about

It took 50 years to create my first album but here it is. Like so many others of my generation the Beatles and the rest of the British invasion sparked a wave of “why can’t I get the girls like they do” garage bands. I still remember making the decision to take the leap and become rock stars. My best friend Ron and I were all in. It made no difference to us that neither of us played an instrument or had ever sung in public. Heck, we didn’t even know potential band mates who were remotely qualified to do what we were attempting to do. But that was the benefit to being young and stupid. You don’t know what you don’t know-- so rock on.

I started to learn the guitar and Ron decided we needed a bass player so he volunteered. Ron quickly took to his new instrument and became pretty good at it. Me on the other hand, let’s just say that the band that we did eventually put together “strongly encouraged” me to become the singer and to stop torturing everybody with my unrecognizable stringed renditions of the top 40 hits of the day. I acquiesced.

Despite our shaky beginnings The Gyrations, Billy Banana and his Bunch and eventually The Ungrateful Society (such a 60’s name) actually became pretty good and played out at house parties, military bases, colleges and clubs in the city. Our peak was winning the battle of the bands at the popular Where It’s At club in Boston where all the Boston University students hung out. Top local DJ at the time, Dave Maynard, hosted it. That led to a gig where we opened up for a newly formed group named Thorinshield who we were told were formerly members of the backup band for the Mama’s and the Papa’s. Pretty cool - huh?

As we morphed from people yelling at us to “Turn that noise down” to “Hey that’s pretty good stuff” we not only played songs of the day but we experimented with medleys and with putting our own twist on other people’s hits. Finally, I began writing. I was convinced that we couldn’t become big without writing our own material. Well, we didn’t become big but two of the songs I wrote back then (I Don’t Care and Life Should be Easy) have been updated and appear on this album.

Most of my career was away from music. I became successful with some pretty entrepreneurial ventures in the electrical industry.  But after all these years I still harbor a love for what my garage band started out to do 50 years ago and I have a desire to creatively express my thoughts and feelings this way. So as Arnold would say – “I’m baaack”. I no longer aspire to take my act on the road and be a performer. That ship has sailed. But I am a writer and will be available to work with talented musicians who want some great songs to record and take to their audiences. 

Special thank yous go to Kevin, my friend and producer, to my former business partner Keith who inspired me to record and to my wife Brenda who has given me her love and caring since we were literally kids - though all my great ideas and cockamamie schemes her support has meant everything.

So once again, turn back the clock, turn up the dial and let’s rock and roll !!!!!!!!!!