I began taking guitar lessons at age 7 and got lucky with a great price on my first 'real' guitar, a vintage '79 Les Paul Custom that is beat up but still plays great! Early influences have remained constant with Jimmy Page at the forefront. In the 1990's I played with Lotus-Land band mate Mark Dalton in two all original projects, "The Lye" and "Shiny Green Flies". Moderate attention was had under "Shiny Green Flies" with highlights being the Ticketmaster showcase and gigs opening for the Alarm and ELO II. In addition to being a Rush fan, I have always admired Alex Lifeson's unconventional soloing and chord play; (when you sit down and really listen to Alex, the nuances are huge !) As for Lotus-Land, I feel that I couldn't be matched up with better teammates than Mark and Chris for a Rush Tribute band.

(AKA "Naski)

So the discussion was; "Do we write our bios in the third person so we can shamelessly talk ourselves up, or do we write them from the "first person," modestly highlighting our accomplishments? Hmmmm.....well.....in the "first person" it is, then!" And I, for one, have no problem telling you all just how fantastic I am! :) (Laughter from my band mates here please) Although I've been playing bass a good many years, guitar is actually my first instrument. And before I alienate you "Bass playing Rush aficionados", hear me out! I have always considered myself to be a heavily rhythmic and groove oriented guitarist. Not that this alone qualifies me to pull off Geddy's role, but I do consider him to be a very melodic bass player, and quite guitar-like in his aggressive approach. So I guess I'd like to think we meet somewhere in the middle, which makes for a respectable interpretation.

Accomplishments:

A: I've been the guitar player for Herb Reed and The Platters since 1994. It continues to be a great gig, and I take pride in the fact that Herb, an inductee to the Rock n Roll hall of fame, is the only original member performing to date. This gig has brought me to several exotic locations including Europe, the Caribbean, Canada and Hawaii to name a few - and also the Apollo Theater.

B: Played for other Hall of Fame inductees such as: Bill Pinkney and Charlie Thomas from The Drifters, and Carl Gardner from The Coasters. Other artists I've played for/with, are; Pat Upton, Anthony Vitti, DD Martin, Jon Finn, Traci Toguchi and Joe Merrick.

C: Recorded "A Journey of Hope" CD, also with the aforementioned Herb Reed and the Platters.

D: Appeared on "Time Life's Doo Wop 50" - A DVD concert filmed in Philadelphia, PA.

E: Recorded projects for purposes of Berklee School of Music

The Lotus Endeavor:

I've always had an endearing affection for the music of Rush, and have had a tribute band on my "to do" list for several years. Finally in the summer of 06, I found these boys who share the same obsessive approach; an approach that inevitably compels us to incorporate every authentic Rush nuance into whatever amazing tune of theirs we may be playing.

So, after countless hours of rehearsing, listening to Cd's, and watching tape, it would seem we are ready to bring this project to all of Rush's hard core fans out there who, I believe, will be as understandably critical of us as they are loyal to the real thing.

Having been a fan of music from a very early age, I had always wanted to learn a musical instrument. When I was 14, I got a set of drums and began teaching myself to play. Because I had older brothers, I was influenced early on by the progressive rock genre; Yes, ELP, Led Zeppelin, King Crimson, and most notably, Jethro Tull, who, to this day, remain my favorite band. With the likes of Bill Bruford, John Bonham, Carl Palmer, Michael Giles, and Jethro Tull greats Clive Bunker, Barrie Barlow, Doane Perry, and Mark Craney, I was blessed with an incredible group of influences to both inspire and discourage me at the same time. (The frustration comes in knowing that all of these aforementioned greats occupy a level that I will never reach.....though it continues to be fun to try and get there !)

Rush's music was a discovery I made all on my own, without the influence of older siblings. I have been a huge fan of theirs since ninth grade; ever since I rode my bicycle to Zayre's to pick up a copy of Moving Pictures, my first Rush record. While it is the consensus among many that Neil Peart is the greatest drummer of all time, I have always found that to be an impossible conclusion to draw. Whether playing rock, jazz, fusion, or funk, there are just too many amazing players out there to single out any one individual, (the only possible exception being Buddy Rich). That being said, it is my opinion that Neil Peart is maybe the most charismatic drummer of all time. Much like the late John Bonham, Neil seems to blend musicality and power in a way that almost no one else has been able to. And yes, he is truly a great player as well!

Anyway, back to the myself, the "poor man's Neil," (yes, a very poor man !), I have been playing in bands since age 15. I had my first studio experience at 20, recording a demo for an older "friend of a freind." Starting at 22, I played in a four piece original band known as The LYE, with three guys my age from Woonsocket, RI. We made some headway over the next eight years or so, opening for acts like the Alarm and Electric Light Orchestra II. In 1996, we were finalists in the Ticket Master Music Showcase. Our style was decidedly progressive and was definitely Zeppelin influenced.

The Lye came to and end around 1998. From then up until about two years ago, I had basically spent time on my own just trying to improve my playing. Thus, most of my early 30's were spent not playing in a band. But now, having been fortunate enough to have found two very talented guys who share the same passion, I can proclaim proudly that I am in a Rush Tribute band called Lotus-Land.

And, so…………this is where we find ourselves !

Extras for those especially interested,

You can find some audio here of my original drummming from the LYE.....from our self-pruduced CD recorded back in in 1996. This includes an original composition of mine entitled "Admiring Eyes." "How is that ?" you may ask; well, I also play some keys and guitar, and sing just well enough to write music, though it would probably be best if no one but myself heard me do any of these things ! Other tunes that I just contributed drumming to are entitled "Saskwatch" and "Mill Rat," both written by former band mate by Paul Rene.

For my fellow "drummists," I play Premier Genistas; a high end, but, unfortunately, discontinued set of all Birch drums that really sound fantastic. I also use a Roland SPD-20 midi-pad, a Ludwig Classic Snare, and Sabian Cymbals (mainly because they're fairly inexpensive and don't crack that easily).

Well, I guess that's all for now.

Thanks for the interest !