Not Buying It Band

Putting The "Uh!" In "Push Back!"
The Not Buying It Band is the perpetual engine behind the Stop Shopping Gospel Choir's stratospheric flights into aural ecstasy. Whether laying down a beat to get the congregation grooving or a teasing tune to underscore a sermon from the Rev, the Not Buying It Band is always pitch perfect and razor sharp.

Ric Becker
Ric Becker
Trombone, Tenor

Ric Becker am a human trombone player.  He has performed all kinds of music on the street, on the beach, in parks, and on the top of a building in the wee small hours of the morning.  His trombones' names are Christina (tenor) and Amynette Stephanie (bass).  Ric's other joys: the road, cooking, and literature.  "Unlike most people, I am best friends with my doppleganger and where I am weak, he is strong.  Someday we may take over the world."

Eric Johnson
Eric Johnson
Drums
Birthdate: January 15th 1972 (same day as Martin Luther King, same year as Watergate). Started playing drums in 1977 (same year P-funk recorded their Mothership concert to vinyl and 8-track). Grew up playing gospel in the church in Chicago until I left for college in 1990. Played with Afro-cuban band Maruwa in college. Started collecting records while in college. Graduated college in 1994 (B.S. in Marketing). Moved back to Chicago. Played on tv commercials for McDonald's, Anheuser-Busch, Busch gardens, Toys R' Us, and Budweiser. Did production work with Crucial Conflict, Lupe Fiasco, Kanye West, Common, Angie Stone, Jamie Foxx, Pras and Wyclef. At the present time I play with Spank (spankfunk.com), Tycoondog (tycoondog.com), Cool Hand, Orbita, Funky Fritters, Adrian Hibbs and the Riot, and of course, the Not Buying it Band. I also have dj mixes under the DJ MARBLE icon on deephousepage.com, bringtheheat.com, and theundaground.com. 
Katrina Lewis
Katrina Lewis
Band Leader, Keys
E Katrina Lewis is a self taught musician, entangled between two worlds of passion & prize, with influences dating as far back as King David. Living, breathing, & nurturing the thought, sound, & existence of every form of music created and in process of creation. "I am not just a musician but the actual music, Ms. Music." By profession, she is a freelance music producer leaving in Brooklyn, NY wearing various hats. Katrina mixes tracks and I also do sample library production. Beyond productions she is a keyboardist for life!


Her production and performances signatures her gift as a well versed keyboardist. She spends most of her time creating music and samples while expressing her feelings through any genre of music possible and NOT. You can log onto www.myspace.com/bewareofmusic to listen to Katrina's production work.

Katrina is honored to be the band leader of the Stop Shopping Church. Having grown up as a church music, Katrina brings a wealth of the techniques and creativity of Gospel music to the performances. The overall union between Katrina and Stop Shopping is a testimony of how paths become full circle in perfect time. Katrina holds a Bachelor's in Political Science and English from NC Wesleyan College and was very active as a grassroots protest organizer during her undergraduate tenure. Currently, she is attending Metropolitan College of NY where she is studying for her MBA in Media Management.

Outside of work, she loves nature, tv, writing, reading, eating sushi and exposing myself to anything that's harmless and will induced the best out of me. Katrina believes and practice: The journey of a thousand miles, begins with one step (Lao Tzu).  
Nathan Stevens
Nathan Stevens
Basso
Nathan Stevens was born and raised in Louisville, KY, right around the time when the Empire Striked Back. He began playing the bass when he was twelve years old, setting aside a promising future as a violist in order to "get girls." In those days, the Suzuki Method was not as sexy as the Smashing Pumpkins. But soon enough, young Nate learned that the bass was more than just a Weapon of Attraction, but could, in some instances, replace the need for women all together.... 
Mark Tipton
Mark Tipton
Trumpet
Mark Tipton has been playing trumpet with Reverend Billy since January of 2005. An active freelance musician across the country, Mark holds a B.M. from the Oberlin Conservatory and an M.M. from the Mannes College of Music. In his short but busy career, he has had the opportunity to perform with such artists as Doc Severinsen, Quincy Jones, Vassar Clements, and Bobby McFerrin. He is currently preparing original music for his debut album, "Love, Sweet Love", which will be recorded in September of this year. His interests besides music include: hiking, poetry, sailing, and vegetarian cooking. 
Rick Ulfik
Rick Ulfik
Keyboard
Rick is the Founder and Director of We, The World, a non-profit organization that is forming global networks of collaboration between groups and individuals to build mass public involvement in creating a peaceful, caring, sustainable world that works for all. Rick is also Co-Chair of the Foundation For Ethics and Meaning , a non-profit organization that is challenging our prevailing cultural emphasis on material self-interest while encouraging a spirit of caring and a process of mutual recognition that will nourish inclusive, sustainable, just communities. Rick is an accomplished composer, musician and recording studio owner who is well known and respected for his work in television, film, and many other media. During the last 25 years he has been a member of hundreds of television, film, commercial and other media production teams and has written, produced and directed two films. Rick is currently co-producing "Visual Voices" a TV Series that presents voices in media, the arts and beyond (such as Rev. Billy) who are shaping our culture and our world. 
Rick Ulfik
Rick Ulfik
Rick Ulfik is an accomplished composer and musician (keyboards) who has written, produced, arranged and performed music for the TV Networks (ABC, NBC and CBS), the Olympics, feature films, commercials, and major recording artists from Queen Latifah, Phoebe Snow and Judy Collins to Rev. Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping! Rick is also Founder and Director of We, The World, Board Member of Communications Coordination Committee for the UN, Co-Chair of the Foundation For Ethics and Meaning, and Co-Producer of Visual Voices TV Series. Rick organizes and promotes scores of events, large and small, every year. He has done keyboard work, arranging, sound design and/or musical direction with the following artists: Queen Latifah, Phoebe Snow, Carlos Santana, Spike Lee's film production "New Jersey Drive", Kurtis Blow, Noel Pointer, DJ Mark James The 45 King, Samantha Sang, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Pete Seeger, Ester Satterfield, Judy Collins, Bernadette Peters, Jane Olivor, Rupert Holmes, Maureen Mcgovern, Musique "Keep On Jumpin'", Bernard "Pretty" Purdie, Jimmy Owens, Zvika Pick and many others.