Biography

EL's MystERy® (BMI) is the name of Crater Rock Music, LLC progressive jazz rock fusion recording artist and composer, Tony Belcastro: a high functioning autistic savant with Bipolar Disorder (Manic Depression) who plays guitar, bass, percussion, drums, piano/keyboards and various other instruments.

Tony first began showing an interest in music before he was one year old, when he was humming notes of familiar songs in key; by one year of age he was twanging rhythms on spring doorstops. Tony began playing drums at the age of 10, bass guitar at 11 (which he played in his first band at the age of 12) and by age 13 he was teaching himself electric guitar. Tony wrote his first song in 9th grade. He tried forming many cover bands up until he left high school, but eventually decided to never play other people's music again.

By the late 80's, after several failed attempts at keeping bands together, Tony began performing acoustic blues and improvisational jazz guitar. In the early '90s, not long after becoming a Christian, he stopped playing guitar to pursue a career as a freelance magazine photographer. Tony also began writing computer programs in the late '90s after getting his first modern computer. He began experimenting with music again in 1999 and in 2006 his first CD with Crater Rock Music, ENTER THE MISFIT, was released under the name Theory of Mind®. In 2007 Tony began to explore jazz once again and by 2009 he decided to focus mainly on recording improvisational jazz fusion. He soon began exploring collaboration and recorded guitar, bass, drums and percussion parts over keyboard tracks that Dick Metcalf had recorded. Two of those songs were completed in a single day.

Music is a natural form of expression for Tony. He is able to convey the emotions and experiences within himself to other people through his compositions more effectively than he can verbally. Because of Dyscalculia (a mathematics learning disability), Tony has had extreme difficulties trying to understand and learn much of the technical aspects of music theory; he firmly believes his musical abilities are spiritual gifts.

It is Tony’s hope that his music will help to cultivate the acceptance and appreciation of autistic people everywhere, as well as demonstrating that autism should be seen as a blessing instead of a curse, or a disease.