I was born with a love of music and art. My dad was a portrait and landscape artist and always inspired me to draw and always took what little time he had to show me his techniques. I was 5 years old when my dad brought home an acoustic guitar. He knew some chords and would play for me and I would just sit there in amazement watching his hands play 3 chords and thought he was an accomplished musician.
Even at a young age I desired to be a musician. I would pop in my mom’s cassettes, put on the head phones and fantasized that I was singing and playing the guitar in front of a large audience. I was 9 years old when I received my first guitar. Actually my sister got it for Christmas but she didn’t take to it so I picked it up. She felt it was only right it to pass it on to me. My parents couldn't afford lessons so my dad bought me a couple of instruction books, which helped, but for the most part I taught myself by listening to a song and picking out each note. I would lock myself in my room and play my guitar for hours on end. One day my oldest sister asked my dad if it would be all right to take me to go see KISS in concert because she thought I would enjoy the show. It took a while to convince my dad but finally he agreed and I was off to my first concert. I have never seen a concert before and I was completely blown away by the whole experience. I was a die-hard KISS fan for years after that and it drove my dad crazy. Two years passed and I finally got into my first band. Bad Influence was the name, and to say we sucked was an understatement. My first gig was at a bar in the heart of my hometown of Fall River, MA on a Sunday night. The patrons were buying drinks with food stamps and the place smelled awful, but I loved it. Years went by and so did the bands. When I think of all the silly names we had I'm almost embarrassed to bring them up, but what the hell! Bad Influence, Galaxy, The Videos, Lyx, Truce, Free Fall, Mirror Mirror, Spitfire, Crying Out Loud, Outnumbered, Push Comes To Shove, Nobody's Business.
I've learned a lot in each band and got my share of lumps. But it wasn't until the winter of 95 when the existing members of a band I was in which consisted of myself, Rick Paquin (WP original drummer) and Stan Smith, decided to put Wicked Peach together. I contacted my friend Kim Styles, (whom I worked with in a previous band) to start a new band with a new attitude. We also hire Steve Beaudoin on lead guitar. The band gained much success over the years and after some line-up, changes that included countless female vocalists, we finally hired Jon Souza on the drums and Dan Watson on lead guitar. We decided to ditch the female singer image and just be an all male band. I picked up the lead vocalist spot and the band is stronger than it’s ever been and will continue to rock the house!
I started getting into music when I was around thirteen years old. I started listening to whatever my sisters were listening to at the time (bands like Edgar Winter, Emerson, Lake and Palmer, and Steely Dan). My first real influence was probably Led Zeppelin. After hearing Zeppelin, I wanted to be a drummer, but my family was poor (so poor we couldn't pay attention) so I couldn't buy a drum set. When I was fifteen, I saved up enough money to buy a bass guitar and an amp. I just farted around learning bits and pieces of songs and drove my parents crazy. Then I wanted to get into a more serious mode, so I found a teacher who had attended Berkley College of music. He was an awesome guitarist and he taught me music theory and composition. After three years of lessons, I wanted to start playing with a band. At first I started out playing in a small jazz ensemble with a few friends and my teacher. We did a lot of different stuff like bossa novas, be-bop, straight ahead jazz, and some Frank Zappa thrown in for fun. But I wanted to rock, so I jumped from one band to another giving me a chance to experience different styles. My first playing-out band was called Vyper. We only gigged twice, and then I quit to join Park City, which never played out. Some band mates and I formed a new band called Stone King and I started to work a lot playing four nights a week. I auditioned for the band Outnumbered and got the gig, I had to learn thirty-five songs in three days. This is where I befriended Ernesto (Ernie-W.P. guitarist) who I actually met a couple of times at the Laundromat we both frequented. Outnumbered broke up, so the keyboardist, Ernie and I formed a band with a strange stinky drummer who was raised by wolves. His pack called him Rick (with a silent "P"); I was elected to paper-train him. At first it was hard to get him to stop licking his private parts in public and sniffing people's crotches, but it's amazing what a rolled up newspaper and the threat of being neutered will do for one's social graces. After a year in that band, Nobody's Business, we decided to put that sick dog to rest like old yeller. We axed the keyboardist and formed a new band. We took aboard a feisty female vocalist named Kim, and a guitarist named Steve. This was the beginning of WICKED PEACH!
I started playing guitar at age 4 and never stopped. I spent countless hours very young listening to The Beatles, and Eagles albums, learning vocal and guitar arrangements. My passion for rock music was sparked by Led Zeppelin II and from there I honed my chops and initiated my first band back in high school. We played covers & originals but also gigged locally including New London’s El n’ G club. I had two original projects in the 90’s. Heavy Metal band Cry Havoc and rock/funk/ hip hop/reggae band Kill at Will (KAW)/Furious Styles. We had the privilege of opening up for Maceo Parker (James Brown band) as well as Quiet Riot and The Spin Doctors. While playing in New York City with KAW (CBGB’s, Bitter End, Red Lion, Club Indigo, The Continental,) we had the opportunity to catch the attention of producer Simon Townsend as well as Kamal of Jerky Boys fame where we collaborated in putting out our first self tilted album. After countless hours of traveling, recording, rehearsing, and showcasing for Record Industry people I decided to leave KAW in 1996 and took a hiatus before landing the lead guitarist position with the Sugar Daddy Band in 2001. While in The Sugar Daddy Band we enjoyed local success throughout Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts. Playing such venues as the Wolf Den and at Mohegan Sun Casino, Harris Casino- Atlantic City NJ, Yellow Kittens-Block Island, and Esker Point Beach Concerts, Jonathan Edwards Winery-in Southeastern Connecticut just to name a few.
In 2007 I joined Wicked Peach and I am back playing Rock and enjoying every minute of it. Wicked Peach continues to be one of New England’s BEST Rock cover bands and delivers a high energy “Rock Show” to pack crowds throughout Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Southeastern Connecticut.
My influences include: Martin Sexton, Jimi Hendrix, Yngwie Malmsteen, Stevie Ray Vaughn, The Black Crowes, Neal Vituallo of Young Neil and The Vipers, Joni Mitchell, The Beatles, Richie Blackmore, Shawn Mullins, Jimmy Page, Paul Gilbert, Racer X, The Foo Fighters, Dream Theater, Wes Montgomery, Ottmar Liebert, The Eagles, America, Loudness, John Coltrane, Joe Pass, Ed Bagley Jr (GO GREEN), Chris Duarte, Walter Trout, Buddy Guy, The Weather Channel, Van Halen and Vintage Hawaiian Music.
My gear includes: Vintage Fender Stratocasters and Vintage Fender Amplifiers, Engl preamps & power amps, Naylor heads and Cabinets, Gries Amplification, Tom Anderson guitars, Gibson Advanced Jumbo Acoustics, Segal electric/acoustic, George L cables, Diarize Pickups, Lindy Fralin Pickups, LR Baggs Acoustic pickups and direct boxes, Fulltone, Menatone, and Analog Man pedals, Pedal Train Pedal Boards, Voodoo Lab Pedal Power, Fender Heavy Picks, and 11 gauge strings.
(I am also powered by Ricola Cough Drops, Red Bull Energy Drinks, Patron Tequila, Corona Beer, Cannon Digital Cameras, Converse Sneakers, Apple iPod, Soilo Solar Chargers, Sigg Water Bottles, Toyota cars, Organic Produce and Tiki Farm Tiki Mugs).
Yes I am looking for endorsements!!!!!!
Me born, me here, me beat drum!