BIO

Messengers of Style “your new favorite band” is the beaming brainchild of musicians/songwriters Tony Alunni and Michael “Mikey A.” Argyrakis, and is the pinnacle of a journey that all started with a pair of students at a Chicago area high school. Their debut single "Through with You" was released 2/4/22.

Established veterans, armed with an eclectic mix of influences embracing the full spectrum of what constitutes rock and roll, the pair behind Messengers of Style have decades of combined experience and skill to draw on. Together, they’ve racked up over a thousand live performances and logged triple digit hours of studio time, barnstorming stages and studios all over North America. From large theaters to tiny hole-in-the-wall joints, they’ve seen ‘em, done ‘em, and left scorch marks. Their credits include: Cliffside Drive* (their first), The Limbocats, The Cowfrogs*, Charlie Sugar, Byther Smith, Insider Magazine, Lisa Matthews*, The Talent Show Band, Söur Bruthers*, and many others. Now they bring you Messengers of Style - the culmination of their musical experience, life lessons, and personalities, making rock and roll with all the trimmings; pop, blues, country, punk…whatever they feel.


* projects featuring both Tony and Mikey A.

It all started when a teenage neophyte guitarist named Michael Argyrakis was approached by a fellow student with an offer to jam. In attendance was another classmate named Tony Alunni on drums. They subsequently joined forces in this fledgling musical outfit, named for the street they rehearsed on. Adding a singer and bassist to the fold, the young rock and roll quintet known as Cliffside Drive hit the local music scene. Writing and performing original material from the get-go, they quickly garnered a reputation for their energetic stage shows, as well as a knack for quality songwriting. This gang of rookies was where the seeds of Messengers of Style were sown, as they learned their craft and forged a lifelong friendship.

When Cliffside Drive disbanded, they branched out into other projects, working with a diverse cast of musicians in all facets of rock and roll and its roots, while continuing to expand and hone their own unique styles and musical identities. But no matter what they were doing, they always took advantage of any opportunity to play together – ofttimes ending up in the same band. Eventually, they found themselves in a little Southern California hotel room in late 2017, sharing song ideas. The ideas came fast and furious and, when the dust settled, they realized that not only did they have the basis for some great songs, but they worked really well as a two-man writing team. And their friendship, combined with a mutual admiration and appreciation for each other’s musicianship going all the way back to that very first jam session, made it obvious that this partnership was a no-brainer - and a long overdue one at that. And thus, Messengers of Style was conceived and consecrated. Fun fact: the name “Messengers of Style” actually comes from a line in a Cliffside Drive song.

100% self-produced, the dynamic duo behind Messengers of Style are continually hard at work on a growing catalog of original material. Showcasing a mixed bag of influences and stylistic nuances – heavily inflected with their individual personalities - Messengers of Style have one mission: to compose and record great songs, writing their story in big bold letters in the annals of rock and roll.

Folks, they’re just getting started.