music

Introduction | My Guitar Gear | My LAST.FM Charts | Custom Guitar Effects | More coming soon!

Introduction

Music is one of my biggest passions, and has been for the majority of my life. I grew up hearing my sister play the family piano, and as soon as I was able to climb on the bench, I started plucking the keys myself. In 1985, I was introduced to the guitar, and from the moment I strummed my first clumsy G Major chord, I was hooked. I got my first bass guitar in 1988, and while I don't enjoy playing bass as much as guitar, I still love the instrument and its possibilities. I've recently delved into playing the mandolin and banjo, as well.

Being a "musical" child of the 80s, my main influences were bands like Metallica, Guns N' Roses, Anthrax, The Crucified, Living Sacrifice, and the like — but to this day, I still have a fondness for ELO, RATT, Sammy Hagar, and other late 70s/early 80s bands, thanks to my brother.

The late 80s/early 90s brought about highly influential bands like Stone Temple Pilots, Alice in Chains, Quicksand, Rob Zombie, and, of course, Soundgarden. Those bands had the biggest influence on my songwriting and playing during those years, and I'm still avid fans of them all to this day.

Fast-forward to the present, and if you were to view my iTunes Library (a feature I'm working on implementing, by the way), you would think I'd become quite the split personality. Mixed with all the hardcore rock and metal, you'll find jewels like The Be Good Tanyas, Katheleen Edwards, Eilen Jewell, Old Crow Medicine Show, Laura Veirs, The Weepies, Feist, and other folk, roots, and alternative-country bands.

Presently, most of my playing and writing is more on the mellow side, as opposed to the hardcore rock I used to write. It seems the older I get, the more I'm interested in having a song tell me a story vocally, and I'm no longer impressed with guitar solos, complicated rhythms, speed playing, etc. But of course, I do still go into drop D from time to time, and lash out with some jaw-jarring metal riffs that frighten most women, and make small children cry.

And there you have it: a glimpse into what makes me tick, musically. Be sure to browse the different sections linked above to get more specific info, and be sure to come back often as this section gets updated regularly!