Where to start? I was born on Thanksgiving Day 1983. The Sixers were embarking on a title defense season. The Flyers were in rebuilding mode after a devastating defeat by the New York Islanders, and Captian Bobby Clarke's retirement was imminent. The aging Phillies were in the process of turning their Championship legacy over to group of young underachievers, headed up by Von Hayes and Steve Jeltz. Eagles fans awaited a new era lead by the likes of a magician donning the number 12 on his chest. VanHalen's 5150 studios were born, along with Edward's ever famous signature 5150 amplifier.
I was raised on the likes of Glen Miller, Count Basie, Herb Alpert and the Tijauana Brass, Bennie Goodman: The King of Swing, and of course Ol' Blue Eyes. As I grew older I gained respect for the blues, and the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and many many others.
As you could imagine, my elementary school colleagues of inferior intelligence riddled me for not delving into the pop scene dominated by the likes of Coolio and Mary J. Blige. I stuck to what I knew, then I was given a copy of Van Halen 1.
So I got my first guitar for my 16th birthday as consolation for not making the highschool basketball team (I got cut on purpose because I wanted to play club hockey (a real sport) and my highschool didn't have a team at the time).
The same year, I joined a few pals in High School and formed a project called "The Vast Difference" (which is actually a play on words for the male reproductive organ the Vas Deferens). We covered a few popular punk songs that were easy to play and turned out a few nice original licks; even a performance or two.
It wasn't until 2003 when I joined Wheeling Bitch Circus
Wheelingbitchcircus.com
(myspace.com/wheelingbitchcircus)
that I learned another dimension of the instrument. It was at this time when the Ibanez/Marshall synergy was made apparent to me. I haven't looked back. I participated in two studio albums with Wheeling Bitch Circus, as well as an E.P. and continue to write, record, and perform at a multitude of venues with Wheeling Bitch Circus.
In November of 2007, My best friend and I decided to breathe life into a small acoustic project called The Special Guests. The Special Guests were comprised of a group of close friends, some with more musical experience than others, come together to put their spin on popular hits from the 70's, 80's, 90's, and present. Through hard work and synergy the Guests were able to achieve moderate success in the local bar scene. I ended my term as the lead guitar for the Special Guests in July 2008 for personal reasons.
In July 2008, my services were called on to fill a guitar vacancy in The Machine Stops
Themachinestops.wheelingbitchcircus.com
(mypsace.com/themachinestopsmusic)
which is now comprised of a lineup that closely resembles WBC. Look for a TMS E.P. in the coming months.
