I'm a professional Landscape Architect & Community Planner, life-long musician, and crazed fan of British rock/blues/jazz. Born in Buffalo NY 1955 raised serious Catholic at St. Christopher's Parish & became an alter server after 1st communion. Played football, hockey and baseball. Became musically aware at nine yrs. old listening to the Beatles, Stones, The Who & Spencer Davis Group. About 1965 started skiing, scouting and began learning guitar. In 1967 I discovered Hendrix, The Yardbirds, John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, Traffic & CSNY. At Cardinal O'Hara HS in 1969 ran cross-country, wrestled, ran 440 & 880 relay track, joined ski club and became an avid outdoorsman. Moved with my family to Circleville OH 1971, formed a band in 1972 with Skip McCabe on bass & Robbie Gans on drums called "Hard Annies" playing covers from Cream, Chuck Berry, Neil Young, & The Byrds. Graduated CSHS 1973 and began musical collaborations with brothers Joe & Dave Funk (real name) & brothers Mike & Rick Blankenship playing covers of Led Zeppelin, Clapton, Procol Harum, James Gang & Stephen Stills. Attended UC 1973 to 1975 for Architecture simultaneously discovering Allman Bros, Genesis, Yes, Pink Floyd, Robin Trower & Mahavishnu Orchestra. Began OSU 1975, using wrestling skills joined Judo club, became treasurer, advanced to brown belt 1976 and transitioned to varsity Judo team, won weight class 163 in mid-west collegiate championships winter 1977. In spring 1977, right ACL injury ended Judo career, spent the summer listening to ZZ Top, Lynard Skynard, Marshall Tucker, Eagles, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers. The following academic year I graduated Bacheloriate in Landscape Architecture OSU 1979 and began professional career in Florida just before the Mariel boat lift of 1980. Van Halen, The Police and Rush were coming into their own. Continued mountaineering and climbed Mt. Rainier WA in 1982; drinking to 38 Special, Lynard Skynard and Thin Lizzy. Continued skiing and became NASTAR bronze medalist mens 25-32 slalom Squaw Valley CA 1983; going downtown to Jan Hammer, Chick Corea & Herbie Hancock. In 1983, Miami Vice contributed greatly to progressive rock and jazz fusion lead by Jan Hammer. Continued evolving instrumental guitar sound with simple stomp boxes and pedals. Married in 1983 one child born 1985, divorced 1998, remarried 2003. In 2003 began experimenting with electric guitar modeling and synthesizer, MIDI keyboard virtual instruments, layering tracks, digital audio workstation, recording and mastering. In 2007 formed my band 'Tonik NRG' performing instrumental rock. My closest friends are from: Fort Lauderdale FL, Buffalo NY, CSHS, the OSU, and from Gamma Chapter of Phi Kappa Tau - hopefully some of them will renew contact here.
