Hi, I am very much into music, and come from a very musical family. My parents, and all of my five (5) brothers are all musicians. I am the only one to take it to a "professional" level. I started playing at the age of 8, and got my first drum-set at 9. I played in numerous bands, and kept myself quite busy doing that. All the way through high school I was in several bands, and one which I thought might actually get somewhere called Heaven's Rose. It was a large band with two keyboardists, and it was kind of like we were going for that progressive rock sound like Genesis, Yes, Kansas,..you know the kind. Anyway,. I was at the time best friends with (RIP) Jim Fontano ..singer/songwriter/vocalist. And we were constantly trying to record and play our own music. Jim was an incredible songwriter, and some of his songs could easily have hit the charts. We had our own band called The SKEPTIX, and it took first place in the Hayward Bay Area Battle Of The Bands Contest, and had several opportunities to record as well. A little later I got my friend Marshal Coleman into the band to play guitar and sing. And the tunes which Marshal was writing were more what I felt like playing at the time. We (The Skeptix) just so happened to need a guitar player, and I wanted to work Marshal in. After a while,. I worked my way into working with Marshal. And I joined his band. It wasn't long, and we were writing songs and performing together in some great venues. There were big time investors and the band was surrounded by major record label interest. We were opening for great bands like The Outfield, Humble Pie, and our favorite band, "The Producers". Well,.at least we recorded "Shakes". I was a part of the songwriting and it was great fun to be a part of that, and hear something you wrote played on the airwaves. We all want to hear our own music played on the radio, right? It was exciting! We were sponsored by the soft drink "Orangina", and we toured around the colleges in California. We also did their radio advertisement. And we were managed by Starz Guitarz in San Francisco. We also through them, recorded with members of The Tubes, and I got my Yamaha RCS Drums with Prairie Prince. Once I sat on his kit, I knew I had to buy one. After Shakes,. and there were many others, I joined forces with The Jimmy Lyon Band. Jimmy wrote most all the hits for Eddie Money, including "Baby Hold On To Me", "Two Tickets To Paradise", "Gamblin Man", and many others. Jimmy also was guitarist for John Waite from the Baby's, as well as guitarist for Tina Turner. From there I went to meet many a great musicians, and also ended up in The Greg Kihn Band with Jimmy Lyon after Joe Satriani left the band. I have recorded/toured around the US, and Canada with The Greg Kihn Band, and I am the drummer on the "Unkihntrollable Live" CD. Credence Clearwater Revival's drummer "Doug Clifford" played on the other 4 cuts. Doug is a wonderful guy, and took me into his home and was just a very cool, warm, awesome person. During the making of that CD we had the chance to get to know each other and it was a fun time. Also on keyboards we had Duane Hitchings, who wrote "Betty Davis Eyes" for Kim Carnes, and he also played keys for Carmine Appice's King Kobra, and also keys for Rod Stewart. I have played with quite a few great "well known" musicians. I've had some great times, and have been very lucky in music,. and they're not over yet. I feel life is really just beginning. And it's what we make of it. I am a very fun, outgoing "positive" person with a great (some times dark) sense of humor. I love the outdoors, and anything that goes with it. Swimming, boating, snow, water, it doesn't matter, I'm there. Try to always look at the humorous side of things no matter what the situation, because we all need to laugh. O.K., O.K.,.. maybe not every situation. My email address is
[email protected] Write me!....
