Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeelllllllllllllllll this is a loooooooooooooooong story that starts when I was a wee boy, which is like 8-9 years ago. Back then I was listening to the likes of classic rock, Led Zeppelin, Guns and Roses, stuff like that. Music back in those days was trite and not good at all. It was the period of time when 'hair rock' was transitioning from the late 80s and would be forgotten and new kinds of rock would arise, namely, alternative. I went into my 4th grade year wanting to learn an instrument very bad. Of course, my first choice was guitar. Sadly, damn school doesnt teach or supply that instrument. So I said, uhhhhhhh saxophone? Spent 400 on that and my hands were not strong enough to push the keys enough. Drums? My mom wouldnt buy me more than just a snare, how was I supposed to develop a sound or beat? (Ludwigs suck anyway, right Travis?) I begged and begged to go to Thompsons Music store in Lewes to see thier instruments, at the time, they were the only store in like 100 mi radius that had instruments. I still remember the guitar I saw 9 years ago. It was a brand new, Gibson Epiphone Les Paul Standard, green burst, 22 fret, etc etc. For only 499! I was given the ole "Maybe for Christmas or your birthday" routine which basically is a big fat NO when you hear that from a parent. So that opportunity came and went... Many years would pass before I would get the feeling and chance to obtain a guitar. I had no motivation to want to learn anymore. Then turning on the radio flipping to station 93.5, I heard some new song called Memory Remains by Metallica, oh about 3-4 years ago. It stuck in my head. I went out and bought the "Reload" CD on a whim, not knowing what the other tracks would be like and this being my first experience with Metallica. I listened to the song, then the whole cd, which was amazing. I never listen to the whole album usually, cause most bands put out one song then the rest suck. I loved all the songs. The next week, I bought a few more of thier CDs and it just kept getting better. After finally obtaining all 12 CDs (there are now 14 CDs) I listened to them all day long. Restoring my faith in music, my confidence, and breaking my low self esteem, Metallica had given me a new high. By that point, the music had moved me enough that I was air drumming and air guitaring so much I figured, why not just get a instrument and learn the shit, it'll look less weird. This music was just unlike anything I had ever heard before, ever. Well by this time I was in my third year of work, at G & E. I saved up about 200 dollars and went on eBay and looked around for a cheap, yet cool looking guitar to try it out. What I found was a white flying V made by Arbor, which no one has ever heard of (hahah), and now looking back on it, I can tell that its at least 10-15 years old. Hey, its a start. I was excited just to pick the damn thing up when I got it in the mail when I came home from school that day. Just holding the guitar was cool enough, I already felt like a rock star. I had some cheapo amp, a Peavey Rage 158 amp, which had little to no output at all, I had to crank that bitch up. The very first song I remember trying was Enter Sandman. Hey, its a classic and a very good song to start out on. Refusing all attempts at parents trying to make me take lessons, I taught myself. I read the tabbed music, and figured it out in like 10 min. Its not that hard folks. But you do need coordination and good control of your fingers individually. I had most of the song down pat by the 3rd day and I learned a few more in that time too. I was so ecstatic about the whole thing. This was the coolest thing in the world to me. The next month I bought another guitar. Later on I sold it for double what I bought it for because I didnt like it too much (heheh). Time quickly passed and my birthday came around. Noticing my sudden interest and talent with a guitar (DUH mom why not 9 years ago) she bought me my very first quality guitar, still a main staple of what I play. Its a Gibson SG, all black, same thing Angus Young of Ac/Dc uses. But I had to modify it (guys like to tinker heheh) so I could make the sound coming out kick your ass. But first I needed something to amplify that kick ass sound. For Christmas that same year, I recieved a Crate GFX 2x12 with about 100 watts of power and 2 12" speakers. That baby will kick your ass. I saved up about 200 dollars and bought a pair of EMGs, a 60 and 81. (pickups to put in the guitar to replace the old ones). I just have to have that James Hetfield sound, ya know? He is my favorite player of all. I was kinda disappointed in myself for passing up the talent show in my senior year. I could have played something. Hell, I'd have fun blowing away Substance, they played some dumb old blues rock song and one of thier own shit. Suuuuuuuuuuuuuck. Looking back, I figure w/o a lead guitarist (so hard to find), I could handle at least 10 songs to do on my own with the rest of a band. I wish I had done it. I wish I showed everyone what I could do...... But I didnt, damn shyness. Anyway, I kept saving money. I saved up 450 this time to make what would be one of my luckiest finds of all. I bought an ESP LTD Explorer off eBay for 450 dollars. Realizing that the LTD version was nowhere near ESP quality, I sold it back on eBay, praising it and saying it was the same as James Hetfields guitar. Boom, sold for 850. Hahah. I put all that in the bank. Since then, Ive been refining my skills and learning all the new cool songs that I like, ranging from Slipknot to Stone Temple Pilots to Liquid Tension Experiment. In my senior year, I also met a music enthusiast who would become my best friend, Travis. Woo he even loved Metallica as much as I did. He knew all the songs like me, etc etc. (except dyers eve, mwa hahah j/k) We jammed alot of times. Those were fun days, me just jumping into a song and he'd pick it right up and play along. He has not so much pulled me off of Metallica, but has opened me to new music such as Slipknot, Deftones, LTE, Dream Theater, Filter, and so much more cool stuff that you DONT hear on the radio. Radio sucks, man. We wanted to start a small band, maybe a cover band, to play around here. We never got an answer (except from some crazy mexican and a burnt out lying hippie) but the hope is still there... Well anyway, that brings you up to date from then to right now.  Back on that day in June, with my old guitar and old amp, I learned my first song ever, Enter Sandman, and its been a roller coaster ride ever since that never ends. Hope you enjoyed reading.