I first started playing bass back in 1986. Before then I was a drummer. As a drummer, I always listened to the bass to 'lock' in with the music. As my musical tastes gravitated towards bands like Rush, I found myself wanting to play bass more than the drums. While playing in a band that did Rush songs, I was fixated on the bass playing to the point that I wanted to quit the drums and get a bass . . . .so I did.

So from that point, my influences have varied over the years, and to help you get an idea of what shaped my playing style, I've listed below my influences.

1986 -- Steve Harris (Iron Maiden), Geddy Lee (Rush), Rick Anderson (The Tubes)
1987 -- Billy Sheehan (David Lee Roth), Stu Hamm (Joe Satriani), Ross Valory (Journey), Jimmy Johnson (Allan Holdsworth), Yngwie Malmsteen
1988 -- Marcus Miller (David Sanborn), Jaco Pastorius, Chris Squire (Yes)
1989 -- John Patitucci(Chick Corea Electric Band)
1990 -- Jeff Berlin (Allan Holdsworth)
1991 -- John Patitucci(John Patitucci(still)
1992 -- Victor Wooten (Bela Fleck and the Flecktones)
1993 -- Rocco Prestia (Tower of Power)
1993 - 1995 was a period of personal style development. I really didn't listen to anyone else. I focused on personal composition of bass parts in my band, Citizen Swing. It turned out to be an almalgamation of all of the above players. Yes, I know it sounds wierd, but it actually works quite well in a band that is heavy yet technical and groove oriented.

1996 -- with the dissolution of Citizen Swing, I re-evaluated my style and influences. I've gravitated towards some of the older music and bass players than what was currently popular in 1996 - those influences were . . .

Robert DeLeo (Stone Temple Pilots), John Taylor (Duran Duran), Paul McCartney (The Beatles), Chuck Rainey (Steely Dan), bass player from Queen, Sting (The Police), Timothy B. Schmit (The Eagles), Geddy Lee (again!!), bass player from SuperTramp, Rick Anderson (The Tubes).

1997, 1998, -- Paul McCartney. Messing around on 12 string guitar as well - Lindsey Buckingham, Alex Lifeson, the Beatles.

1999 -- Jeff Berlin and Marcus Miller.

2000 -- Jeff Berlin for his awesome chord voicings and wicked fast lines, Marcus Miller for his big fat thumb sound, and Victor Wooten for his sheer fretboard gymnastics!

2001 -- nothing specific yet, but I've been listening to Geddy Lee again for the tone of his '74 Jazz, as well as continuing to hone my Victor Wooten and Marcus Miller skills. I've been learning some Dream Theater lately for a side project, but John Myung, as good as he is, really doesn't do anything 'special' for me.

2002 - hmm . . . listening to Blink 182, Limp Bizkit, Sum 41, Sugar Ray. Not much going on bass wise that I can't cover - I guess I like the energy and 'fun factor' of the music more than anything.

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