When did you start playing?
When I was six years old. That was the late 60s.
What was your first instrument?
Drums.
What were the first songs you learned?
The Rolling Stones' "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" was the first song I played along with from start to finish. "Paint It Black" was second. My mom was (and still is) a huge Stones fan from the beginning, and I soon became (and still am) one, too. So that's why I was focused on the Stones for my first couple songs.
Did you take lessons and for how long?
Yes, I took drum lessons, then added piano lessons when I was eleven. I also play bass and a bit of guitar. I taught myself bass starting when I was fifteen, although I've had some bass lessons occasionally--usually pretty informally.
I kept up with drum and piano lessons through music school, so I had about eighteen years of drum lessons, and about thirteen years of piano lessons.
What was your teacher like?
I had many different teachers, with all sorts of different personalities, specialties, skill levels, etc.
When was your first performance? What gear did you have?
My first public performances were when I was eight or nine. I started gigging for money when I was twelve. First kit I performed on was basically the same as Ringo's--also a Ludwig, black oyster pearl finish, etc.
When did you start or join your first band? What did you play? How long did it last?
That's the band I started gigging with when I was twelve. The rest of the guys were sixteen-seventeen. I played drums. That band lasted for about three years.
How have your gear preferences changed over time? What is your favorite gear now?
Like my music tastes, my gear tastes have pretty much just expanded.
How much gear do you own?
Too much, especially since I play three different categories of instruments professionally.
How much have you sold?
Very little. I almost always give gear away when I'm ready or need to part with it. I've given away a lot of stuff.
What are you hoping to own in the future?
Again, way too much. I think at last glance my Sweetwater wish list had over 100 items, and I know the total was over $50k, haha.
How have your influences and playing style changed over time?
It's too much to go into a lot of detail about this, but in a nutshell, I've gotten "looser" and a bit more experimental-minded over time.
What were your best / worst performances like?
Best--somewhere between a group orgasm and a religious experience, where we seemed to have telepathic communication and some sort of transcendental connection between us (and the audience).
One of the worst was one of the first: I was in elementary school, and in the middle of a tune, I was featured for a drum solo. In the middle of the solo, one of my sticks went flying out of my hand. I had to stop and run across the stage to pick it up, then run back to my drums and start soloing again. That's how I figured out that you need to always have extra sticks handy. ;-)
Playing when you're sick as a dog is never fun, either.
Have you ever had any studio experience? Where at?
Yes, tons. And that's the primary way I've been making a living for the last few years. Where? All over, but I work in/around NY often. I live in NY, too, by the way.
Do you still play?
Yes. I've made a living as a musician, composer and arranger for over 35 years now.
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