I don't really remember a time when I wasn't interested in music.  Like a lot of musicians, my first opportunity to play music came when I joined the school band program in 7th grade.  That was in 1969.  I learned to play baritone horn, and later trombone.  In the meantime, I began dabbling with pianos that I found at various locations around the schools. 

When I turned 16, I started hanging out with a couple of the neighborhood kids that were acquiring their first rock instruments.  Rick and Mike Musal were learning guitar and drums respectively.  I learned my first guitar chops from Rick.  When I was 16, I bought an old Harmony Bobcat from him for around $35.  I played it until I was able to save enough money, at 17, to buy a Fender Stratocaster. It's still my main axe.

Soon after this period, I began writing songs with another of the neighborhood kids, Ken "R. Mageddon" Hart (shown here circa 1978.) Ken demonstrated a knack for writing poetry.  

After graduating from high school in 1976, I spent a year at the local college with the intention of getting into radio.  The idea was that in order to get music to the public, connections in the radio business would be essential.  Since I was the only one in the class who managed to pass the FCC test and get a license, I spent many hours on the college radio station playing progressive rock to anyone who might be listening. 

Mike was there at the same time studying at the music school.  We spent much of our spare time attempting to record the music I was writing with the crudest of recording equipment and techniques.  All we had was two cassette decks.  We would ping-pong the tracks between them until we could layer up enough instruments to get an idea what the song was going to sound like.  Some of those tapes have survived.  Jeez do they sound bad!

    1     NEXT