Writing by Alexandra Zodda
Ethan Famodu: guitarist, producer, sound engineer, singer and lyricist & composer; music teacher, audio worker and actor
June Greenwell: guitarist, keyboardist, synthesizer, lyricist & composer; music teacher and musical theater composer
TJ McMaster: Saxophonist, singer, writer, producer and manager; ropes course supervisor, audio worker, artist manager and consultant
Brandon Vassallo: Drummer and percussionist; order processor for Leviton Manufacturing
Boots: honorary band member, TJ’s feline companion who made an appearance
Fleeing the band but still on the roster:
Billy Buono: singer, lyricist & composer, keyboardist, pianist (absent because Ethan won’t let him play enough jazz and he’s moving to Brooklyn)
Lowell Chamberlain: guitarist, singer (absent because he moved back home “to be a brain surgeon or something”)
Since its inception, APLO has wanted to be unique. In fact, that’s where their name comes from. TJ, who named the band, got inspiration from Apollo, the Greek god of music and the sun.
“I decided, because I’m so clever, I’ll spell it A, P, L, O, like I’m shortening it for a license plate,” TJ laughs. “I also did it because when you look up the name Apollo like it’s normally spelled, everyone and their mother shows up. So I wanted to be different.” Ethan adds, “I always describe it to people like it’s a Fall Out Boy song, like ‘Thnks fr the Mmrs,””
Get to know them
How did APLO form?
June: Brandon, take it away.
Brandon: I was one of the last people to get in the band, so… (Everyone laughs.)
Ethan: The reason I always forget that is because we all met at this jam in the freshman quad of Purchase College. Then I would always see Brandon there when all the rest of us stopped playing there, and because I would always see him, I realized he looks like he’s pretty good at drums. He had these earmuffs on, and he has a traditional grip.
Brandon: I used to wear earplugs when I played gigs, and I kept taking them out to talk to people and then putting them back in. After five times, that got really uncomfortable. So I went to Home Depot and bought those big red earmuffs people who use lawn mowers wear. So, I would just walk around with them on my head, and it looked crazy, but everybody knew me as the guy who wore the giant earmuffs and had the giant beard. And I got in the band. I think I was the third drummer, right?
TJ: Well, I thought fourth, technically.
Ethan: What do you mean, fourth? Pepsi John never played with us.
TJ: I thought he did once.
Ethan: No, Pepsi John never rehearsed with us. I definitely remember that. So we all met at this jam, and TJ was like, ‘That was great. We should make a band. We’re gonna call it APLO. We’re gonna play indie soul funk.’
TJ: I don’t even like that genre anymore, but Ethan likes it, which is why we’re keeping it.
Ethan: Yes. That’s our mission statement.
Who is the leader of your band?
Brandon: TJ! It’s TJ!
TJ: Okay, okay.
Ethan: I feel like TJ and I together make a leader because sometimes he doesn’t want to be the leader, but I’m like, ‘Bro, you’re the leader.’
Let’s talk about the recorder. Thoughts?
(Brandon begins clapping.)
Ethan: I was great at the recorder.
June: The recorder is an underutilized instrument.
Brandon: There are a lot of different types of recorders, too. I have a tenor recorder. Wait, I can show you my tenor recorder. (Actually does this.) I’ve wanted to give it to TJ, and then I forget to bring it. But anyway, I’ll play a quick scale on it.
TJ: Yeahhh!!!
Brandon: But, for reference, let me show you a normal recorder.
June: Brandon, how many recorders do you have?!
Brandon: Here’s a normal recorder, and here is the tenor. It’s much longer, and it’s lower.
Ethan: Have you ever done recorder karate?
TJ: What the hell is that?
Ethan: So, you have the different levels, and for each one you get a belt. It’s just a little strip of tape.
TJ: My band teacher in high school had a whole recorder collection. He also had a didgeridoo. Shout out to John Prilo; you’re a legend.
TJ: Anyway, to summarize, two thumbs up for the recorder.
Music Trivia
We asked eight music trivia questions. Here are some of their answers.
What singer had the most number one hits last year?
Ethan: Oh, I think I know this one.
Brandon: I wanna say Taylor Swift.
Ethan: I say Bruno Mars.
TJ: Bruno Mars came out with one song with Lady Gaga, right?!
Brandon: Wait, guys, I have an idea, I have one. Charlie XCX?
Connect to Northern Westchester (CTNW): You definitely know this guy. It’s a man. Certified lover boy…
TJ: Was it Drake?!?!
Ethan: Kendrick Lamar?
CTNW: Yes!
TJ: Oh, okay.
Brandon: I’m sinking! I’m sinking below! I cannot believe how this answer has affected me.
Which artist rejected singing “Don’t You Forget About Me” from The Breakfast Club?
Ethan: Madonna?
TJ: Huey Lewis & The News! (No.) What?!
Brandon: Huey Lewis is a good guess.
CTNW: I will say, though, his name starts with a B.
TJ: Benson Boone! (Everyone laughs.)
Ethan: Bruce Springsteen?
TJ: Blake Shelton?
CTNW: It’s Billy something.
Brandon: Joel?
TJ: Eilish! (Laughs.)
Ethan: Would it be Billy Idol?
CTNW: Yes!
Would you rather?
We gave the band 12 “would you rather” scenarios of possible bandmates. They had to choose one for each. Here are our favorite answers.
Mark Zuckerberg or Jeff Bezos?
TJ: I feel like Jeff Bezos has more personality.
Ethan: Yeah, ‘cause I feel like Bezos could be a good bass player. He wouldn’t kill the vibe too much, but with Mark Zuckerberg, no one would even take him seriously.
TJ: Jeff Bezos is like your uncle that plays an instrument, and he plays with other middle-aged men. Mark Zuckerberg is too much like a lizard man.
Chewbacca or Hermione Granger?
Ethan: I gotta choose Hermione.
Brandon: Yeah, I gotta choose Hermione. I mean, one of them is a literal animal. What are you gonna do with him?
TJ: Bro, drums!!! I feel like Hermione Granger would be really good at songwriting and playing acoustic guitar.
Ethan: Why? Because she’s a woman?
TJ: No! (Ethan laughs.) It’s because she’s smart!
Brandon: No, it’s because she’s a woman. I can’t believe our leader’s sexist.
Ethan: Hermione Granger can be anything she wants to be.
Sabrina Carpenter or Olivia Rodrigo?
TJ: Sabrina Carpenter.
Ethan: Olivia Rodrigo.
TJ: What?! Olivia Rodrigo is an industry plant, and Sabrina Carpenter is amazing.
Ethan: But her songs are better than Sabrina Carpenter’s.
TJ:I completely disagree.
Brandon: Yeah, I think I’d go with Olivia Rodrigo.
TJ: But Sabrina Carpenter has a really cool retro style. Also, Sabrina, to me, is so much more of an entertainer.
Ethan: That’s my problem with her. My parents are always like, “Why don’t you move around the stage more? Why don’t you do this? Why don’t you do that?” I’m not an entertainer.
Taylor Swift or Eminem?
TJ: Eminem.
Brandon: Yeah, Eminem.
Ethan: I don’t even like Eminem that much.
TJ: I liked Taylor’s old stuff. I think I would like her music better if she went down more of a folk direction.
Ethan: I think she did for a while there.
TJ: Yeah, but if she had just kept on it, like that folk and country rock stuff, I would enjoy that better. I’m also lyrically deaf. I don’t hear much of the lyrics whenever I’m listening to a song, so I’m kind of only judging the instrumental here. That’s kind of how I am.
Brandon: Yeah, I never cared too much for her pop stuff. And every time I hear her folk stuff, I just think about the other folk artists I’d rather be listening to.
Follow APLO on Instagram @aplo.wav to learn more.
This article was published in the July/August 2025 edition of Connect to Northern Westchester.
Alexandra Zodda
