It started with the radio when I inherited my older brother's hand-me-down stereo when I was 8. When I learned how to put needle to vinyl and record songs off the radio to 8-track, music found me. Music had a profound effect on me at a young age and I discovered my older brother's album collection... KISS, ACDC, The Cars, Judas Priest... he'd let me take whatever I wanted to listen to. As long as I was really careful with the needle...
My father who was a gigging musician himself, bought my first bass when I was 14 from the local
House of Guitars. I spent countless nights in my bedroom teaching myself songs where i quickly picked my first classic rock licks. I learned songs from U2 to Led Zeppelin, Sex Pistols to REM... and almost overnight I knew my life had changed. But nothing would feel more exciting than 'the band...'
Exploding Boy was my first rock band and together we sustained a career for about 10 years. Forming in the late 80s and pledging to take on the world we released two albums in the early 90s: 'New Generation' and 'Communication is Dead'. With the help of radio airplay and tireless promotion, XBY gained notable popularity locally and from local events and regional touring. We aligned ourselves with some great bands ⎯ Hard Rain, Officer Friendly, Nerve Circus, to name a few ⎯ and we had some great successes and played to packed clubs and opening shows for national tours moving through Upstate. It was a great time in my life and I've made some life-long friendships. I wouldn't change a thing. (Except for maybe investing in a better amp and good compressor!)
When I parted ways with XBY in 96 I found a heavier sound jamming with former members with my friends in Nerve Circus. We formed the no-holds-barred, erratic, nonsensical, anti-rock band called Astropimp. We were a naturally combustible force and the only goal was to play a great live show where blood or minor injury would be the only gauge of success. We wrote songs as a past time and recorded one demo in 1996, and another in 98 and either never had an official release. As a band we're kinda like an alien sighting... You think you may have seen something but you're not sure and you feel strange for days after. That, in a spacepod, is Astropimp. We still play select shows in Rochester because our magnetism is unavoidable. Over the last few years we've geared up recently, took to the stage and recorded a live show in November 2007.
Today I play with a very unfortunate band called The Taint (newly named,
Tainted Minds). And that is, well.... cover songs, booze and some debauchery... nothing but fun. It was a happy accident when I was only supposed to be a fill in for a handful of gigs in 2002. With friends (former members in Hard Rain) I've expanded my musical knowledge and have become a better player. And these many years later it has turned out to be musically satisfying to change up various playing styles. I still draw inspiration from my friends and favorite bands, artists and enthusiasts who continue to evolve and grow with no regard for age and categories. Check us out sometime.
And yeah, you noticed, what's up with all the horrible band names, you ask? I know. I guess you can say all musicians want to be remembered for their performance and for their music. And even if it's not that good, maybe they'll remember the names. Thanks for reading, A
