Signal Zero

Signal Zero was a West Palm Beach, Florida-based cover band. It emerged from a brainstorm session of Nat "DrumMan" Barouch and Rick Curley in 1993. They initially called the band Higher Ground. Later that year Dante Catt and Rocky J. Sappho came aboard. After several other bands named "Higher Ground" surfaced, they held a name contest with Curto's entry, "Signal Zero", emerging as the eventual winner.

With 4-part vocals and musical authority, Higher Ground toured across the state of Florida with powerhouse sets of classic and current rock, and was nominated "Best Circuit Band" in the 1994 Jammie Awards.

Under Nat's management and promotion, Higher Ground also maintained a popular original project. Their first release, the 14-song "Breaking Through", was a live-to-DAT recording which sold thousands of copies locally. In addition to headlining several shows, they supported such acts as Foghat, Rick Derringer, Pat Travers, Seven Mary Three, and Stranger. Higher Ground went on to record and shoot video at Full Sail Center for the Recording Arts in Orlando, Florida.

In late 1995, they changed their name to "Signal Zero" (police code for "Armed, approach with caution!") and adopted a harder, more raunchy style. Soon after that, Curley and Curto left the band to pursue other goals and Signal Zero became a power trio with the addition of guitarist and singer-songwriter Gary Schutt.

1997 saw the three members of Signal Zero, along with former members Rick Curley and Gary Curto, record Dante Catt's solo effort, Curiosity Kills, a ten-song album which went on to sell well in South Florida.