Lucien Nocelli - Early Years

Early Years

Born in Bellville, New Jersey, Nocelli was raised in Clifton, New Jersey by his father, Lucien Nocelli Sr and his mother, Maryann Nocelli who purchased Nocelli's first instrument, a half-sized red acoustic guitar. Once the initial cosmetic infatuation with the instrument itself, he began to actually listen to music which inspired him to pick it up and learn to play.

After hearing The Beatles Come Together on the radio, he was hooked, as it was John Lennon that inspired him to pick up the instrument mainly, as well as Glen Campbell's Southern Nights, and a song called Ride Captain Ride. Soon after hearing Come Together however, it was his Beatles album collection that began to take over.

Nocelli's first real guitar knowledge was received by his Grandfather Tony Francischetti, a musician himself who played banjo, guitar and violin. At this point his desire began for an electric guitar. After persuading his Mother to take him the local Sam Ash music store, he acquired a Lyle electric guitar which was a Gibson SG knockoff. Soon after the package was complete when he received his first amplifier, a Kustom Guitar Amplifier. Soon after he began studying music lessons with his first instructor Fred Barnett with whom he stayed studying with for many years as he grew into a diligent student, often locking himself in his bedroom for hours to study his playing. Eventually the Lyle Guitar and Kustom Amplifier could only take him so far so he traded them in at a New Jersey store, Mascara Music in Belleville, for a Burgundy ES335 Gibson Guitar and Yamaha Amplifier.

Nocelli attended Clifton High School and graduated in 1984.