Spitfire

I was born July 30th 1976 in Los Angeles, California. My dad left my sister, schizophrenic brother, and I when I was 2. My mom worked full time to support us, so I never saw her. Since I was alone all the time I decided that instead of becoming a drug addict, I would become the next best thing..... a singer/musician.One day when I was 11, I just happened to find a guitar in my sisters closet! I grew up in an all Mexican area so a couple guys were nice enough to take me in their band and taught me mariachi music. I played in a mariachi band and quit when I was 14 to start playing rock. I went to a music store and convinced one of the teachers to give me lessons if I washed his car twice a week. After a year of lessons and spending every minute of my life practing I learned most of what he knew so I became a teacher at the store. Along that time I learned how to play drums and sing correctly also. I've been a music/vocal teacher since. Anyway, I started playing in bands around LA at the same time. I played in every type of band I could ie.. rock, rap, r and b, and even grindcore and deathmetal. I was mainly in the background working as a back up singer, guitarist, bassist, and drummer for 8 years until I gave up my music dream. It took me years of playing bullshit pay-to-play clubs and being in bands with people who had no idea of what it takes to write a good song (they were to worried about being labeled a sellout) to realize that I need to be the lead singer and song writer. I just didn't have the confidence to do it. Anyway, at age 22 I got sick of dealing with music people and thought "hey, I bet the people in the military are a lot more mature, professional, and responsible. I can have a stable career and retire in 20 years". I was wrong. Anyway, I joined the Air Force (1999-2002). My job was to fly on board an AWACS surveillance aircraft. I had to go through intense electronic and survival training. Everything was pretty simple until sep. 11th. After that I took up residence in the Middle East. At night in the dessert I would sing and play guitar to the troops to take their minds off the hell they were going through. After flying over Afghanistan everyday for 16 hours, directing bombings, and watching my friends die (for reasons I still don't understand) I decided that this isn't the life for me. I guess I started to ask too many questions about what we were doing there so they told me to stop or I'd get thrown in jail. I couldn't just sit and watch my friends die so I decided to protest. The military then told me I was crazy and sent me back to the u.s. They diagnosed me with a "personality disorder" and sent me on my way. Upon re-entering the civilized world I found it hard to adapt. I had no money and I couldn't get a job when employers became aware of the military's diagnosis. So I pretty much decided right then that I'd have to become a rock star. I lived in my truck on the beach in Malibu, Ca. After 7 months I was losing hope. I'd sit in front of starbucks and sing for famous people. I was well liked but nobody would help me. I was playing songs by Sublime and the Beatles. One day I decided that I need to write my own stuff. It was very explicit and profane but that's the way I felt. All the other musicians around me hated me. They said I was vulgar because of my profanity and I'm going to get arrested if I keep it up. I thought to myself "fuck them" and kept doing what was in my heart. One day Shifty (from Crazytown) walked by. He was really into what I was doing. He gave me some good advice. He said "make a demo and get it to someone you really respect". Two months later I gave Shifty a cd at one of his shows. Ever since then my life has never been the same. I ended up getting a job helping him write his solo CD and in turn he introduced me to Paul Oakenfold. Paul signed me and now I've been blessed with a chance at a career in music. And just if you were wondering I don't live in my truck anymore. Well, at least not all the time.