Music like Operatika

Michael Anthony LePond III is an American musician, best known as the bass guitarist of the progressive metal band Symphony X. He is also the bass guitarist of the New York-based metal, band Dead on Arrival. The group issued an album,Alive and Kickin, on the independent Polo label in 1996. He can be heard on all Symphony X releases since the 2000 album V: The New Mythology Suite. He was formerly a member of the New Jersey band Rattlebone, which opened for many national acts and released a six-song album in 1997.

LePond was born in Newark, New Jersey. When he was 13 years old, he attended a Kiss concert, and was inspired by the performance, especially the band's bass guitarist Gene Simmons, to begin playing music. He bought some basic equipment, namely a Univox bass guitar and a 150 watt amplifier, and took lessons for a year. He started listening to other bass players like Geddy Lee of Rush, who influenced his style.