Alex Suarez

Alex Suarez
Background information
Birth name	Alexandro Fransisco Suarez Virta Marroquin Marciera
Born	April 6, 1981
Origin	Stamford, CT
Genres	Dance, synth (with Cobra Starship), indie, acoustic (with This is Ivy League.)
Years active	2004–present
Labels	Decaydance, Fueled by Ramen, TwentySeven, Init
Associated acts	Cobra Starship, This Is Ivy League, Kite Flying Society
Website	http://www.mightysevensongs.com

Alex Suarez was the bass player and additional keyboardist and vocalist for Cobra Starship as well as co-founder of This is Ivy League, a band created with fellow Cobra Starship member and high school best friend Ryland Blackinton.

Early life

Alex Suarez was born in Stamford, Connecticut but moved to Boca Raton, Florida when he was young. He was heavily influenced by his older brothers who were into 80's hair metal and grew up listening to bands from Metallica to Iron Maiden, which inspired him to start playing guitar. During his final years of high school, Suarez provided vocals, drums, and guitar for popular local band Kite Flying Society, who released a discography CD on indie label Init records. He attended Olympic Heights Community High School where he met friend Ryland Blackinton in 1997, bonding over the fact they were both avid guitar players and both played in local bands with varying degrees of accolade. Suarez got Ryland a job waiting tables at "Mr. Deli's Jewish Delicatessan," in Boca Raton. A few years later, Suarez went off to pursue a degree in the culinary arts while Ryland procured his BFA in Acting. The two lost touch for seven years.

Suarez chose to bank on a future as a chef. His interest in the kitchen took root his freshman year when he had the choice between registering for either Food Production or Sewing. He chose the former and became instantly hooked, sticking with it all four years of high school and capitalized on the school’s work program, which allowed students to work in their chosen field in exchange for class credit. Since he had already decided to attend the Florida Culinary Institute in West Palm Beach, he found qualifying work his senior year at The Roll-up Grille. Post-culinary school, he continued his ground beef making at a Whole Foods before starting a catering business with a few friends in Orlando - Thyme to Dine - specializing in wine and food pairings.

Musical career

This Is Ivy League

Suarez decided to move to Brooklyn after Thyme to Dine ran its course and took a job as a cashier at Whole Foods Market to save up enough money for his relocation. Two months later he transferred to a Whole Foods in Manhattan, delivering groceries in the city for another nine months, then running into former best friend Ryland Blackinton, who was living only ten minutes away.^[1] After catching up over lunch and learning that each was writing some music, the duo formed This is Ivy League, an indie pop/folk band that often draws comparisons to Simon & Garfunkel.^[2] Just as This is Ivy League started to take flight, Suarez and Blackinton were presented with a contrasting opportunity from Suarez's neighbor at the time, Midtown drummer Rob Hitt.

Cobra Starship

Suarez was approached to join Gabe Saporta's newly formed band Cobra Starship before the release of the hit song, "Snakes on a Plane (Bring it)". Alex and Ryland initially turned down the offer, preferring to stay as Ivy League. The song was featured on the soundtrack for the film Snakes on a Plane and the band was offered a record deal from Pete Wentz's Fueled By Ramen Records imprint, Decaydance. Suarez and Ryland eventually accepted and has contributed to four full-length albums and completed several international tours with Cobra Starship since. On October 21st 2014, both Suarez and Ryland left the band to pursue their own separate careers.^[3] They have since been replaced.

References

1. Fender Artist: Alex Suarez
2. This Is Ivy League Biography on last.fm. Retrieved on August 6, 2009.
3. A farewell from Ryland and Alex