Mistaken Identity

Marty has been playing guitar, singing and writing since 1980. He has recorded multiple albums and written over 100 songs. Hitzeman charted a song called “Missing You Again” (BMI – Hit Two Music, Martin S.) in 1995–1996 and been written up in Billboard Magazine.

As MiD’s (Mistaken Identity) lead guitarist and vocalist, he brings a more pop-and-hooks approach to originals and covers. Marty started playing together in the early 80s with most of the members, and that synergy comes through in their live performance and musical collaboration. Marty is a Digital Marketing Strategist and entrepreneur guy by day.

Marty plays PRS, Charvel, and Jackson Guitars and uses a Digitech RP 1000 effects pedal.

Melissa (a.k.a Missy Snot Rocker) is the lead vocalist, along with Michael Restivo. She also does backup vocals and harmonies and plays a mean tambourine!

Melissa has had experience singing with several bands in the past. She took a break from bands to have her two little girls, but now that they are school-aged, she’s ready to rock again.

Melissa has been influenced by boundless female recording artists and vocalists. Some of her favorites include Patsy Cline, Connie Francis, Joan Jett, and Pat Benatar.

On the side, Melissa loves to write poems that she hopes will become band originals in the near future.

The band jokingly calls her a “diva,” and she likes to joke back that she is one, but she really isn’t. They call her snot rocker because she’s not afraid to blow snot rockets. Not on stage! Don’t worry! Only when she’s out for a run.

In the future, the band might give her double duty as security, since she also loves working out and lifting weights. Above all, she loves to sing and bring smiles to people’s faces.

Michael Restivo is why Mistaken Identity still exists, for better or worse, because he kept the band going for twenty-something years writing and recording 3 albums of original music while the others ran off to play real-life.

Sharing the lead vocal duties with Missy, and Paul, along with guitars and some keyboards is what Mikey does now.

He enjoys Bud Light lime with ice and is often busted about it by the “craft beer” snobs in the group. To that Mikey says “bite me, boys.”

Mikey has written well over 1000 songs with only a handful seeing the light of day maybe one day finding perfection.

Mikey has headlined and opened big stages for years playing fests and concert halls, opening for B.T.O., Loverboy, and Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Chicago a half dozen times.

Along with Mindy, they can be seen in pizza joints across the US because they have become known as pizza connoisseurs in certain circles.

It was September 29, 1981, when Joe saw Journey for the first time at the Rosemont Horizon. Steve Smith was playing a mammoth red drum set that you could feel pounding thru your chest. The drum solo, the crowd reaction…. amazing. That was the moment another drummer was born. Playing drums in a band was now the goal. It wasn’t a question of “if” he would play in a band, but simply “when”. Without question, when this band came together, he would name it Mistaken Identity.

Joe continued playing drums through the early 90’s focusing on recordings and live shows with Mistaken Identity. He decided to put the sticks down and go back to school full-time in 1993. For the next 30+ years he would decide he missed playing, then buy a drumset, didn’t have enough time to play, so he sold the drumset, etc. It was a continuous cycle that didn’t lead anywhere. It wasn’t readily apparent at the time, but what was missing was a band of brothers (and sisters) to once again share the love of music with.

After not playing seriously for 10+ years, on October 29, 2016, a friend said: “don’t be an asshole and start playing drums again”. Six months later, he found a used drumset and started trying to remember everything he had forgotten. On January 28, 2017, he was once again reunited with his band of brothers and sisters to continue the MiD legacy.

Eat drums! Eat cymbals! – Animal (the Muppets)

Mike Manicki began playing drums in the school band back in 1975 and got his first drum set in the summer of 1978. It was then that he formed his first band, The Force, with his lifelong friend Michael Restivo. The Force started out like most garage bands playing local parties, but in September 1980 they got their first taste of the Chicago clubs and bars scene. From that point on through 1986, Manicki and Restivo played in multiple bands rocking well over 100 shows together, recorded original material and were featured on local Chicago radio. Upon graduating from college in 1986 Manicki left the Chicago area for Wisconsin to pursue a career in the electrical industry.

After retiring to Florida with his wife Billie early in 2022 he was presented with the opportunity to be reunited with Restivo and his bandmates in Mistaken Identity, to open for the group Chicago. With only two months before the shows, Manicki had to buy a new drum set, learn the music and fly to Chicago to rehearse. Nothing was going to keep him from living out a dream that began with his friends forty years ago that together they would make it to the big stage. Decades may have passed between gigs but returning to the stage with the confidence and support from his wife and friends made it as though he never missed a beat.

Back in 1977, the defining point for Andy was buying a Fender Rhodes and Fender Twin amp at age 17 courtesy of his dad to pay off a wager. They had a bet that Andy could not win the Technic Trophy 3 times needed to keep it forever. Now with Rhodes in hand, Andy joined the High School garage rock band Sabre. This was the start to an epic journey.

Andy grew up in Skokie attending Niles West High School. He played Sax and Trumpet for the school band and studied piano at the renowned Allen Swain Studio in downtown Evanston. Sabre was his first rock band playing songs from Styx, Zeppelin, Uriah Heep, Foreigner, Doobie Brothers and even UFO. The band was popular at High School dances especially Niles West.

College years were a different era. Andy latched on to May Raines and the Southern Express country band. Now he was playing Patsy Cline, Janis Joplin, Reba McEntire, Alabama and David Allan Coe. The band had moderate success including backup for Marshall Tucker Band at Summer Fest 1984. Then Andy’s life took a turn south to Dallas, Texas in the mid 80’s. His employer at the time, Texas Instruments, formed a big band. Andy got the gig. He immersed himself with great Jazz standards.

During the 90’s, Andy had some interesting projects with The Chromatics, Sun Flurry, Random Access and others. However, his playing tapered off at the end of the 90’s. But back in 2003, Andy returned to the music scene with the Average Joe Band. He has also worked with other working bands like Twist of Fate, Mistaken Identity and Lights Out Chicago, as well as the house keyboard player at Mark’s House of Rock in Wheeling. Andy was back to playing major events and clubs.

Randy, the newest member of the MiD family, has been rocking the bass for decades throughout Chicagoland with bands who appreciate a damn good bass player.

His love for music developed early in life, and after learning to play multiple instruments, he gave up his ‘jazz hands’ and now plays the most kick ass light up bass, wowing fans with his showmanship.

When not jamming in the Chicagoland area, you can find him zip lining in the rain forest of Costa Rica or lounging on his private beach.

While a vodka aficionado, Randy doesn’t discriminate when adoring fans are ordering up a drink for him.