When you’ve been a student for eleven years, you create relationships with your teachers, as you see them every day for ten months straight. You know the basics about them, their first name, kids, whether they are married or not, and most importantly, their teaching style. One teacher that stands out personally is Mr. Lynam, from our very own high school. Mr. Lynam teaches in the English department, and usually works with ninth grade honors kids, however this year he has a tenth grade regular class. During the time spent in Lynam’s class, he would bring up his band every once in a while and as all his students assumed looking at the posters and paintings in his room, he is very passionate about music. 

      Lynam had always loved listening to music as a kid and during his eight grade dance, he had fallen in love with it even more. He had said that the band at the dance was a group of kids, and they were playing some of his favorite songs. His classmates, and of course himself, thought it was mind-blowing that kids his age were up there playing songs he knew, and he could not believe that you didn’t have to be super talented to write songs to do what you love. Ever since then, listening to his favorite bands such as Nirvana and Green Day, Lynam was in bands on and off in eighth and ninth grade during the nineties. He had also added, “Between the ages of thirteen and fifteen, you start to figure out the person you want to be, and I fell in with the kids that played in bands and liked Pop Rock music.” He wouldn’t have been associated with music without his favorite bands, and Lynam not only plays Pop Rock, he likes to find value in a little bit of everything. 

     His new band, Gone Stereo, had their first show in January of this year, and has done nothing but thrived ever since. His bandmate, Matty Lupincci, had written some songs during the pandemic and wanted to play out. “I don’t talk to strangers” stated Lynam, but he decided to step out of his comfort zone and call Matty up when his old band fizzled out. The band now consists of 5 members including: Josh Freeman who plays guitar, Mike Drinkwalter who plays bass, Jayson Howard who plays drums, Christopher Lynam who plays guitar and sings backup vocals, and Matty Lupincci who is the main singer. 

     Gone Stereo is a Long Island Pop Punk band, and taking a deeper look behind the scenes of these concerts and shows, Matty had come into the band with already written songs. But when it comes to creating, all of them chime in. Each band member comes up with their ideas and contributes to the band as a whole. As Lynam says it is “super collaborative, super cool.” The band writes their own songs, but is soon doing some cover band shows. They mainly play at bars and are working on playing at venues for all ages. They have some upcoming shows at: The Spotlight in Huntington, Finley’s Of Greene Street also in Huntington, and Amityville Music Hall in November. They are planning on having a benefit for a friend of theirs that has passed, and sooner or later doing something for Autism Awareness Month in April of next year. 

    The band had made huge progress and some pretty amazing accomplishments for only just starting a few months ago. They have received a record deal with an independent record company called Negative Progression, in which they are releasing some tapes. The band also has a song on Sirius XM Radio on channel 314, which is the Pop Rock channel, called “Faction Punk.” According to Lynam, the band gets better and better each show, as they seem to have a bright and fun future ahead of them. Finally, I asked Mr. Lynam, “What is the best advice you’ve ever been given when it comes to music?” He told me, “Be nice to everyone you meet. As far as other bands, promoters, bartenders and sound men. Play as much and as many places as you can and it’s always supposed to be fun never for seriousness.”

     Go check out Gone Stereo at their upcoming show on October 6th at Amityville Music Hall! Don’t forget your ID if you are sixteen and older, and bring a guardian if you are under sixteen!