenager and Mike began to get interested in the human aspect of the characters. Sinking into the world of imagination and fantasy, his interests soon spread out to the macabre. His cousin, Edward, showed him the doorway to the entrance of monster movies. Horror magazines soon found there way between the DC and Marvel comic books. Aurora monster models were soon being built. Trips to the local drive- in with his parents to view the current horror movies became routine. Mike began producing his own comic books with drawing of his favorite movie monsters. Living in a world of superheroes and movie monsters, Mike couldn’t imagine anything else better. That was until horror met rock and roll in the form of Alice Cooper. Here were two things Mike was very interested in, music and horror, rolled into one. Alice is one of many things Mike still holds close to his heart that initiated from his childhood. 

America’s favorite pastime, baseball, soon became a big part of his childhood. Age 9 saw him struggling to learn the fundamentals of the game. It became apparent that Mike was a quick study. After a year of countless fly balls and swinging an over weight bat with his father, his next years saw him as an integral part of his Little League baseball teams. Mike describes his years playing Little League baseball as “the best time of my life.” During this time he also began his interests in learning to play the drums.

But, as the saying goes, “all good things must come to an end.” While getting out of a shower one evening, Mike had noticed a lump over his left knee. After seeing a few local physicians, it was clear that the diagnosis was cancer, bone cancer. He was referred to Sloan-Kettering Memorial hospital in New York City where he received his bi-weekly doses of chemotherapy. Despite the attempts to save his leg, it soon became apparent that amputation was the only recourse to save his life. Needless to say, this put a halt to the continuation of his love of playing baseball. Though there were people that pushed him to continue playing, Mike knew that if he couldn’t play the way he could before, the feeling wouldn’t be the same. Mike’s appetite to hear the roar of crowd though would not be diminished. He immediately turned his thoughts to another avenue of performing. Rock n Roll seemed to be the perfect platform for him to begin a new conquest. Mike’s thinking was that rock n roll, especially hard rock, was a place where misfits, freaks and other non-conformist were easily accepted, in fact embraced. He threw on his Alice Cooper albums even louder and imitated their drummer Neil Smith, to the T. Soon a new band arose that wrapped everything Mike enjoyed and believed in, KISS. KISS rolled horror, comics and loud rock n roll into one package. They also drove in the message that you could do anything you put your mind to. KISS easily became Mike’s favorite band and continues to be a part of him to this day. Mike’s first band, at age 16, was a three piece band, aptly named Cerberus, the three headed dog that guarded the gates of hell in Greek mythology. Playing local bars, they covered songs by bands such as Van Halen, Judas Priest as well as the Kinks and the Rolling Stones. It was during this period that Mike began to write lyrics for his own songs. He started to write songs that had a story to them after reading the lyrics to some of The Kinks albums that his Uncle Billy gave him. He also discovered the writings of Phil Lynott of Thin Lizzy. The personal descriptions of family and belief struck Mike as being honest and open, something he hadn’t reallynoticed in most bands. Mike considers Ray Davies, Phil Lynott and Alice Cooper his main influences in the realm of lyric writing. 

Mike married Susan Reinhold on August 25th, 1984 at Our Lady Star of the Sea Church in Bayonne, New Jersey, where each of them attended grammar school during their younger years. It wasn’t until the later years in high school that they eventually hung out and later on dated each other. Their first son, Michael, was born on January 31th, 1985. 

For the next 13 years, Mike was member of BALISTIK KICK, an original heavy metal band stationed in Bayonne, NJ. They produced 3 CD’s and had opened for W.A.S.P., Manowar, Savatage, Quiet Riot and may others. Mike viewed the last few years in that band as horrible and disheartening. Laziness and constant negativity by one member of the band drove Mike to leave. During his stay in BALISTIK KICK, Sue gave birth to Erik Michael on June 3rd, 1988 and to Daniel Michael on October 18th, 1994.

ARCTICFLAME is the new band that Mike immediately formed upon leaving his former band. He continues to play the music that he grew up on and refuses to compromise on that style. Their first show was opening for favorite band of his, Thin Lizzy. They constantly played out, doing their own shows or opening for international/national acts. Their first album, Primeval Aggressor was released by Battle Cry records of Germany. They are now signed to Pure Steel Records also of Germany and to date have released 2 albums under that company. 

During his time in ArcticFlame, he writes and publishes his horror/poetry book, “King of Toys”. A story of a 5 year old boy who is abused by his drug addled parents and after a horrible episode of abuse, his broken down toys come to life and avenge the event.

He has also has completed his first solo album.  A collection of personal songs, the subject matter consists of his on going feud with certain family members, growing up in the late 70’s, early 80’s in Bayonne, New Jersey, 9/11 and his battle with cancer as a 13 year old.  But not to get too introspective, he also injects his own brand of humor, writing about the kidnapping of a 40lb chicken and another about a formal ball where several infamous serial killers throughout history are the main guests.  Though half the album is heavy metal, the remaining half consists of rock to hard rock styles. The music is influenced by bands that they grew up listening to, such as KISS, Deep Purple, Motorhead, Alice Cooper and Guns n Roses. The album shines a spotlight on the thoughts, emotions and the humanity of one person, squashes it together into a tightly wound, barbed wire laced ball and sets it to music. All to the point of a really enjoyable album. He currently is searching for a label for it's release

Mike still lives in Bayonne, New Jersey with his wife, Sue and three sons, Mikey, Erik and Daniel, along with the family dog, a Siberian husky, named Skye.

·        Born, raised and still resides in Bayonne, NJ

·        Married with 3 sons

·        Author of “King of Toys”, a horror/poetry book published by Publish America

·        Diagnosed with bone cancer at age 13. Amputation of left leg, below knee

·        Current drummer/song writer for metal band ArcticFlame. Previous band, Balistik Kick

·        Performed at: with Arctic Flame – BB Kings, Irving Plaza, Gramercy Theater, Stone Pony, Keep it True Festival (Dittigheim, Germany), Swordbrothers festival (Andernauch, Germany), Rock in the Tent festival (Falkenfels Germany) and MMM3 festival (Tilburg, Netherlands). With Balistik Kick - Birch Hill Nite Club, The Dirt Club, RealMonte’s, Escapades, La’mours, Monkey Bar (CT), The Uncle Floyd show

·        Albums released:

       - ArcticFlame (3) “Primeval Aggressor” (Battle Cry Records), “Declaration” (Pure Steel Records), “Guardian at the Gate” (Pure Steel Records)   

      - Balistik Kick (3) “Balistik Kick” (Zombie Wolf Records), “Warhead” (Zombie Wolf Records), “Destroy” (Brennus Thunder of France)

      -  MPG (Mike Paradine Group) “Death in the Family” TBA

·        Lyrical influences: Ray Davies, Phil Lynott, Alice Cooper.

·        Musical influences: Motorhead, KISS, Thin Lizzy, Judas Priest,

      Influential drummers: Peter Criss, Brian Downey, Mikey Dee