We couldn't afford a piano, so my parents rented me a classical guitar for $12 a month. I started studying around 10 years of age at Perinni Studios in Somerville NJ. I became bored with the lessons, so I started rewriting them. This drove my teachers crazy. The lessons just didn't sound right to me. I guess you could call it my early dabbling in arranging. I moved on to rock, and then blues lessons. My first electric guitar, a Guild Madeira, was limited but sufficient at the time. Then, at fifteen, I was turned on to my first Les Paul. My "Rock n' Roll" years were born...
Systur Carol, named after my sister, was my first crack at the vicious search for stardom. We started playing covers, but then I attempted writing my own songs. I was pleasantly surprised by the welcomed acceptance, so I never played cover music again. Systur Carol was quite successful and we were a band for a long time. But failure to get record contracts and other problems caused me to move on...
Rhapsody, my second near success story, was my band of the early 90's, with all the trimmings of your typical Hair band. Rhapsody gave me the true rock fantasy lifestyle, and I'm grateful to have had this experience to reflect upon from time to time. But after another case of, "you're great but...†so I moved on...
With Mad Guy Sky, the ultimate in alternative hard rock, I really thought I had it. Everything fit the “formula for successâ€. I really enjoyed writing for this one. It was the first time I was able to "kick out the jams". But once again, "you're great but...." Columbia Records raved about us and promised a "sit-down" in two weeks. An artist will do back flips from this kind of news. Well, after three months, my arms were getting tired from all the back flips, so I moved on...
All the while I also played Acoustic Instrumentals. I couldn't really sing, so I made the music tell the story. After being coaxed a bit, I recorded Sunday Morning Breakfast. To my amazement it took! You know what they say, "do what you do best." Picking up an acoustic and creating always came easy to me. Maybe my music is appealing to the average listener because I write soothing and uncomplicated melodies. I may not end up on the cover of Guitar Player Magazine, but I figured why not give it a shot, so I went all out with my limited resources and recorded Indian Summer. And that's how my career of Instrumental Music started. Who Knew?
But yet I could never abandon my true love of Rock, and my passion for writing it.
Jonnie on the Pony, a hard rock guitar army was very enjoyable for me to write for. Unfortunately it also reminded me how difficult it is to keep a large band a family...
In the present…
Recording, recording and recording...
Finally I'm behind the board... I share my house with my studio "Skunk Donut Records" and loving every minute of life. Acoustic, instrumental, hard rock projects, a little of both...I've decided to forget about chasing the industry, let the industry catch up with me. For now I'm performing as myself... and why not? We are all just a phone call away from tragedy so why not at least try to fulfill your dreams in the fashion that you see fit.