Let’s see, started singing YOUNG . . . though the church choir didn’t seem to fully appreciate my blossoming talents! Grew up in Rockville, Md - - started “performing” for the neighborhood parents, by mimicking the “Partridge Family” with some other kids (no age jokes at this point!) Mom made me learn piano, though I thought I wanted to play drums. Then went to a school that had a concert band that would teach you an instrument, and I thought “YES!! Now the DRUMS!!” I got a clarinet. (Hey – clarinets are cool!!) Joined/started my first ‘real’ band in 8th grade as the lead singer (clarinets are cool, but don’t belong in Top 40/Rock Bands). Decided it was time to learn a Real Rock Band Instrument - - I chose the bass. 4 strings, 1 note at a time - - how hard can THAT be?? (my bass teacher was a local bass playing legend Wade Matthews, RIP)

The first band was a drummer, guitar player, keyboard player, me and some girl who only got into the band because she knew someone . . . anyhow, she didn’t last long, we added a second guitar player and I started playing bass. Then we added ANOTHER guitar player . . .and another Bass player - - and another girl . . . it was getting out of hand (even had someone playing trumpet???!!??) That blew apart, and all that was left was the NEW 4th guitar player –the other bass player and me. We found a drummer – I got a guitar. All that was in the course of about 1 year.

After a couple more bands attempts I got out of High School and joined up with a band called Hat Trick (I still thought I was a lead singer) Then came DC Line/Rysk – same band, we changed names after we lost the keyboard player (because his dad found out we got him drunk . . . WHAT??) That was my biggest band to date, opened for Kix, opened for Y&T at the old Wax Museum. Ok, that band fell apart, too – and I ended up in the Navy. Got on an Aircraft Carrier. Found a Rock Band on board. Life was good.

Got out of the Navy, and a month later got into a band in Southern Maryland we called “Jynx” (you reading this Les??) Liked that band a lot. Rick - you screwed us up, asshole.

Time passes - - - moved to Ohio (after commuting back and forth for about 8 months) to join a regional recording act called “Love and War” – they needed a bass player, I hadn’t played bass in about 10 years, but – 4 strings, 1 note at a time… Asshole guitar player (and main songwriter) quit about a month after I moved - -I was stuck in Ohio,BUT, I made friends with the local nighttime DJ on the rock station, and he introduced me to Tony, the rhythm guitar player in “Sin City” and AC/DC tribute band. I said, “You need a new bass player.” And he said, “Actually, we do.” That was my audition. That band had been around for a while, and it only had about another year left in it, but WHAT a year!! Playing with them led me to meet the guys in Hells Bells - -and they liked me better than their bass player as well – so when they moved from Florida to Alabama to reform, they asked me to play. So I did. (Oh, there was a country band gig between the 2 AC/DC bands)

Anyhow – in 99, because of money issues, I stopped playing fulltime with HellsBells, though I have filled in with them 2 or 3 times a year ever since. After some time away from playing, I tried putting together a band with a friend from way back (Hey Larry!) we were pretty good really, but couldn’t seem to get OUT of the practice hall. After some personal tragedy and some time off, I needed to play and found a fairly popular country act called RazinKane that needed a bass. I told them to choose me, and they listened. After a good run with them (that band had been around for about 15 years I think) the main guy got old and tired and moved away – that landed me with the StoneBroke Band, great band – but still wanting to be in a Rock band. I tried to form one, and it worked for a little bit (Two Fisted Betty) but, that went the way of the dinosaur as well. Then I met Mike Graz, while trying to put together a side rock project. After a couple practices that side project went ppffffffft . . . but Mike mentioned that Stiff Richard might need new bass player, and asked if I’d be interested. (Mostly because he didn’t wanna audition anyone) I said yes . . .and here we are. I’d like to just stay here for a while now - - and enjoy . . . .

My 4 string basses are a Warwick Fortress 1 and a Traben Phoenix. My 5 strings are a Washburn RB5500, a Washburn XB500 and a Traben Kore. I like my Hartke cabinets because they are easy to carry, and my Sansamp Preamp set to mimic and Ampeg running through a Behringer Power Amp work fine for me.