My life in music...

Inspiration,  blessings and challenges have all brought a sense of gratefulness for what's been and what's to come.

Pivotal, supportive people helped so much along the way and my appreciation for you runs deep!

 

My attraction to music goes back as far as I can remember...

My sweet Italian mother was a graphic artist and my stern Irish father was a high school basketball star turned Marine Sergeant and Korean War veteran. My home life was turbulent but things were better when the music was playing. As a young boy there was an interesting, diverse array of records playing in the house and filling my head. Bing Crosby, Dean Martin, movie soundtracks like Paint Your Wagon and Fiddler On The Roof, TV shows like American Bandstand, Hee Haw, Soul Train and Lawrence Welk as well as the weekly church hymns.

As a shy, deep, introverted kid, my fascination with music and the guitar soon dominated my luv for basketball.

By age 7 after witnessing David Cassidy with his classic Sunburst Fender Stratocaster and perfectly feathered hair performing 'I Can Feel Your Heartbeat', I was determined to get my own guitar.

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Early favorites...

My first pieces of vinyl received endless spins on my little suitcase record player. Elton John's 'Greatest Hits', a 45 of Neil Young's 'Heart of Gold' and a KTEL album called 'Believe in Music'. The KTEL record was packed with a great selection. Songs like 'Brandy' (Looking Glass), 'Go All The Way' (The Raspberries), 'Let It Rain' (Derek and the Dominoes), 'Long Cool Woman' (The Hollies), 'Hold Your Head Up' (Argent), 'Summer Breeze' (Seals and Crofts) and 'Backstabbers' (The O'Jays). I was always fond of moody ballads. 'I Never Cry' by Alice Cooper,  'I Feel Like A Bullet In The Gun Of Robert Ford' by Elton John and 'All By Myself' by Eric Carmen to name a few. Even then it was crystal clear that the real power of music was in the strength of a great song!

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One special day...

I was soon exposed to an earful of serious rock albums from the 70's. I was gifted a full day of music education at my neighborhood friends psychedelic garage full of lava lamps and black light posters. They sat me down and turned me on to Led Zeppelin '2', Pink Floyd 'Wish You Were Here', Montrose (debut), Boston (debut), Journey 'Look Into the Future', Queen 'A Night at the Opera', Black Sabbath 'Masters of Reality', Ted Nugent (debut), Genesis 'Lamb Lies Down On Broadway', Jethro Tull 'Aqualung, Heart 'Little Queen', Derringer, Yes 'Fragile', Foghat 'Live and Lynyrd Skynyrd 'Pronounced. It became clear just how powerful it was to hear an album from front to back in the artists perfect, intended sequence allowing the ultimate listening experience! 

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An iconic moment...

One day a neighborhood friend Bob Auen got up in my face and held up the album cover of Kiss  'Alive'.

And from that moment on, it was game over for me!  Seeing that iconic photo was absolutely life changing and launched my desire to be in a band and get on stage! The idea of Rock stardom was now firmly implanted in my head and I was 100% aware that time was ticking fast and the race was on. After all, I only had a lifetime to make it happen.

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The guitar in the house...

My oldest brother Kevin acquired a nylon string acoustic guitar with strings so high off the neck you could slide your whole hand underneath them. It was virtually impossible to play but I still couldn't keep my hands off it whenever I had the chance. He gave me some guidance and helped get me started with a few chords and riffs from various songs.

He also got an imitation Gibson Les Paul Special and even though I was strictly told NOT to touch it, nothing was gonna stop me. Fortunately it wasn't long before my Mother took me guitar shopping at Montgomery Ward's department store in Oakland, Ca where I got my very own axe, a 'Global' imitation Les Paul electric guitar for $67. My inspiration soared and I practiced fiercely determined to hone my skills.

 

The 70's were a great time for an aspiring young guitarist...

The music of the era was filled with many great bands and players to listen to. And aside from basketball, music was the only real thing of interest and anyone who was in either game was either an ally or competitor. Growing up in Alameda, Ca was a very special place and there were many aspiring young guitarists in my neighborhood. Honestly it seemed as if every other house on every block in town was home to a guitar hero in the making. There was Jim Stewart with his 'Memphis' dbl cutaway and Craig Brakebush playing his black Fender Stratocaster in the basement of his house demonstrating the solo for Pink Floyd's 'Money' and Zeppelin's 'Stairway To Heaven'. Or Tim Hill jamming on the porch of a friend's house near the infamous 'Jackson Park' (where the pot dealers were) playing UFO's 'Mother Mary' on his Gibson Flying V. This firmly embedded the sound of Michael Schenker into my ears! There was John Cruz (RIP) and Eddie Fontaine and their band 'Rockbound'. I remember John showing me how to play Rush's '2112' on the porch of his house on Liberty St and Eddies mind-blowing performance of Van Halen's 'Eruption' and UFO's 'Rock Bottom' at their gig in the BBQ area of Alameda's majestic 'Lincoln Park'. These were all mesmerizing, impactful and invaluable moments. Fuel for the fire.

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My first real drummer...

While on my journey working hard and dreaming of becoming real guitar slinger, I would come to meet my first real music partner in drummer Joey Frye (RIP)!  Joey was such a sweet, outgoing and charismatic guy with massive talent! There were many jam sessions and good times had in he and his friends basements. We lit each others fire and it was without question the very first musical interaction that allowed me to fully experience what chemistry was between two players!  It really helped set the tone for the pathway forward and gave a clear reference point ofr how special a musical partnership needed to be! While we remained friends I can't recall why our paths in music didn't continue for longer. but I know it would have amounted to something very, very special.​

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An amazing opportunity...

In my younger days I also enjoyed the bonus of working at two amazing record stores, the Record Factory and the Record Gallery These situations provided me endless access to music of every style both new and old, the ultimate music libraries. My dear friends Leo Steccati (RIP) and Gerard 'Fud' Ford (RIP) became my adopted big brothers and they were filled with so much knowledge of music and the business. Their belief in me was priceless!

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