I was raised in San Diego. My first kit was a gold swirl Tempro, given to me on Christmas day when I was 13. Mom and dad had it on layaway, slowly paying it off in the months before Christmas. Money was tight, and I am forever grateful for the sacrifice they made to get me my first kit.

The drummers that influenced me early on were: John Densmore (Doors), John Bonham (Led Zeppelin) Ron Bushy (Iron Butterfly), Ginger Baker (Cream), Mitch Mitchell (Jimi Hendrix), Clive Bunker (Jethro Tull), Keith Moon (the Who), Don Brewer (Grand Funk Railroad) and Alan White (Yes). I list so many because this was an important time of development in my journey. Every day after school I played along to records from these bands and they influenced my drumming styl - even to this day..

Ron Bushy was a repo man, working for my dad in the 60's at Pacific Finance in downtown SD. He came to work one day and announced: "My band just released an album called "In-a-Gadda-da-Vida, and I quit!" My dad laughed and said "You'll be back!" Sure enough, a year later, long-haired Ron, with his new-tall-blond girlfriend, pulled up to the office in a shiny Jag XKE. "I'm back!!" he proclaimed. After that day, he never returned. His Iron Butterfly played to a full house at SD Sports Arena that year. I luckily got back stage and was jazzed to meet him, and he was amused to meet Pond's little kid.

In the 70's and 80's I had a growing interest in prog and fusion, I loved bands like Camel, PFM, Ambrosia, Jean-Luc Ponty and Weather Report. And I got to see most of these epic groups at the Golden Bear in HB! Jean-Luc's drummer, Mark Craney, became a big influence. Jeff Beck, Blow-by-Blow, one of my all-time favorites. Later came Rush and Mr. Peart - incredible shows. I would share Rush shows with my son later in life - he too is a drummer (and influence). :-)

Back in those days it was so fun to try and pull off a song or two by these prog/fusion artists at gigs with my more daring buddies. Some folks were impressed, the rest just yelled: "Play some Stones!"

I made the choice to make my drumming passion a hobby instead of a career - an easier path supported by a full-time day-gig. But there were still cool highlights: our band Flooded, playing for about 1500 folks on a Friday night at the Costa Mesa Fish Fry battle of the bands - and winning! VFW Hall gigs with Tumblin' Dice and wild shows with the Daddyos at the Golden Bear in HB.

A "coulda-been-a-contenda" story: One summer in the early 80's while playing Sunday afternoons with the Daddyos at the Beach Ball in Newport Beach, I got to know Mike Pinera (Blues Image, Iron Butterfly and Alice Cooper), who played the evening shows. He invited me play a couple of shows and record with him later that year in LA. Then one day he called and invited me to do a tour in Europe, opening for Rod Stewart! But sadly, Rod cancelled his tour just two weeks before we were to leave. :-(

Part two of the story: On a Saturday night, later that year, Mike called me again. He said "bring your kit up to this studio in Van Nuys, let's have some fun". When I showed up, there was the current line-up of Iron Butterfly: Lee Dorman, Larry (Rhino) Rhinehart, Mike Pinera and Guy Babylon (who later would tour many years as keyboardist for Elton John). We played for two hours, and because I knew the songs as a kid, it went well. It was a thrill of a lifetime to play with some of my childhood heroes - especially Pinera and Rhino; who were both considered by many as guitar royalty. Rhino was also in cult favorite Captain Beyond with Lee. And today, Mike is the only one still alive. Later that night, Mike asked me if I wanted to join the band. Little did we both know that Lee had already offered the spot to someone else! :-( again... ya gotta love it.

After that, for some strange reason, the Iron Butterfly connections continued to weave in and out of my life.

As time marched on, I added Simple Minds, the Fixx, Tears for Fears and Peter Gabriel to the inspiration list. Fun highlights kept coming: many Belly-up, Coach House and House of Blues shows with various bands, playing the Doheny Blues Festival four years in a row and my band Buddy-X opening summer concerts with Little River Band and Eddie Money at Lake Mission Viejo, with huge crowds and more thrills of lifetime.

Today, I'm so stoked to still be doing gigs with some great players. My influences include: Steven Wilson & Porcupine Tree, Riverside (from Poland) and Mike Portnoy's projects. Portnoy and Gavin Harrison are on my long list of drum heroes. I was so fortunate to open for Mike's Winery Dogs and hang out with him on the roof of the Coach House (see my Scrapbook). Frankly, the level of music these guys play leaves me in the dust, but its depth and passion inspire me to reach further and do the best I can. Oh, and I continue to love all of the old, simple stuff too!

Then there's Bebop Jazz... My dad played these records all of the time when I was a kid and since his passing, I dove in deeply in his honor, adding to the vinyl he left me; Miles, Wayne Shorter, Art Blakey, Cannonball and Nat Adderley, Sonny Rollins, Brubeck, Herbie Hancock, Zawinul and more. It's incredible, amazing music from way out on the perimeter.

Lastly, I'm inspired by the music my wife, son and daughter share with me - with the later two, sharing their today's nuggets and blowing my mind constantly with their discoveries of obscure bands from the 60's and 70's that I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF! LOL!

Putting family and a day job career first, this is how the drumming side has happily worked out. It may look like small potatoes to some, but it has filled my plate nicely! It was a joyous day to finally change my LinkedIn title from "Marketing Professional" to "Drummer / Drum Builder" and I am fulfilled and grateful beyond words.

If you got to the end, thanks for reading. My overindulgence here was really to share with family and friends, and help hang on to these great yet fading memories. But, if anyone else enjoys it too, then cool! :-)