As far back as I can remember, I’ve always wanted to be rockstar. I wanted it all: the sex, the drugs, the booze, the whole nine yards. After years of begging, my parents finally gave in and bought my first drum kit. Now, having a father that was a musician and an Episcopal priest never makes for a “normal” upbringing. We never lived in the same area for more than four years so I had to adjust and make new friends pretty regularly. Luckily, the family landed in Millville, NJ in 1991 and I was able to begin and graduate from Millville High School. While in high school, I was in concert band, marching band, jazz ensemble and many rock and metal bands, most of which weren’t together long enough to warrant a name. In August 1992 I met a rather odd fella with glasses, a dutch-boy haircut (it was 1992) and a Stone Temple Pilots t-shirt. Little did I know that this kid would be with me in some way or another for the next 20 years and counting… that kid was Chris “Ducky” Doran, my best friend and co-founder of Drop Dead Sexy.
For the past 13 years or so, I’ve been fortunate enough to achieve my goal of being a rockstar, albeit a watered down version. I don’t have the drugs and the women, but I have a beautiful wife and great kids and I DID get the booze. I’m also what Justin likes to call a “fugazi sports fan.” I’m a die-hard Yankee fan and Steeler fan. I know they happen to be the teams with the most championships, but I was the guy wearing the jerseys and hats even when they weren’t winning. That was a tough year….
As far as musical influences, there are always the obvious drummers that influence most: John Bonham, Neil Peart, Keith Moon, etc…. The guy that inspired me the most to pick up the sticks was Animal from the Muppets (I’m not kidding, even a little bit). I never took more than two formal lessons, so I’m more or less a self-taught drummer that had a dream and a lot of quality basement time.
