GB Guitar Bio
My first guitar, 1957. My drooling brother
Dave is four years younger than me.
My first real guitar, 1967.
My first band was with Dave Bickham (Bass, Vocals) and Kevin Macy (Drums). We played at various basements, Lakeside Junior High, and North Side High School (we played after every football and basketball game my senior year; I had connections). I also roadied for the band that Dave's brothers Bruce and Bill had called "Pillsberry Flower".
We were the house band at State School for the Handicapped; some of my best memories were of making music for these folks. They loved us. Our repetoire included The Who, Cream, Jimi Hendrix (or a close facsimile), and other great garage band items.
We even covered a couple of numbers by our mutual favorite, Frank Zappa, and were probably best known for our original number, "Circuit Breaker Baby (you really blow my fuse)". These were wonderful years, and many fuses were blown. We went by the name Benny & the Jets (no relation to Detroit's present day Benny & the Jets), but this name had been derived from Zappa's Reuben and the Jets doo-wop send-up album. It was many years later that Elton John released a song by that same title, and it came as quite a surprise. I didn't know he'd heard of us!
My favorite guitar, 1973. Martin D-18, manufactured in 1969.
In college, I played around campus at Indiana University in Bloomington with various pick-up bands. This was the era of "country rock", and we played tunes by The Band, Eagles, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, etc. I particularly latched on to Neil Young, who I continue to enjoy very much to this day.
I did a lot of gigging in coffee houses and pizza parlors with my good friend John Hoylman. He & I still like to play when we get together, though he's in Milwaukee, and I don't get to see him as often as I'd like. His songwriting and vocal skills are extraordinary.
The photo above is of "Spectrum", one of the groups I played in after college before I got in the computer business. We had horns and played a lot of weddings and stuff like that. Our song list included Chicago, Al Kooper's Blood, Sweat & Tears, and other tunes that required tighter coordination with horn charts than I'm normally used to.
I also played in a bluegrass band with Keith Slater, Pete Vernasco, Steve (Winnie) Winters, and maybe a couple of other people here and there. I was the substitute guitarist when John Brogan was out of town, and I couldn't hold a candle to him. Bluegrass was never my forte, but these guys were patient with me.
Jurassic guitar player, November 1995.
I've recently had the pleasure of getting together with other locals here in Orange county, and had a lot of fun jamming. Mike Grinnan moved here from Jersey in '83, and we hit the open mike contest tour when we needed folding money. He has a particular way with Harry Chapin and a general northeast folkie sound that is very enjoyable.
I've also played periodically in the last five years or so with Jonathan Sisk & Randy Christian - both fellow Pick industry people. We played at Jon's house a lot, but the highlight for me was our gig at the bar across from UCI for Randy & Candy's anniversary. It was fun playing on stage at a live venue again.
The above photo was taken at David & Susan's place; he's a rad drummer who sings, also. We plan on getting together again soon (though I usually see him every thursday at our regular Back Bay Deadhead social).
that I will be adding here in the future. Hurry back!
