I realized I run this site called “Rocker Dad“ but I haven’t really written about my musical history yet. Let’s start at the beginning. I began taking drum lessons when I was 12 years old. I started tinkering around on piano when I was 17 and by the time I was 18, I lost interest in drums and keys because I heard Eddie Van Halen. Enter the guitar. The first song I ever learned to play was Alone Again by Dokken on an old beat up Cort electric guitar.
Other guitarists from the 1980s such as Richie Sambora of Bon Jovi, Nuno Bettencourt of Extreme, Steve Brown of Trixter, and Steve Vai, who toured with David Lee Roth and as a solo artist, heavily influenced my playing style (although I was never in the same league as those guys). Taking these various styles under my belt, I started playing in local rock bands with friends until eventually forming $kyhigh, a four-piece band that wrote and performed original music.
Through $kyhigh, I opened for bands like Warrant, Slaughter, Cinderella, Quiet Riot, and Sebastian Bach. The band released a successful debut album, Tales From The Crib, which sold close to 5,000 copies internationally through our own label and also through Perris Records. You can preview and purchase songs from this CD on my music page here on this site.
While I was happy to be playing original material with a great group of musicians, I got to a point where I realized I preferred being on stage performing more than being in the studio recording music. It wasn’t long before I parted ways with $kyhigh and started gigging with other bands, including tribute acts.
For the last five years, I have been playing lead guitar for Bon Jersey, the Ultimate Bon Jovi Tribute Band, formerly known as Jovi. Bon Jersey tours throughout the northeast and has a large, faithful following in the Northern Massachusetts area. We have performed at notable venues like the Hard Rock Café in Boston, BB King Blues Club and the Canal Room in New York City, casinos such as Mohegan Sun and the Lighthouse Bar at Twin River as well as larger music festivals. Check out the band’s website sometime at www.bon-jersey.com
Other guitarists from the 1980s such as Richie Sambora of Bon Jovi, Nuno Bettencourt of Extreme, Steve Brown of Trixter, and Steve Vai, who toured with David Lee Roth and as a solo artist, heavily influenced my playing style (although I was never in the same league as those guys). Taking these various styles under my belt, I started playing in local rock bands with friends until eventually forming $kyhigh, a four-piece band that wrote and performed original music.
Through $kyhigh, I opened for bands like Warrant, Slaughter, Cinderella, Quiet Riot, and Sebastian Bach. The band released a successful debut album, Tales From The Crib, which sold close to 5,000 copies internationally through our own label and also through Perris Records. You can preview and purchase songs from this CD on my music page here on this site.
While I was happy to be playing original material with a great group of musicians, I got to a point where I realized I preferred being on stage performing more than being in the studio recording music. It wasn’t long before I parted ways with $kyhigh and started gigging with other bands, including tribute acts.
For the last five years, I have been playing lead guitar for Bon Jersey, the Ultimate Bon Jovi Tribute Band, formerly known as Jovi. Bon Jersey tours throughout the northeast and has a large, faithful following in the Northern Massachusetts area. We have performed at notable venues like the Hard Rock Café in Boston, BB King Blues Club and the Canal Room in New York City, casinos such as Mohegan Sun and the Lighthouse Bar at Twin River as well as larger music festivals. Check out the band’s website sometime at www.bon-jersey.com