Tony Lovato
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Anthony "Tony" John Lovato (born June 20, 1980) was the singer/guitarist for the band Mest.
In 2006 after Tony moved to L.A, he started his new project "A Permanent Holiday". Since then they've released a few demo on their myspace while still in the studio working on their debut record.
[edit] Nazi punk connection
Eight years ago, when he was 13, Lovato played drums in a band called Confederate Storm. Initially, the other musicians were skinheads as a fashion statement, but they came to embrace that controversial subculture's racist attitudes, and the group's songs included some controversial lyrics. Lovato was eager to set the record straight concerning this.
"Kids bring this up all the time, and the record label and publicity people are like, 'Let's not address it,' " Lovato says. "But I'm an honest person, and the more honest you are with your fans, the closer they feel to you--it's not like you're some singer who [messes around with] little girls, then turns around and acts like he's a Christian."
Lovato says he grew up in a predominantly black neighborhood, and his first girlfriend was African-American. Then his family moved, and he found himself isolated until he was drawn into the skinhead scene. Eventually, he started to think about its poisonous attitudes. He then split and paid the price, being ostracized and getting involved in fights. (He compares his experience to the film "American History X.")
"When you're 13, you don't think for yourself, and you just go with the flow with the kids you hang out with," Lovato says. "The scariest part about Nazi skinheads and that cause is that they get you at a young age, and they warp your mind. After two years of that, I was like, 'This just isn't right.' It wasn't like it wasn't cool anymore, and that's why I got out of it. I realized: 'This is [messed] up, these people are [messed] up, and I am being ignorant and rude to people.' "
In the liner notes to the band's first Maverick album, Lovato writes, "Sorry to everyone I hurt in the past from my ignorant ways--I hope you can forgive me."
[edit] Connection to Good Charlotte
Tony wears a ring on his left ring finger (often mistaken for a wedding band) as a tribute to his best friends Benji Madden and Joel Madden from Good Charlotte. They each have one and inscribed on it is the word 'Brothers'. Tony was featured in Good Charlotte's videos "The Festival Song" and "The Anthem". Matt appeared in the video for "The Anthem"
