First, I am not a great writer so to actually sit down and attempt to explain "me" is a major task.
One thing I realized, as I sat down and started to type, is that I don't know exactly what I wish to say to the world. I could take the stance that this site is only for my friends and I could write for only those that know me. I could write for those souls that stumble across this site and wonder why I even bothered to put my two cents in.
I guess I'll choose the latter so...
Music:
History
My main focus for as far back as I can remember has been music. All I wanted in life was to have a steady paycheck composing and performing. Back many moons ago I was a skinny "not pimply - I got lucky with that score" kid sitting at my bestfriends house listening to his album collection. Even at the age of nine he had collected hundreds and hundreds of albums of Rock, and later Metal. What was so cool is that he would put on an album and pick up his guitar and start playing right along with the album. God, he was good. And I wanted to play along with him. It turned out that the only time I could even pick up a guitar was at his house. I found out pretty quickly that my father would not have anything to do with a musical instrument outside of our piano in his house. I wasn't even aloud to touch that. He had plans for me from the beginning. I was to be a CPA just like him. "That is the only way to ensure your success in this world" So I hid the fact that I was interested in music and started to play on occassions over at my friends house. I turned 11 and was shocked that my mom took me down to the store and bought me a cornet. Wasn't exactly a "cool" instrument but still I was aloud to play music. Problem was I could not ever practice at home when dad was around. When I was twelve we moved to Bermuda. While there I fought and lost to the sounds of Reggae. I didn't see much point in it at first, but over a period of time it fed my soul with such wonderment and life. Nothing like sitting on a pink beach with the sounds of Yellow Man drifting over the surf. While living there I met some people who had guitars, drums, etc. And I started to goof off with playing again. This time learning a little bit of island rhythm to my rock knowledge. My friend - Tran - would get annoyed with me because I would go to his house and steal away time and guitar. He would complain, "Don't ya wanna go outside? Play Futball or someting, mon." His older sister turned me onto Culture Club. Never really was my thing but chicks dug it. I even started to try and learn to play some of their stuff. The sad thing was I was not good at music. Not at all. I had the drive and ambition but not the talent. (This is why I think Tran couldn't stand me always playing his guitar) Boy, I sucked. Anyway, we moved back to Houston, oh that's where I am originally from, when I turned 15. Which meant I started hangin at the cool kids house again. He now had a fleet of guitars and albums and was trying to be the first kid in houston to have learned a 1000 songs by the age of 16. One day he put on an album that changed my view of music drastically. Violent Femmes - I heard the bass player and flipped right out. That guy made the guitar player sound like a chump! Hell that guy made most guitar players sound like chumps. I knew right then my instrument of choice. I wanted to be a musician more importantly I wanted to be a bass player! Go figure, the bass player doesn't get the girls, is never talked about, and never really listened to by the rest of the band, but after hearing that guy I was willing to take upon the responsibility of being celibate, mute and ignored.
I am going to skip a few years. Flash forward: Learned to play first real song: "Breaking the Law - Judas Priest" Learned to play some Black Sabbath and AC/DC. Moved back to Bermuda. Got to meet Motley Crue, Alice Cooper, and a few others. Started playing Reggae with more understanding this time. (It almost started to sound like real music) Found bass in the attic of my church. Took home, played, and got busted. Bass disappeared back to the attic in the church. Hangin with Tony McAlpine's cousin we called Seagul. Sitting in Italian restaurants and listening to Italian folk. Listening to Hindi - sitar was fascinating to me....
Flash Forward:
College:
I was enrolled in a music college in '88. I was scared and thrilled. I didn't think I was ready for college and I was being dumped back in the states by myself. My parents were still living in Bermuda. Anyway, I was not allowed, under no circumstances, to take a music class of any kind. So with my 19th birthday gift of 200 dollars from the folks I bought my first legal bass and amp. Bass: Peavey Patriot (2X4 with strings) and started to learn from the guys around me. My parents found a music class on my report card (made an A in Musical Theory) and was yanked out of school.
Flash Forward:
Bad times from 20 to 24:
If it wasn't for my friends: Babyface, Mustang and the rest along with music I would not have survived this time. Let me say I did find a LOT of time to practice. I started to become a real musician. When I say a lot I mean LOT, sometimes 8 hours+ a day. Good things did come from those times. One being the drive to live no matter what goes on. To Babyface's mother I owe her everything. Another good thing was my first orginized band. Oddly enough it still goes on today. Rock on guys.
Texarkana:
In year of 94 I found myself living in Texarkana with my folks. Didn't take long for me to end up playing with friends and such, bouncing from project to project etc. Anyway, I'll just give a "off the top" run of band projects I've been focused in.
Raga Irie - Reggae with middle eastern mix - Bass
Zero Tolerance - Rock covers - Bass
DeWar - Artrock/Metal hybrid - guitar
Hyperactive Tyre Swing - Primus like - Bass
Burial Ground - Metal/Alternative - Bass, Keyboards
InSinUWait - Bass, a little keys
Barrabas - Industrial/Electronica-rock/with a dash of world. - Bass, Keyboards, Djembe, Doumbek, Sitar
