The History of Fast Ant’s Recordings (as told by Anthony Cannuli):

 Fast Ant began after my band Shinebox disbanded.  I was writing new music and I began recording it in my basement.  I called up Mike White and he said that he would produce it.  I actually did some of the recordings on my first album by myself; however, when Mike got involved the recordings only improved.  I brought him on as the drummer, bass player, and engineer.  After our first recording, Fast Ant—Stand Up and Greet Ya! my buddy Chris Bellis and I started reworking some of the songs as an acoustic duo.  We actually worked on harmonies.  We played at Cent’ Anne and a bar in New Hope (I forget the name—Ween played there a bunch of times).  We were brought on at the last minute as a support act.  We were listed as the special guest.  That performance started a brief band made-up of me, Mike, and Chris entitled The SGs (special guest).  That band disbanded as well.  Mike and I kept recording my Fast Ant ideas during and after this time.  Shinebox broke up in 96 and Fast Ant started in 97. 

The song “Displacing,” the first song Mike and I did together, has been rewritten many times.  The lyrics on the first album deal with when I was a files manager at a law firm.  I hated it.  I felt displaced emotionally.  I was not sure what I wanted to do with my life.  I then changed the lyrics after The SGs disbanded.  Listeners thought that it was a love song; however, I was actually speaking to my band members.  I felt that Chris and I were not connecting musically.  Mike and Chris were very much advanced beyond my musical knowledge and talents.  “I’m tripping on your tales/ I’m slipping, I don’t care.”  That was me saying that I’m falling out of the mix (of musicians).  “Take it, if you want.  Break it, if you want.”  That was me talking about the break-up of the band.  I felt as if Chris or Mike were taking the band away from me.  It was difficult for me to accept back then, so I rewrote lyrics to ease my mind.  I’ve never admitted that until now.  Anyway, I believe the break-up was for a reason—Fast Ant lives on forever.  Chris and Mike may have been beyond my skills; however, I always felt I had a knack for writing songs.  Fast Ant allows me to expose my song writing ability.  Writing about this has been cathartic.

The first two albums were considered as part of the “basement recordings.”  Mike and I worked in my basement (at my parents’ house) on a four-track.  The irony is my brother Dan was in elementary school at the time.  Now he is my official bass player.

FAST ANT’S DISCOGRAPY (all will soon be available on CD):

Fast Ant—Blow-Pop Released in Sept. 2001.  Recorded at SS Studios with “Basil.”  M. White (drums/bass).  “Slow” Mark Cannuli  (My Brother) designer of cover. 1—Within These Walls 2—T-Rex (digital drum track created by M. White.  I wanted to do my version of a pop song.) 3—In (Bellis actually plays lead on this album.  I cut my hand severely at the time and I could barely play guitar.  I have since fully recovered.)

The next album is in the works.  It will be recorded with the official Fast Ant line-up.  My father on drums and my brother on bass.  I wrote a song entitled “Electric Bite” this summer.  I feel that this is the best song I’ve written to date.  We’ll record this at Sean Glonek’s studio.  He was in Shinebox with me.  It’s an ironic cycle.  The next album will be released this summer (06).  Stay tuned for more information.