Todd Miller - Drums, vocals

Patty Sauer (Vocals)

Patty Sauer (lead and back-up vocals…and, if Mike lets her (or makes her), tambourine)(Sister to Bob) has done some studio recording for 97 Rock back in the Buffalo Bills heyday, such as Leader of the Sack, Let’s Go Buffalo, Sammy Martin and 97 Russo.  Back in the late 80’s she recorded some Beatles and Patsy Cline cover tunes and some original songs with Dave Miller of The Miller Brothers Band.  She also recorded some original music with J. Daniel Roland of Roland Music in the early 90’s and made a music video of one of those songs, titled Come With Me, which debuted on MTV as part of a contest.

In addition to singing, Patty has also done some voice-over work as various characters in an educational ESL (English as a second language) audio comic book, an educational Pre-K software program, and the children’s audiobook ‘Little Red Riding Hood.’ 

Patty also sings in an acoustic three-part harmony band, aptly named Part Three, with Rob Montone and fellow Never Ben band member, and brother, Bob Sauer.  Patty came to be a member of Never Ben  when her adoring big brother Bob invited her to audition on Mike’s back deck one fateful summer night…and the rest, as they say, is history.

Joe Shanahan (Vocals, Cowbell)

Joe Shanahan - The history of Joe's singing career prior to Never Ben is somewhat limited.  His first experience singing on stage in front of an audience was in his senior year at East Aurora High School when he wowed the crowd with a rousing rendition of the Blues Brothers classic Hey Bartender by using the auditorium PA system and singing over the Blues Brother record playing on a phonograph.  A crude precursor to the soon to come karoake boom for sure.  After that, Joe's latent fantasies of rock stardum sat dormant for decades until they resurfaced thanks to weekly visits to the Wednesday Open Mic night at the Bar-Bill in East Aurora.  At first just being there to take in the music as a spectator was sufficient entertainment, but once Joe was coaxed to the microphone to sing Johnny B. Goode with the assembled band the rock star fantasies returned and there was no turning back.  Meeting up at open mic night with newcomer to town and original Never Ben drummer Tony Schulte led to jam sessions at Tony's upstair studio at his North Grove St. house.  During one of those mid-week sessions that was going nowhere musically, it was determined that a guitar player was needed.  An impromptu phone call was made to Bob Sauer and it was demanded that Bob get his guitar and amp ready because his services were needed immediately.  Bob had no other choice but to agree, and out of that evening of big rock noises came the humble beginnings of Never Ben.  The rest, as they say, is history.  Joe's side project bands outside of Never Ben have included the ill-fated Mason's Children, as well as part time stints with The Other Band.

Mike OConnor (lead/back-up vocals/percussion)

Mike O’Connor (lead/back-up vocals/percussion) One of the great all time Alleghany State park camp fire singers, “O’s” first foray into music was influenced by his mom Sylvia (sings, guitar & Piano).   Grandma “O” came from a very musical family in South PA that included the great country fiddler Grandpap Peter Shrift.  Gandpap Shrift played at multiple PA Gubernatorial balls back in the 1900’s.  A “harmonair” in the 6^th grade in O.P. “O” got a taste for the stage and loved it.  After a  31 year break from the stage O has come back with a vengeance, joining the fun-loving cast of Never Ben.  During O’s break from the stage he took up other energy burn activities such as competitive triathlon, hockey, softball and cleaning his pool.   During his softball stint O and Joe Shanahan became one of the most well known Karaoke tandems in WNY, calling Victoria Lanes their home stage.  All they needed was a band!!  Well when former Never Ben drummer Tony Schultie and Guitar Bob Sauer were called for a Jam session by Joe, the foundation of Never Ben was formed and the rest is history.    As far as the name Never Ben, Joe and O were trying to come up with a band name when Joe suggested “The Has Been’s” to which O replied, “how can we be has been’s when we have Never Been”?.  And there you have it, a band and name!

Married for 25 years this year to Kathy (very patient with O’s musical career) they have 3 awesome kids, Riley (24), Sean (20, Guitar/sings) and Danny (15, Piano/Sings).   

Brian Mysliwy - harmonica, guitar, slide guitar, and the occasional vocal

Maserati Vancouver (Bass)

Bob Sauer (Guitar, vocals)

Bob Sauer  (Guitar, Vocals)

Musical Crap:  After mastering the clarinet at age 13 I decided to pick up an instrument that might attract more chicks.  I chose the guitar at age 15.  At age 18 I joined my first Band - Colored Rain. A Classic rock cover band – covering artists like The Grateful Dead, Traffic, Derek and the Dominos, Jimi Hendrix etc.

                        20 years later I actually learned to play the damn thing and helped to form NeverBen.  I also play in the acoustic group Part III where I pretend I can sing.

Personal:         Married for 20 years to the best wife on the planet, coolest mom ever, my soul mate and NeverBen’s number one fan Maura Jean.  Three kids; JAS, Bobby and Mary Grace who are the joy of my life and not just because they all show musical promise.

Turn ons:         MJ, Blues solos that last for days, a sizzling steak, Jack on the rocks

Turn offs:         Boringness, stupid things and other stuff I don’t like.

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