While there are many country-influenced, acoustic singer/songwriters in Athens, Arthur Killroad, whose real name is Mike Petruccelli, is more boisterous and punk rock.
The first thing that brought me into music and influenced me was an episode of Doug where he starts a band
Petruccelli said. I started as a kid listening to Green Day Rancid and NOFX but when I came to college I got more into acoustic music.
When the OU junior could not find a band at college that he wanted to join, he started his own solo acoustic set as Arthur Killroad.
I came up with the name when I went to Staten Island my junior year of high school and at the exit where my aunt lives was called Arthur Killroad
Petruccelli said. I thought this would be a great name for a punk band
but the punk band didn't come along so it became a great stage name.
With name in hand, Petruccelli started to come up with songs as the creativity hit him. However, he begrudgingly admitted that his inspiration for songs comes from the usual conflicts of a young man's life.
I hate saying this but a lot of issues with friends and ex-girlfriends are where my songs come from
Petruccelli said. And I have two songs about Athens G? one is more of a first coming to Athens song and the second is more of the experience of living here for two years.
At the end of last school year, Petruccelli also started to play in the punk band Front Royal.
Front Royal is the happy
fun
punk side of me and it is really satirical
Petruccelli said. And the other side of me is (Arthur Killroad) and I relate to that a little more because it is so personal to me.
After honing his acoustic talents playing at the Front Room and other small shows, Petruccelli was trying to schedule the release of his first CD last May, but outside conflicts kept arising.
When I went to the studio to record with Nathan Zangmeister I tripped and fell and almost broke his guitar and hit my head and it was one of the worst omens
Petruccelli said.
The omen came true when Petruccelli got in a car accident over Christmas break. He had to use the $400 he had saved to release the album to repair his car.
Because of the car accident
the CD went from an album to an EP
