As I wrote in the introduction, I have a special interest in rock instrumental music. For one reason, It has been very influential to me as a guitar player over the years. There tends to be a strong emphasis put on musical performance, and the playing abilities of the individual musicians within the group. As a guitarist I am inspired by great musicians, it is by hearing the work of a truely talented performer that keeps me wanting to play my guitar. In most forms of popular music, the singer receives most of the listeners attention, and the instrumentalists support the singer. In an all instrumental format, the musicians must rely solely on their playing abilities to keep the listeners interested, for all ears will be on them.
I have been writing instrumental music for about as long
as I have been playing guitar. These songs helped me gain
technical proficiency on my instrument, a creative outlet
to develop my playing skills, plus I honestly can't sing to
save my life! I didn't really have much of a choice, since
I have only been playing in bands a fraction of the time
that I have been playing guitar. there was simply no reason
for me to write anything but instrumental songs!
I did play in an all origional band group called
NEMESIS. A few of you who live in the Washington
D.C./Baltimore area may have heard of us. Three years ago,
Nemesis was a finalist in Baltimore radio station,
98 Rock's "Local music CD contest". As a result, our song
"Some Friend" was included on a compilation CD titled
"Noise In The Basement", and was awarded the
opportunity to
perform at Merriwether Post Pavailion, a major
concert venue located in Columbia, MD. Nemesis
played a unique combination of hard alternative, metal, and
hardcore. The band even wrote ska and reggae songs. We have
been compared by the local press to Pantera, Rage
Against The Machine, and even Faith No More.
Personally, I think the music of Bad Brains and
24-7 Spyz had the most significant influence on the
groups sound and style. After three years of being
together, Nemesis broke
up in june,1996.
So there I was, with no band, but several instrumental
songs that I have written over the years, I decided that it
was time for these songs to be heard! I began recording
"Journey Through A Dream" last fall, at CLEAR SOUND
recording studio's in Manasass, VA. I plan to have
eight songs on
this release, everything from a rennaissance/ classical
type peice, a new age sounding ballad, a brutally heavy
song with a haunting middle eastern influenced melody line,
to all out full throttle speed metal. Let me assure
everyone that my aim is to write and play music that all
people can enjoy. This will not be another guitar showcase
album with lots of lightning fast solo's that will only
appeal to musicians. Don't get the wrong idea, I am pushing
my playing ability to the extreme, so I can give the best
performance possible to whomever listens to this album, but
writing good, memorable songs is definetly my first
priority. I want anyone who listens to hard music to be
able to enjoy "Journey Through A Dream".
E mail me at [email protected]