steve - ProfilesArchive

About Me

So much to say........currently I'm a Berkeley based artist (music mainly) enjoying life and sharing in the fruits of the world. I've been around the world and seen so much of what people from various cultures have to offer, thanks in part to opportunities derived from my musical talent. I've loved the people and places all over the world but have been happily settled in California for the last 5 years. I'm a free lance musician and support myself with every aspect of the business you can think of. I'm very fortunate to be able to do this, but an artist's life is a difficult one in it's own respects.Well, enough cereal box philosophy from me, let's get on with the facts. I was born in the bicentenial year of our country, the same date as Albert Einstein, and one day before one of my best friends. St. Paul, MN is a cold place in March and Rochester, NY, where we moved a few years later is no warmer. At a couple months by I was adopted into a loving family, the Laciaks, and when I was 5 we moved from the suburbs of Minneapolis to the 'burbs of Rochester. I had a wonderful childhood; I did well in school, played little league, made friends easily and enjoyed the 4 seasons of upstate NY. My parents were from Indiana near Chicago and we'd visit our relatives a couple times a year, though it was never enough. Before I was ten I started practicing karate thanks to Ralph Machio and during my high school years, I was the number 1 fighter in the country for my age. Traveling for those competitions was my first experience touring different parts of the world, or atleast the country.I've always loved music- grew up around it- and have been exploring it ever since I can remember. When I was 12 I started playing guitar. That has been the single dominant passion in my life ever since. I played in bands throughout middle school and high school then went on to Shenandoah Conservatory and studied jazz. That was a wonderful experience that I grew from in so many ways. Our jazz ensemble had the priveledge of touring Germany, Iceland, Spain, France, Switzerland and Japan during my education. We also got to play with some amazing jazz artists like Randy Brecker, Bob Berg, and Billy Taylor. The day after graduating our jazz ensemble left for another European concert tour. After the tour, I stayed in Europe by myself and explored the cultures of Spain and France for a month. I met some friends en route, but as seems to be the case with traveling my journey was over too quickly and I went back to America. Shortly after I was in NYC auditioning for a position playing guitar for a cruise ship company. I got the job and a month later I was flying back to Europe for my gig. I was excited to explore more of Europe; Amsterdam, Italy, the British Isles, Russia, the Scandanavian coutries, Portugal, Greece, and many more. When it got cold in November we set sail for the Caribbean where we'd hang out for the next 6 months. Beautiful tropical places like Jamaica, Aruba, Mexico and other wonderful spots. We left the following April returning to Europe where I finished my year long stint with the company. I decided to stay in Europe and visit a Spanish girl I'd fallen for. The next few months I roamed Spain, France and England then concluded my journey with a week long stay skiing in the Swiss Alps. Things didn't work out with her and I returned to NY. I was back home with my friends and family, working a day job saving money for 6 months. In May with another best friend we drove cross-country headed for the San Francisco Bay area. We took our time getting there- 4 weeks of partying and seeing this beautiful country of our's. At that time I'd seen more of Europe than America. That was 5 years ago. What am I doing now? In the last month I've played solo performances, played guitar in a pit orchestra, transcribed music, sang and played in the ongoing show San Francisco Summer of Love, I written music, I've recorded guitar parts for other composers and musicians, I've taught guitar lessons and shot a commercial. Today my life is more rich than ever. I'm very blessed to be where I am....living with my girlfriend Alice, making our way in the world.

My Interests

Music. Good food, both cooking and eating. Policy and politics, local and global. Partying. Laughing. Meeting people. Football and beer. Dancing, exercising, basketball, snowboarding, running, swimming, hottubs. Learning, reading. Having fun. Money and My career. Golf and Pool. Hiking, the great outdoors, picnics. Cheese and wine and other alcoholic beverages. Coffees, movies and more.

I'd like to meet:

Those who are inspired. People who offer things to me which help me grow. People who share a love for music and the arts. Humanitarians. Those who still have spirit in this materialistic world. Grounded folk. As many interesting people as possible. Men and women with love, wisdom, intellect, benevolence, patience, experience, generosity, money, power, passion, drive, connections, knowledge, respect and pesistance. People who lack those qualities that I might share what I possess with them.

Music:

Being a musician I like all types of music. What I listen to most often is Rock, Jazz, Reggae, Swing, Hip hop, Latin, Funk, Blues, Fusion, Acoustic singer/sonwriter, World Music, Salsa, Flamenco, Pop, Disco, Guitar music, Motown, Oldies, Folk, Gospel, Classical, Electronic/DJ and shows. It's rare that I listen to Country, Gangster Rap, or Japanese koto music....but I like most of that stuff, too. This is hard to do but I'll list some of my favorites. ROCK: The Beatles, Jeff Buckley, The Police, Counting Crows, Rage Against the Machine, Zeppelin, Green Day, Red Hot Chili Peppers....JAZZ:Michael Brecker, Pat Metheny, Coltrane, Miles, John Mclaughlin, Duke Ellington, Bill Evans, Ella and Louis.....REGGAE:Marley and Matisyahu.......(ok, this is getting ridiculous!!) Elliot Smith, Clapton, Radio Head, Nada Surf, Kirk Franklin, Splashdown, The Killers, Sheryl Crow, The Who, Guns n' Roses, SRV, Weezer, Marvin Gaye, Cold Play, Paco de Lucia, Pink Floyd and on and on and on......

Movies:

Pulp Fiction, Waking Life, The Notebook, Sleepy Hollow, Hong Kong cinema, the Star Wars series, Children of the Lost City, Garden State, Orange County, Amelie, The Godfathers, Napolean Dynamite, Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Breakfast Club, A Christmas Story, Indiana Jones, comedies/romantic comedies and dramas are my favorites.

Television:

NFL, educational programs, Espn, PBS (especially Austin City Limits), Supernatural and Seinfeld still, after all these years. No reality shows for me.

Books:

The Sun Also Rises, The Best Democracy Money Can Buy, holy scriptures, Jung, Neitzche, Miles Davis autobiography, Don Quixote and Arabian Nights.

Heroes:

My parents, Jimi and Jimmy (Hendrix and Page), all four of the fab four, most of the Oakland Raiders and our troops.