Paco Ahlgren - Early Life

Early Life

Born Frank Richard Ahlgren, III, his parents soon nicknamed him "Paco" (the Spanish nickname for Francisco) and he would be known by that name from then on.

In his late teens, Ahlgren began a career as a professional musician with the band The Bentley Tock. The Bentley Tock began performing around the campus of The University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Alabama in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Ahlgren was the lead vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter. In 1992, The Bentley Tock began recording their songs, releasing the CD titled "Able."

Ahlgren continued his musical career with his long-time colleague and friend, Joseph Santori. Together, the two went on to form the acoustic duo known as The Ultraviolet Catastrophe – a name taken from Ahlgren's deep interest in subatomic physics. During his time with the Ultraviolet Catastrophe, Ahlgren became an accomplished cellist, and mastered music theory.

In his early twenties, Ahlgren set his musical interests aside – choosing instead to pursue other passions, including philosophy, psychology, and modern scientific and social theories. He traveled extensively – spending long periods of time in Mexico (Ahlgren is fluent in Spanish).

Eventually, he earned a degree in finance and worked as an economist, analyst, programmer, and cryptologist for nearly two decades. For several years, Ahlgren closely studied subjects ranging from eastern epistemology and metaphysics, to subatomic science.