After the band had complications in performing on the March 2000 private high school show, they retreated to Fernando's home to jam on some songs. Only 3 members rehearsed a cover.

"we had no professional equipment, we simply used Microsoft's Sound Recorder which wasnt that good but it was enough for what we were doing with the hopes of having professional stuff at MHS" (Gonzales, 2003)

Angel Davila - Lead Vocals
Bruce Sierra - Bass
Fernando Gonzalez - Guitar/Backing Vocals

08. Polly Said (Cover. April 2000)

Rehearsal track that was featured in a talent show at Memorial High School (MHS 2000).

Jose Gonzalez - Vocals
Oscar Gonzalez - Drums
Fernando Gonzalez - Bass
Bruce Sierra - Guitar
Steven Perez - Keyboard


07. Iris (Cover.March 2000)

The 2nd Rap Demo improvisation.

Bruce Sierra - Lead Vocals
Angel Davila - Lead Vocals
Fernando Gonzalez - Bass

06. Get into War (Dec.1999)

December 1999.

Angel, Bruce and Fernando began jamming some songs using drum samples , with live bass as Bruce and Angel randomly created random lyrics. 

Bruce Sierra - Lead Vocals
Angel Davila - Lead Vocals
Fernando Gonzalez - Bass

05. Y2K Rap (Dec. 1999)

May 1999, In a park festival some band members went to Hoboken to participate on a live show. 

Fernando Gonzalez - Lead Vocals
Freddy Ilescias - Backing Vocals
Carlos Souza - Guitar

04. Crystal Ship (1999, Live Hoboken)

April 1999. After the high school performance the band disbanded while Freddy and Fernando thought of writing music together by testing out drum loops. 

Freddy Ilescias - Vocals/Drum Programming
Fernando Gonzalez - Bass



03. Heading for a Meltdown (Demo 1999)

March 28, 1999.
This was the first debut of a LineUp of the Free-Agents in West New York, New Jersey. 

"I was isolated at Saint Joes, and found out I had to finance all the musical equipment myself, such a poor school. aside from bullies and harassment, my friends tried to help me out by keeping the band spirit alive. The band was growing apart and I wanted their help since I had no other friends apart from them. Parents kept insisting that I stay there and learn useless theology and social with people i didn't get along....I tried and failed. no one knew what the internet was back then nor had creative ideas to create online businesses. I was only 12 and had a vision but I was with a bunch of retards. So my MHS Memorial friends from next door went to help me out by forming a band....My parents thought of MHS as a wasteland of talentless people who were in gangs and drugs....I argued over and over that not all were bad people, but Saint Joe's was the wasteland they were talking about...it was broke, had no musical equipment, clubs only existed when it was time for the School Photo Album. It was chaos with people with no talent and a useless theology class which could have been replaced for a useful computer class instead.....all that education wearing a uniform with most I considered convicts and rejects from other school was just ridiculous and my parents had to pay for that dope show... MHS was superior in many levels, but back then they thought I was this stubborn kid who just wanted drugs and not study.... it's a pity they never knew how capable I was of learning arts and science....This show was important, because it was a time that I was deadlocked by the swimming team and also liked the only girl I considered pretty at the time...I was trying to find motivation to do something creative, and the rental costed my parents a lot of money...So much for wanting to save money according to them.  I learned years later that I did this show to keep myself from suicide, this was a sign to my parents that I can get things done with people from my neighbourhood and not from people I studied with in that private school prison." (Fernando Gonzalez, 2003)

The track "falling angel" was very different from its original version due to lack of rehearsal. The band had technical issues such as lack of monitoring systems, guitar pedals, bass pedals and volume control. After the band have not played together since 1997. A main problem the band faced was the absence of Miguel's cables not working and the guitar leads were missing, thus disorienting the band to play the song completely improvised.


Fernando Gonzalez- Vocals/Rhythm Guitar
Freddy Ilescias - Vocals
Axel Barragan - Drums 
Bruce Sierra - Bass
Miguel Mora - Lead Guitar

02. Falling Angel (Live March 1999)

"Summer of 1997, I can say it was a clear blue skies. We graduated from P.S #2 West New York. We were close friends and began to write music together. Our destination was to start High School at Memorial High School. We heard good things of attending these. So many clubs, sports, and cliques. Practically anyone , goths, outcasts, nerds, hip-hoppers, gangsters, geeks, latinos, italians would fit in without hassle as there is a haven for everyone once they find their group of friends....This was a month before we started High school and ready to join all these communities and contribute.....Sadly, I never made it and was forced to attend Saint Joseph only to find myself isolated for the next 4 years incapable of doing nothing without support of the catholic high school. This recording was an indication of the great potential I argued with my parents for many years." (Fernando Gonzalez, 2003) 


Angel Davila - Percussion
Bruce Sierra -  2nd Guitar 
Fernando Gonzalez - Bass 
Oscar Gonzalez - Drums
Jose Gonzalez - Lead Guitar

Erwin Armijos - Sound Engineer
Steven Perez - Keyboardist
Miguel Nunez - Web Designer

01. Hollywood Girls (Demo 1997)

"This was the end of the 4 years of High School in West New York, NJ. I felt we didn't do enough to leave an impact on our town. My absence at another school led the band to work separately and we were growing apart. I really think they could have done more without me yet I think I was the one that tried to keep them together. But in January 3, 2000 I had a fight which left me deaf and I was no longer in the mood to transfer to MHS for the 4th time as I felt useless and powerless...Force to retire from sports and music due to Dr. Kenneth Brookler's recommendation. Took many months for me to put myself together and continue playing music with one ear. The catholic high school took the life and optimism out of me and had no concentration to focus enough and I stopped campaigning with my friends to transfer me to MHS.... 

But on June of 2001, I was invited to play music w/ my bandmates at a public high school in Verona NJ. Though it wasn't WNY, but this Public School system was the world I was so used to, lots of people, diversity and thriving energy of many cliques. This performance was very special because it was going to be our last song together. My parents resented I went to play on stage w/ my Verona friends, as they hoped I remained loyal artistically to a school that never let me develop nor network.. I ask myself was it wrong to be on Memorial's side when in the catholic school I enrolled treated me inhumane and to top it off my parents paid to retain me there? MHS or any public high school had so many opportunities that my private high school didn't offer. I didnt had anything in common with the 60 people I studied with, I missed the many possibilities of meeting many diverse and creative people MHS had.It was a bitter ending for me at least, everyone graduated happy, while I was friendless at the school next door with its cliques and limited options to work and study which costed my parents more than they had thought, also left me mentally traumatized and deaf which came additional medical treatment. I kept my spirit somewhat optimistic happy that I was on stage at Memorial as a MHS Tiger with all my friends and teachers I knew. I wasn't feeling isolated anymore..... shame my parents never understood this and probably never will. Isolating me to a private school of hypocrites was their gravest mistake. This song was my way of saying that the people I befriended had the creative and artistic vision which they denied recognizing. This was our finest hour, we were public school and we were the best given our circumstances." (Gonzalez, 2002)

Memorial High School
West New York , New Jersey 07093
Class of 2001

Live Band:
Giovanni Alcorta- Lead Guitar
Kevin "Dre" Anderson - Drums
Fernando Gonzalez - Bass
Silvia Rasmussen - Keyboard.  

-------------------------
The Free-Agents:
________________
Angel Davila
Bruce Sierra
Steven Sierra
Fernando Gonzalez
Jose Gonzalez
Oscar Gonzalez
Miguel Mora

20. Reflections (June. Live Tribute for MHS class of 2001)

After graduation we spent the summer as a band one last time. We went to record some jams which didn't turn out well due to writer's block from all parties....but then there was this song, which symbolized the reunion and the potential we had. This is probably the only sound clip I found from my vaults and cannot find the complete track

BONUS: This is our Moment (unreleased Reunion Demo 2001)

This is a Tribute Page to the NJ local band that was known as "The Free Agents." Originated in the town of West New York, from P.S#2 school consisting of a group of friends who tried to form a band during their high school period (1997-2001). Many struggles happen in the process and the band never managed to write and record music. What exists on this profile are rehearsals and some live performances on the many incarnations/line-ups of the band.

The Free-Agents 1997-2001 were:

1) .Angel Davila.
2) .Bruce Sierra.
3) .Miguel Nunez.
4) .Fernando Gonzales.
5) .Jose Gonzalez.
6) .Oscar Gonzalez.
7) .Steven Perez.
8) .Erwin Armijos.
9) .Miguel Mora.
10) .Carlos Rivero. (2001 cast)

Additional Cast:
1) .Albert Alonso. - Recording, Audio Engineering , Video Recording
2) .Axel Barragan. - Drums , Backing Vocals
3) .Isaac Vazquez. - Drums (02-03-2000)

Thanks to all of our Family, Friends, Teachers, Mentors, West New York, Union City, North Bergen, North Bergen high school, High tech School, and Memorial High School.

thefreeagentsmusic