Member Since: 27/01/2006
Influences: My roots are with the like of Clapton, Page, Trower, Hendrix, Winter, Derringer, Beck, Blackmore, Iommi,... to Angus, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Van Halen, K.K. Downing. Glen Tipton, Michael and Rudolph Schenker, Matthias Jabs, Gary Moore, Zakk Wylde, Jake E. Lee Randy Rhodes!!.. and many more...Did I mention Eric Clapton?! Of course, I was heavily influenced by Craig, growing up peeking through windows in my hometown bars .....of Dio and Elf. When they got their break to support Deep Purple, I was a Blackmore freak for a while. I worked at a record store at age 15 for Icarus Records, and aquired a huge record collection. Not to mention the albums my brother left me when he went on tour with Elf and Deep Purple... Cream, Procol Harum, Trower, Jethro Tull,...and some real obscure stuff. I sat with Cream albums, setting the needle back until you could see through them! Crossroads, Born Under A Bad Sign,... Vibrato! if nothing else, I have the Clapton vibrato!... God Craig was great! Then he went through a Tower Of Power, Stanley Clark, Jaco Pastorius, Jeff Beck trip, and I learned some great shit! I need to add that although,Technically, I'm not a great guitar player, I'm fucking great at what I do, AND know why, and who it came from! As opposed to the horseshit they call music today! There's no guitar solos anymore! How the fuck do these guys get record deals without guitar solos!!?? Rock 'n Roll IS guitar! If you cant pull it off, then hire somebody that can, just dont go without!... Anyway, I have to give credit to the late, great drummer, Gary Driscoll of Elf and Rainbow, for just style, and the definition of cool! Gary once insisted I wear a pair of his killer, real leopard skin boots to "dimies at the Dugout night" in Ithaca NY, (two inches of beer everywhere)! He was a friend, and greatly missed. I wish they'd find the fuckers resposible for his murder!... And also Dave " Rock" Feinstein, also from Elf and The Rods. Dave was the first Guitar Great I ever saw live as a kid! Thanks to Pete Mendillo and Carl Cannedy..And a fantastic musician, bassist, vocalist, guitarist and lyricist, (Lou Kaplan, a true friend)! One of the best drummers I ever saw and grew up with, Tim Cosmo! There are so many friends I would like to mention that have had a big influence on me, But again, you guys know who you are and you have my respect...And a huge thanks to you all!
A special thanks to my late father, WWII hero, Wendell F. Gruber.
My late mother Marjorie..RIP.My daughters; HEY BIANCA and ERICA!!! LUV, DAD! XXOO!Last but not least, my beautiful and dear love of my life, Pamela.
You are my rock and to you I wish all the best!
Type of Label: Unsigned