Hear them tell the Bad Influence story
From The Vault - The Band Plays Vegas..
Check out the band playing in the Gibson Guitars Showroom in Las Vegas a few years ago.
Bad Influence - Spreading The Blues for Over 30 Years!
June 2026 - Bad Influence to be Inducted into the Maryland Entertainment Hall of Fame!
Bad Influence has officially been named as an upcoming inductee into the Maryland Entertainment Hall of Fame. This incredible honor celebrates nearly four decades of doing what we love: bringing high-energy blues, driving rhythms, and no-nonsense rockin' roots music to audiences across the Mid-Atlantic.
We are deeply humbled by this recognition, and honestly, we couldn't have done it without you.
Since the very beginning, Bad Influence has been a cornerstone of the DMV music community. While the heart of our enduring sound has been anchored by the definitive, long-standing lineup of Michael Tash, Roger Edsall, and Bob Mallardi—who have been tearing up stages together consistently since 1993—alongside powerhouse drummer David Thaler and most recently Joe Wells, this award belongs to the entire history of the band.
This Hall of Fame recognition also honors the vital contributions of our former brothers-in-arms who helped shape our music and legacy over the decades: Rick Haveland, Whop Frazier, Tom Swanton, Jay Corder, Fred Hillyard, and Ed Lehner. The ceremony takes palce on June 28, 2026 in Baltimore, MD.
Thank you all for the decades of love, packed dance floors, and unwavering support. Let's celebrate some blues history!
The Blues - Washington, DC Style
Staying at the apex of the mid-Atlantic region's competitive blues and roots music scene for a career that spans three decades isn't easy. But that's what the Bad Influence Band has done.. even while extending their reputation across the country thanks to wildly entertaining, high-energy performances, extensive airplay and four well-received albums.
Whether performing at a festival, on a stage at Kennedy Center or on Memphis' hallowed Beale Street, the four-piece group featuring guitarist Michael Tash, harmonica ace and singer Roger Edsall, bassist-vocalist Bob Mallardi and drummer Joe Wells are unabashed crowd pleasers thanks to their expert ensemble playing, strong melodies, addictive grooves, sly original songwriting and sheer intensity.
The most important thing is that everybody has fun, the audience and us, explains bandleader Tash. Whether we're playing an original song or a classic, we're going to put our hearts and souls into it in a way that people can hear, see and practically touch.
2023 marked 35 years since Bad Influence® was formed. The original band made up of Michael Tash, Rick Haveland, Tom Swanton, and Fred Hillyard started out playing the blues in November of 1988. The lineup changed over the first couple of years leading to the 25+ year line-up of Tash, Edsall, Mallardi and drummer David Thaler, which was cemented in 1993. Wells joined the band in 2021 filling the drum throne vacated by David Thaler.
We want to thank everyone for 35 years of support for our music and the blues!Do You Miss the Band? Watch the Bad Influence Live Stream Show On-Demand!
Check it out - The Official Got What You Need Promo Video
Check it out - Get What You Need!
Our CD, Got What You Need, is now available for Purchase and Download!
From the liner notes by Bill Wax - One of the joys of the Blues for me is to walk into a bar and there is a band on stage whom I have never heard of. The four of them operating as one, playing some covers with a few originals mixed in. Just churning out real good music for those of us lucky enough to be there that night. Well that is what Bad Influence has created with Got What You Need, their latest disc.
This new disc features a mix of original and favorite classics that we've been playing for years. Order it NOW!
What the critics say..“Got What You Need is simply good fun, delivered by a band that knows how to choose songs and to play them in ways that guarantee that no one turns off this album without having danced across the floor, held a lover close, or smiled knowingly about just how good the blues can make you feel” - Henry L. Carrigan Jr., Living Blues Magazine. Read the entire review.
“This Mid-Atlantic blues band has what it takes to be a great band. They write great new songs. They play well individually and together” - Steve Jones, Blues Blast Magazine. Read the entire review.
“Jr Tash has a blues-rock edge in his tone and attack, but his solos are smartly constructed, imaginative, and focused” - Ron Weinstock, DC Blues Society Blues Messenger. Read the entire review.
“Had I been a Male Man like Roger Edsall, instead of being a mailman like I actually was, I may have never left the post office.” - Peter Blewzzman Lauro, Blewzzman's CD Reviews. Read the entire review.
Under The Influence - A Pick To Click on SiriusXM
The Bad Influence Band's last CD, Under The Influence, was a B.B. King's Bluesville, SiriusXM 70 Pick to Click! Not only was this album a finalist in the International Blues Challenge for Best Self Produced Recording, it was nominated by the Washington Area Music Association for Best Blues Recording of 2012. The album has been getting a lot of airplay on satellite and terrestrial radio alike. But you don't have to wait to hear it on the radio! Visit the Store and get your copy today!
Where To See The Band
Bad Influence plays across the US, with a strong focus on the Mid-Atlantic region. Check the Schedule page for the latest updates.