I was 17 when I started playing bass. I was at the 'end of my rope' emotionally, etc., and one night, after having realized I'd been watching the bass players on Midnight Special and Don Kirschner's Rock Concert, decided that was the thing for me- and it was! I like to think that maybe it saved my life in some significant way- it's definitely an element that's woven into my personal fabric, and remains a most prominent part of my life. I'm 50 at the time of this writing, so that's around 33 years worth of grunts, choking, and other plaintive sounds from whatever piece of wired and strung "firewood" I happen to have been "playing" during that span of time... and nothing's changed much!

Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention, Providence Civic Center, 1974. I was a recently turned-on listener, and they did all the songs live that were on the Roxy and Elsewhere (also live) album that I'd been listening to for almost a year.

Squier P-Bass with old Duncan pickup and a Squier 'A'-type neck, tuned B-E-A-D;


Hamer Cruisebass, 1983 model, heavily modded;


Well-beaten-on Czech plywood upright, 3/4 scale. Occasional use...


Trace Elliot amps:


AH250GP12SMX;


AH250GP7SM;


Commando 15 combo (150w model, no longer made, "because it doesn't suck"- quoted from Dominic at B-Sharp Music in Providence, RI)


The Dirtboard: Electronix Submarine preamp/dub pedal w/ Dogtone Fuzz made by Dick Nudenberg.

The Beatles from childhood- I played drums as a young'un and had a floor-tom like Ringo's. Then there was a lot of Stax/Motown that my dad had a great collection of on vinyl. Later after I took up the bass there was Zeppelin, Mountain, The Who, Yes...

Presently Novera (Portuguese GB, etc), The Backsliders (original) have been searching for a drummer for 2+ years now, and we've finally got one! Now we're beginning to get off the ground, pretty psyched... I gig occasionally with Big Oak Tree and another, as-yet unnamed trio...

Previous gigs of note have been The Millrats, The Buddy Roach Trio/Quartet, The Volcanic Skahunas, The Grubs, Crazy Train (short-lived Ozzy Tribute), The Volunteers, Sin City, OverSoul, Papa's Will...

John Bonham. Because he's John Bonham... Robert Fripp, because I think he's just 'out there' in the ether, where the ideas go...

Over 500, in Key West- Papa's Will, my band, sat in at the Second Annual Conch Republic Festival. Great gas and some good jam was had.

Smallest... who hasn't played to an empty room?

"Physical Graffitti", Led Zep... one of the most soulful, environmentally engaging albums ever recorded.

Wait, I've changed my mind: "Conference of the Birds" by the Dave Holland Quartet. Woody, organic, soulful.

No- wait...