The Band
Mark McKenna
Mark Mckenna’s musical journey began at home in Dorchester, where his father—a concert tenor with the Handel and Haydn Society—filled the house with music.
Mark studied piano for seven years at the South End Music Center and spent his teenage years forming bands with friends from the neighborhood.
The early ’70s brought a pivotal connection: while working at Forecaster of Boston, Mark met Joe and Fred. Their chemistry was instant, and he soon moved to East Boston to join their band. After returning to Dorchester in the late ’70s, Mark reunited with them—and with Jim—to launch PULSE, a band that became a defining chapter in his musical life.
After PULSE dissolved, Mark followed another passion: the outdoors. He eventually founded The McKenna Rod Company, now known around the world for its handcrafted fishing rods.
Joe Capone
Joe Capone grew up in East Boston and picked up the guitar at age 10. Not long after, a drummer friend talked his band into adding Joe by claiming Joe knew the lead to “Louie, Louie.” He didn’t. But when the solo arrived, Joe cranked his amp, trusted his instincts, and tore into an improvised lead that won over the band—and set the tone for his musical future.
Joe went on to play with several local groups before teaming up with Fred in the early ’70s to form White Whale. Years later, he connected with Mark, joining him in Menagerie, a well-known Boston-area cover band. When Menagerie eventually dissolved, Joe was the one who brought Fred and Mark back together—an important reunion that led directly to the formation of PULSE.
After PULSE’s run, Joe stepped away from performing to build his company, New England Alarm Contractors, though he still picks up a guitar from time to time to play with local musicians.
Fred Carfagna
A native of East Boston, (Al) Fred Carfagna’s passion for rock & roll was sparked the night he saw The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show. By twelve, he was writing songs and playing guitar, later switching to bass and forming his first band, Millennium.
Through the early ’70s, Fred played in several projects, including White Whale with Joe Capone and Figurehead, where he first teamed up with Mark McKenna.
In 1978, Fred and Mark reunited to begin writing the songs that would shape PULSE. With Joe returning from California and Jim Bacon joining on drums, the lineup was complete.
After PULSE disbanded, Fred stepped back from music for a time, but eventually returned to play in a string of bands—Strait Edge, Time Bandits, Code Blues, The Lifters, The Flying Monkeys, and Glider.
Beyond music, Fred is also an award-winning digital artist and graphic designer, bringing the same creativity to visual art that he brought to the stage.
Jim Bacon
Jim Bacon was a lifelong resident of the close-knit neighborhood of South Boston. He started playing drums at an early age, playing in bands with local Southie musicians.
He was recruited by Mark to join a cover band in Dorchester called Menagerie. When that group folded, Jim was asked to join PULSE—rounding out the lineup and locking in the band’s sound.
Known for his fierce, driving style, Jim gave PULSE its heartbeat. He was always experimenting with new gear, from his distinctive North Projection Drums to early syndrum technology, keeping the band’s rhythm sharp and modern.
In 1981, personal circumstances led Jim to part ways with PULSE. Over the years that followed, he occasionally reunited with bandmates Joe and Fred for short stints, but the group eventually lost touch.
Sadly, the band later learned of his untimely passing in 2005, but his powerful drumming remains a defining part of PULSE’s legacy.
