I was always surrounded by music as a baby. My family were very much into the old RCA console which then was in mono only. I could be found plucking the strings on an old guitar as well as beating on pots and pans around the house. At age7, I was first seriously interested in playing an instrument. I picked up the accordion to be able to jam with my dad who also played. With extensive lessons in theory and scales, I soon became the county's best accordionist in competitions throughout the area. Moved onto the bass guitar as a teenager followed by a drum kit. The rest is still unfolding...

My father was an accordion player from the mountains of W. Va. so I went with him to see polka shows with Frankie Yankovic (the accordion king) when I was just out of diapers. When I was 8, I was at one of his concerts and he pulled me onto the stage to play with him because he had heard how good I was on the accordion. I freaked but did it lol

I started attending country and western reviews or shows with my mom when I was 5.
We went to the local drive-in to see the "Hells Angels on Wheels" movie and saw the Mudgumps play on a stage in the parking lot before the movie started. The Mudgumps ended up being the Momas and the Poppas soon after. I was about 10 and got to meet Moma Cass. I asked for her autograph and she said that I had to go find something to write on. So I ran back to the car and asked my mom for some paper. Ran back to Moma Cass and handed her the paper. She then said "I'm so sorry little man, but I don't have anything to write with". So she bent down, hugged me, and then gave my cheek a kiss. I went back to the car empty handed but with a great big smile and a memory that will last forever.

I would stay with my aunt and cousins every summer for about a week or so and we would go to the local community center to see various bands. Nothing mainstream but good bands. I remember seeing Brownsville Station many times. They did the original "Smokin in the boys Room". There was also an open air stage in the park that we would frequent for live local bands.

Alexandria Roller Rink - Humble Pie and King Crimson was my very first major rock concert on my own. My aunt dropped off my cousin and I and we later met up with a second cousin. They both played guitar and this became my very first band. I named it "Spinach"... The concert was amazing! Very loud and flashing lights everywhere. "This is it" I remember thinking to myself. The following week we went back there and saw Alice Cooper with his snake and silver jumpsuit - I was hooked! Right there I knew I would be playing on a stage............

I used a 7 pc double bass Ludwig drum kit from 1969 until 1980. In 1980 Bob Ludwig and I created an awesome way over-sized 9 pc custom kit consisting of 26" extra deep kicks, 13", 14", 15" and 16" rack toms, 14" by 10" deep wooden snare, 18" and 20" floor toms and all made of 8 ply birch with silver sparkle covering. Still own them! I also own an old early 60's Ludwig kit exactly like the one Ringo used the first time the Beatles played in the US. Lately I have moved into a killer Pearl 5 pc kit for it's simplicity. I also collect guitars and have some very cool axes as well as design and built a few on my own.

All of the Motown and Country Western artists of the 50s/60s were my main influences until I heard 3 piece power trio guitar bands. Jimi Hendrix was my main influence there, but also bands such as Grand Funk, The Who, Cream, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, James Gang, Rare Earth, Robin Trower, Mahogany Rush, Rush and so on... In the 80s I really got into metal bands - ALL of them! Smashing Pumpkins and Korn are two more modern bands I obsessed over.

Drumming influences: Buddy Rich, Gene Krupa, Ginger Baker (Cream), Keith Moon (the Who), John Bonham (Led Zeppelin), Mitch Mitchel (Jimi Hendrix Experience), Don Brewer (Grand Funk)

I was in a few bands that played locally and they were a great learning experience for all of the musicians. But in 1978 I was in an awesome band called August until 1980. Founding member John Piette was in a local music store and was asking about available drummers. I was mentioned and so we hooked up. We played all over the Mid Atlantic region and often ventured south. The band was very popular and we would sell out venues every time we were booked. Then moved into a Jimi Hendrix Tribute band and toured the country. After extensive studio recording and live gigs, the band decided to part ways. Around 2001 I started a new band called Bard with a friend I found in a local bar. He turned out to be nephew to the late great drummer, Gene Krupa. The band was ready to head to the studio to record it's first cd when the guitarist's heart was broken by a young female so he had to leave the state to become a surfer dude in Fla. Bard was short lived, about 2 yrs. I am currently drumming back in my awesome band August. We will be releasing new (as well as old) material starting this summer (2012) You WILL be hearing a lot about this band August! "LIKE" AUGUST ON FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/pages/August-Rock-and-Roll-Band/106996769899

I would love to have been able to jam with Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughn because of their fluid like expressions on guitar while playing from the soul. You become the music and it just happens... I haven't really thought about playing with anyone in particular, but would be up for just about anything musical (time permitting).