Nita joined her first rock band at 15 and performed at the Colorado River Fairgrounds, then moved on to front quite a few original rock bands from the L.A. area, where she was vocally trained by the world renown coach to the stars, RON ANDERSON (American Idol, Kiss, Rock Star, Ozzy Osbourne, Britney Spears, Korn, Neil Diamond, Chris Cornell, Heart, Pink, Kelly Clarkston, Alicia Keys & more).
Nita's performed with musicians who have either been inlegendary bands or played with members of Dio, Ozzy Osbourne, Kiss,Black Sabbath, Mercyful Fate, Quiet Riot, Impellitteri, Whitesnake, TedNugent, Tracy G, Korn, Van Halen, The Scorpions, Iron Maiden, Yardsale, Social Distortion, Phil Wolfe, Mike Guerrero, Michael Angelo Batio,Death by Stereo and more.
Nita with Edgar Paul Allen (Virus 7, Orignal Sin, Final Notice) - long time bandmate drummer/vocalist and co-founder of FINAL NOTICE, an LA original rock band for 7 years.
NO... silly! Edgar Paul Allen was NOT wearing Nita's top. His was black and white, Nita's was pink & black (*true story, LOL)
Danniel Ledesma, Nita Neets and Nicky Shoes - FINAL NOTICE
...from hard rock, metal to alternative, Nita's passion has always been singing, writing and performing. Coming from a talented family, Nita's three younger female relatives, Denise, Melissa and Krista are also great singers.
Nita's longest running band was Final Notice in the 80's for 7 years. She's also worked with Tapping Ninja, Cycle Of Pain, Looker, Trigger, Allied Runn and Solar Toy. In '2001-2004, guitarist/songwriter, Alex Zandretta (Terebelam, Alexis Machine) heard some of Final Notice's songs on the band's website on MP3.com and extended an invitation for Nita to collaborate with him. Nita, Alex Zandretta and "Hare" Butler wrote many songs for Cycle Of Pain.Nita's also played with the blazing guitarist, Tapping Ninja (Mike Guerrero).
Nita also collaborates with Phil
Wolfe and Maria Glass, Phil's an ex-bandmate from Final Notice and keyboardist. Phil's performed, filmed videos
or toured with members of Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne, Kiss, Quiet Riot, Impellitteri, Dio, Wasp, Whitesnake
and others.
...back in Trigger, an ex O.C. orignial hard rock band (Craig LaTour - Edgar Paul Allen - Nita Neets - Kevin Jones)
Nita and Edgar Paul Allen left Trigger, an original Orange County band to form Final Notice, an L.A. hard rock band. They performed for over 7-years on the original circuit and were offered a recording contract by an independent Hollywood record company with several gold records on their roaster. But, the band turned it down due to receiving recognition by several major recording labels. A producer who worked at RCA for 16-years, teamed up with another legendary producer, Clive Davis (Rush, Led Zeppelin, Tina Turner and more) was impressed by Final Notice's talent. Ed Dejoy (RCA) asked the band to fit the mold of the two songs he thought were hits and wanted Nita to move in that direction for major label longevity purposes.
Final Notice's lead guitarist, the Southern California legandary, Steve Medrano (deceased '98) played with many artist and bands throughout his career. Steve was known for his unique versatile playing, from metal to lightening speed fusion. He was unhappy about the switching of gears from a harder rock band to a more commercial sound , so he did not like the direction the band was taking to please the "big wigs," so he left the band twice, forcing Final Notice to seek replacements.A few other guitarist followed, including the metal innovative awesome guitarist, Tracy G, who later played for WWIII and 6-years for Ronnie James Dio of DIO (Rainbow and Black Sabbath). Then came, Bobby Ray, Michael Anthony's bro from Van Halen, who bailed due to a rat bite on his playin' finger when feeding his snake. The band was booked and after 6-weeks, his infected finger was not healed and the band had to keep playing, as much as they wanted him to remain.
There was also Nicky Shoes for two years, who came to Los Angeles from New York, also an L.A. Southbay metal and blues rock guitarist who often shares the stage with many industry legends. You can also find Nicky on occasions doing his instructional guitar seminars at Guitar Center and fronted his own band for years, the Nicky Shoes Band. (Nicky deceased in 2008, after his long battle with cancer, R.I.P. - an awesome guitarist who will be missed greatly).
On Steve's second time around with Final Notice, co-founder, Edgar Paul Allen, who was the drummer for 7-years, chose to leave with Steve to pursue their love of metal. Nita remained writing commercial rock songs for Ed Dejoy (RCA) and started working with keyboardist, Dave Casad (Dorien Grey) to produce the new material with engineer Christopher Wade Demerst (Santana, Pink, Talia, Robbie Williams, The Rolling Stones). Chris recently won two grammys in '2003 for his engineering abilities. Dave and Nita recently joined forces again to form Krewl and he is also one of two keyboardist for Cycle Of Pain.
On Edgar Paul Allen's exit with Final Notice, he laid down his drum sticks and sang lead for two bands, Original Sin, who toured worldwide with some of rock's legends. In '2000, Paul joined Virus 7, which is comprised of lead guitarist, Hank Shermann and drummer, Bejarne T. Holm, both from the legendary European bands, King Diamond and Mercyful Fate. Metallica did a tribute to Mercyful Fate on one of their tours together and an album.
Nita and Final Notice's bass player, Danny Napolitano (Neil Citron, Final Notice)
In and out of performing the years that followed, due to back complications from an accident, Nita was unable to continue delivering her original songs to Ed Dejoy (RCA), for shortly after, went in for emergency back surgery from an unfortunate accident.
Nita's injuries and crippling condition prohibit her from performing for quite a few years, though she finally recovered after a long stretch and continues songwriting for her love of rockin'...
Nita's interview with music journalist, Lauren Wade
April, '2003
Lauren:
Thanks for the interview. I've been trying to catch up with you since '2001 and from what I see, so has Jack Little and Matthew Kirshner. I was beginning to wonder if you were avoiding all trade jounalist.
Let's start out by asking, what do you prefer to be called, Nita or "Neets"?
Nita:
Either way, Nita, "Neets," or "Nita Neets." It's a nickname given by Edgar Paul Allen, my long time ex-drummer back in the Final Notice days. I'm mostly called the combination of both, "Nita Neets," by my musician buds and other pals. So I use NitaNeets.com for my personal web site and also go by that name musically.
Lauren:
I must say, you kick out some great powerful rock! Being one of L.A.'s veteran metal maidens, who were your influences when you first started?
Nita:
I grew up listening to The Stones, Areosmith, Zeppelin, Joplin, Heart, Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Scorpions and Hendrix. So pretty much there it is. But I would say my biggest influence was my mom and school buddies. My mom was a singer, along with her two sisters. I use to love hearing them around the house. So at the ripe age of 5, I was a chip off the 'ole block. I came across my first band at 16, the last day of school in a history class. I got up and belted a song with them. They asked me to join them at the "battle of the bands" at the fairgrounds. We won a trophy and cash. So I was hooked after that and it spanded out to a life-long of performing and writing with a number of musicians and original hard rock bands that I've worked with.
Lauren:
When you were fronting Final Notice, were you the main vocalist?
Nita:
Yes. All the songs were written by the guitar players and myself, or the keyboardist. Though Edgar Paul Allen use to do all the backups. And during club gigs, he'd also kick in with some lead vocals now and then.
Lauren:
How many original bands were you in?
Nita:
Besides Cycle Of Pain, five other original bands and some club bands. Edgar Paul Allen and I were in an original rock band together called Trigger before forming Final Notice. But the longest running gig was with Final Notice for almost 8 years.
Lauren:
Were you and Edgar Paul Allen married?
Nita:
No, but it sure felt like it! He was my boyfriend during all that time and working in the same band and living together, it can take a toll on you. And it finally did, so that's when he moved on and became a lead singer with other bands. While he was touring worldwide, he decided to settle in Sweden. And now we're strictly platonic pals and give each other dating advice. Pretty funny, huh?
Lauren:
Great, if you can stay friends. Not to many ex's can do that. So what type of advice does he give you now?
Nita:
To stay away from musicians because they have way too much booty! Nah, just kidding, he could care less who I date. But as a rule, I do stay away from musicians due to their track record of being in bands with them. Well except for maybe the married ones, they seem pretty faithful. Actually, I have nothing against musicians, but Edgar Paul Allen has been my only musician relationship. When I'm in between relationships, I date normal guys. That way I don't have any problems with groupies. Final Notice's private studio was next to a stripper club, so there it is there (laughing out loud).
Lauren:
Ah, you disappoint me "Neets!" Here I thought you were going to give me some juicy rocker tales about your groupies or musicians.
Nita:
Nah, I'm one of those, I buy the book for the pictures first, and then read the stories if they interest me, so quite the opposite. There are plenty of great stories. And I'm not going to tell you I didn't have my own set of groupies. I just never acted on any offers. We were in the studio one day rehearsing, and one stripper tried to burn it down with us in it! And all because she thought one of our guitar players was in the studio with another stripper! So the stories are plenty. Though Edgar Paul Allen and I always remained faithful to each other back when we were mates during the 8 years, or so.
I left an ex-boyfriend about two years ago and decided I needed time out for myself. The last two years I think I've dated about 3 or 4 times. But I've been writing with my musician pals and just never make any time. Though I'm due for another long term. Hopefully my last! But I haven't come across my significant other yet.
Lauren:
You must of been devastated things were finally happening for you with the "big wig" label producers, and you got in an accident and it all came tumbling down?
Nita:
Pretty much, but there wasn't much I could do. Nowadays, I indulge for my love of rocking, and not to be famous or compete with the young alternative rockers of today. It's in my blood!
Lauren:
So why did you drop the name Final Notice? I would think you'd like to keep that name, since you're better known with it.
Nita:
Actually, I've regrouped Final Notice a few times since my accident. And during the time Alex Zandretta invited me to collaborate with him off the MP3.com site, I was in the process of reforming Final Notice again. Though he was not interested in going under that name. So I compromised and went with Cycle Of Pain.
Lauren:
So when do we get to hear the new songs?
Nita:
Well, the website snipit is called "Broken" and another song, "Pain" is also a Cycle Of Pain song which is posted on MP3.com and the intro for NitaNeets.com. There are also a few commercial rock songs I wrote in the mid 80's on Final Notice's MP3.com site.
Lauren:
So would you be considered a Goth band, since your main guitar writer and collaborator has a top charted Goth band on MP3.com?
Nita:
Perhaps you can categorize us in alternative metal or whatever, with the new "lower key" sounding tunes. But we are just rockers belting it out, doing what we love to do best. So that's yet to be seen.
Lauren:
Can you give me a sneak preview of the new songs?
Nita:
No, it will all be revealed on the web site in due time. But thanks for asking!
Lauren:
So will you be taking this show on the road and going for a record contract?
Nita:
You know, I'm not even going there. I'm just taking it one day at a time. If we stir up some interest along the way, be that as it may. But that's yet to be seen. But sure, being the avid rockers we are, we'd love to perform what we've written.
Lauren:
Can you give me at least some time frame as when this will be taking place? I am not only interested as a journalist, but also as a fan. You sing with so much conviction. What a set of lungs!
Nita:
Thank you. There has been a lot of delays.
Lauren:
You've had a few rockers come out of your band, Final Notice. How does it feel working with some of your ex-bandmates again?
Nita:
It's always great working with your ex-bandmates. Lots of great memories, but making new memories is also fun. Phil the keyboardist, also rocks with his wife, Maria in Glass Wolfe. I'm also working on their new songs recording some backups for them. They have a few known rockers sitting in contributing to their latest material.
Lauren:
Yes, Phil Wolfe's made his rounds in the rock industry, and so has Edgar Paul Allen, Tracy G, and Nicky Shoes. Tracy G was DIO's (Ronnie James Dio, Black Sabbath) guitar player for 6 years. How does it feel being associated with some cool hard rockers?
Nita:
Well, I hope the same way it feels to them being associated with me. No, kidding aside, I love staying in touch with my pals. I've been pretty busy lately and so has Tracy G, but I'm sure sometime in the near future, we'll get together and perhaps write a song together. I love that bald headed metal jock. He's so much fun! Now that's one busy dude. He's got so much going on at one time. It's hard to keep track of him. But what an awesome innovative guitar player. He can pull a rabbit out of his hat and do some off the wall stuff, and then go in to a somber mood and write some killer shit you would never expect to hear from him. He has a whole tribe of known metal jocks he works with, and they put out some amazing material.
Lauren:
Well, Nita, I wish you and your tribe of rockers the best with your new songs. I am really looking forward to hearing you, and I will be doing a review and writeup. Thanks so much. And keep on rocking, you're all really great!
Nita - 2006 
Nita joined her first rock band at 15 and performed at the Colorado River Fairgrounds, then moved on to front quite a few original rock bands from the L.A. area, where she was vocally trained by the world renown coach to the stars, RON ANDERSON (American Idol, Kiss, Rock Star, Ozzy Osbourne, Britney Spears, Korn, Neil Diamond, Chris Cornell, Heart, Pink, Kelly Clarkston, Alicia Keys & more). 
Final Notice's lead guitarist, the Southern California legandary, Steve Medrano (deceased '98) played with many artist and bands throughout his career. Steve was known for his unique versatile playing, from metal to lightening speed fusion. He was unhappy about the switching of gears from a harder rock band to a more commercial sound , so he did not like the direction the band was taking to please the "big wigs," so he left the band twice, forcing Final Notice to seek replacements. A few other guitarist followed, including the metal innovative awesome guitarist, Tracy G, who later played for WWIII and 6-years for Ronnie James Dio of DIO (Rainbow and Black Sabbath). Then came, Bobby Ray, Michael Anthony's bro from Van Halen, who bailed due to a rat bite on his playin' finger when feeding his snake. The band was booked and after 6-weeks, his infected finger was not healed and the band had to keep playing, as much as they wanted him to remain. 
On Steve's second time around with Final Notice, co-founder, Edgar Paul Allen, who was the drummer for 7-years, chose to leave with Steve to pursue their love
