I..ve been nominated in the category "Best Shredder" on the 2008 Metal Hammers Golden Gods awards. You can vote by clicking the image below and selecting the shredder link.
I grew up in Alsip,il. which is about 30 minutes south of Chicago.I bounced around the suburbs(Oak Lawn,Homer Glen,Orland Park)over the years.Played guitar in a few local bands until forming Disturbed in 1996.Created a Loyal following in the south suburbs.It was a scene!!! I quit my job as a union carpenter in the winter of 98..to focus 100% on the band.Over the next 6 months,we went into the studio to record a couple demos which had songs like(Down with the Sickness,Stupify,The Game,Shout) to name a few.I started sending the material to everyone we can get a contact for.Within a month,I had some major labels showing interest.We were rejected from playing a music conference in Chicago(MOBFEST) in the spring of 99...After a meeting and some convincing,we were added last minute to play the conference.On the last day of the fest,we were the last band to play at a folk bar.All of our loyal fans came anyways and all hell broke loose.We finished our set and that..s when our lives changed forever.We didn..t sleep for about a month.We were offered a publishing deal,had attorneys flying out,record labels flying us in.We were asked to play more shows so other labels could see what..s going on.Our heads were spinning!!!Warner Bros. put us on our first big show opening for Ministry in our hometown.In the dressing room,we offically signed our record deal with Giant/Reprise Records.That was in August of 1999.We released our debut album"The Sickness"in March 2000.We were added to play OZZFEST that year.By the end of the tour,the cd went GOLD.(500,000 copies).By X-MAS it went platinum(1,000,000)We toured with Stone Temple Pilots,Godsmack,in Europe with Marilyn Manson,Japan,Canada,back on Ozzfest in 2001 and moved up to the mainstage and also started headlining(Music as a Weapon).We toured for about 22 months straight!!!!Seven years later,it is over 3.8 million copies in America alone.Our second release ,"BELIEVE",came in Sept.2002 and debut at #1 on the Billboard Charts in America & New Zealand,knocking out the Dixie Chicks.lol!We moved to Reprise/Warner Bros. when Giant Records closed it..s doors for good.We scanned about 1.6 million copies of "Believe".We toured more:Korn,Europe,Australia,New Zealand,Russia,Canada,Ozzest 2003,Music as a Weapon 2,etc...We came off the road in the fall of 03...During that time off, I got married to Nicole,had a Daughter Maya who is now 4 yrs.old and added bassist John Moyer. We all took an extended break from touring but we were still working and writing for the next cd.We released "TEN THOUSAND FISTS" in Sept. 2005, which debut at #1 for the second time in a row in America,New Zealand & Australia.Scanning more than 1.5 million units.More touring,more countries,4th time on Ozzfest.This time co-headling with System of a Down.Headlined Music as a Weapon 3.Came home right before X-mas 2006. started writing new material.My son(Justin) was born in June of 07.....I didn..t think i could love anything more than playing guitar until my kids were born.Enjoyed the summer at home with family and friends!Entered the Groovemaster studio to record our fourth album in sept. 2007.Self-producing this time around.Mixed it in LA. with Neal Avron in Dec.2007.The release date is June 3rd 2008!We are doing a 3 week run in the U.S.. and then we will go to europe in June for the biggest festivals you can imagine.Doing some shows with Metallica,Judas Priest,Kiss & the list goes .. to do it all over again!Looking forward to hearing from old & new friends. Please don..t be offended if i haven..t added some of you!We have the band myspace & the band site Disturbed1.com This is more of a personal page into my life so i have to be selective.Much Love & Respect!found this music layout at HOT FreeLayouts.com
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