I started taking piano lessons from my mom when I was about 6. When I was 11 I started playing upright bass in the school orchestra, and a year later I picked up bass guitar for jazz band. I picked up guitar soon after that.

The Eagles during the grand opening of the new Mile High Stadium, and I was 12. Unfortunately they were nosebleed seats and you couldn't hear anything, so my family was pretty angry about the whole thing.

Basses:
-Homebrew fretless bass made from an old Squier
-Ibanez S300DX
-Ernie Ball Music Man Sterling HH (Primary 4-string, used most often for recording)
-Yamaha RBX775 (5-string)
-Ibanez SR506 (6-string, primary)

Guitars:
-Ibanez SV5470 (Primary)
-Fender Standard Strat (FOR THE FUNK)
-ESP LTD EX-250 (Drop tuning)
-B.C Rich Bich (Even lower drop tuning)

A tie between Megadeth and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. I learned how to play bass by playing along with Flea, but I was also the most enormous Megadeth fanboy in middle school. Megadeth probably influenced my guitar playing more than bass.

Playing currently in Zyzzyx Road, a classic rock cover band, and Sylva, an original funk/rock/fusion project with the best musicians I know. I'm also in a certain really famous band that I can't talk about!

I would definitely jam with Devin Townsend. He is a brilliant musician and person. Also, Chad Smith's amazingly tight drumming puts him on top for me. And of course, all the usual suspects: Steve Vai, Marco Sfogli, Alex Argento, the dudes in Dirty Loops, Dave Weckl, Dave Weiner, etc.