I was brought into this world on Tuesday, March 26, 1974 and grew up in Shamokin, PA, a small city nestled in the state’s central coal region. I got into music at a very young age, listening to my older brother Bob’s (what would now be defined as) “classic rock†albums (i.e. Boston, Rush, Kansas, Queen, Billy Joel, etc.). However, I quickly moved on from the "harmless" FM arena rock and, at the young age of eight years, became immersed in the heavy metal scene when everyone else was listening to Michael Jackson, Madonna, and Wham. I am proud to say that the first concert spectacle I ever witnessed was Judas Priest during 1984’s Defenders of the Faith tour. I was only ten years old. It was a life changing experience.
I pretty much abandoned all other activities and sports when I started playing the snare drum in the Shamokin Area Elementary School Band. At the end of my sixth grade year, I began in earnest my life-long obsession with the drum kit, and I have never looked back. I was involved in music throughout high school, where I was the President of the Shamokin Area High School Band and also a member of the jazz band, percussion ensemble, and chorus. I also began playing in rock cover bands, such as Undercover and Wet Paint, during my high school years.
Upon graduating from SAHS in 1992, I moved on to higher education via The Pennsylvania State University's Berks Campus in Wyomissing, PA (just outside the cesspool that is Reading, PA), where I began studying English with an emphasis in Creative Writing. In 1994, I moved to State College, PA to attend PSU's University Park campus, from which I graduated in 1996 with a BA in English. During my college years, I played in numerous bands, including Blather's Kite, The Bland Donuts, Fluxus Continuum, 39 Fingers, and others, and played pretty much every local music venue in State College.
After college, I continued playing with Blather's Kite, as well as other musical endeavors such as Bunker Hill and Victoria's Secret Service. Then, in 1999 (after all of my original projects disbanded), I joined an already established all-Beatles cover band in the Berks County area called Number Nine. Currently, I still play in this band, though not as frequently as in previous years. You can check out Number Nine at www.numbernine.tv.
My current musical passion, however, is with herbie. We've been performing all over PA and beyond for the last several years, and I really have enjoyed my tenure with herbie. I love the diversity and complexity of the music that we write and perform, and couldn't be happier with the band. You can check us out at www.herbierock.com or here on MySpace at www.myspace.com/herbie.
Aside from all of my musical endeavors, I am happily married (since 1999) to my high school sweetheart, Brandi, who I've been in love with since we met in 1990. She is the most amazing person in the world and also the most supportive wife a musician could ask for. I am one lucky bastard!
