About

Where did it all begin? 

I can still remember my early childhood days sitting on the kitchen floor in my cozy apartment, spreading an assortment of pots and pans in front of me at an arms reach, banging away making the most disturbing racket you can imagine.  To anyone listening it must have sounded like noise, but to me it was an innate calling to a path I would travel for the rest of my life.

Thankfully I have been fortunate enough to play with many great and inspirational artists throughout my journey.  My earliest endeavors playing in punk, rock and pop bands at legendary New York City venues such as CBGB’s, The Scrap Bar and The Limelight in the 80’s proved to be the perfect training ground for a career in the music business.  With the help and encouragement of my family, I started playing the city and local clubs at the early age of twelve years old.  Being underage, I would have to blend in with the other musicians and clubbers just to be lucky enough to step foot in most venues.  This went on for a few years until I met up with another group of guys equally vested to make a career in the music business.  I was sixteen years old, recording my first real record.  Yes, an actual vinyl record for a real company (There were no home do-it-yourself recording studios at this time.)  A London based company called Killerwatt Records took a chance on the band and pressed our record.  It was an exciting time in my life, but also a real eye opener to the ugliness of what this business can spew on an eager bunch of musicians that have their eyes on success.  As glamorous as this sounds, it wasn’t.  We joined the thousands of other naive music artist across the world that got ripped off, mislead and dumped.

It wasn’t all bad though. I learned a lot during this time. And the band did manage to get a song into a B classic horror film staring Adam West, but that’s a whole other story.  Over twenty-five years later, the original record has been rereleased on different labels and has made it to metal’s underground classic status.  But again, that’s another story.

I still remember waiting in the parking lot of a club because I was only sixteen years old. They would only let me in to do sound check, and play the show.  I had a bouncer escort me to and from the parking lot.  He was like my own secret detail.  How special!  In reality, the guy was probably only twenty years old himself wondering why he was assigned to babysit the younglings.  He’d rather be at the front door carding the scantily dressed ladies that were entering the venue.  What a blast!

Whether it is playing with my dearest friends in local venues, playing on stages across the country, or hidden in the back supporting a major label artist at Radio City Music Hall, I still enjoy drumming and the path it has taken me on.

To be continued…

The RAVE was my first "real" band.  A long, long time ago, at the early age of twelve, I used to hang out at our local park in the north section of the Bronx called "The Oval".

When the weather was warm, a bunch of musicians used to come up with their guitars to jam.  One day they brought a drummer with them and a drum set.  After watching for a while, I started talking to these the guys about sitting in and playing.  Without hesitation, my musical brothers Freddy and John had me sit in and jam some rock and R&B classics.  Here I am a twelve year old, jamming with guys in their late teens and twenties.  The jam didn't stop there.  From that day on, I ended up sitting in with them a lot and eventually took over the drummer spot for the weekend jams.  

That summer we learned dozens of classic covers and began playing the local bar scene.  Later, we took our act to the city and played many of the venues catering to live music.  Some of our regular stops were CBGB's, The limelight and a variety of clubs on Bleecker Street in the village.  

The band went through several personnel changes over the years, but for the most part, Freddy, John and I stuck together for years.  I'll always remember and cherish the opportunities and experiences I had playing with these guys.  I was saddened to hear that John had past away several years ago. I always had hoped to reunite and play that park again one day with my brothers.  I guess there is a lesson to be learned not to put off the things that mean the most to you... (RIP Brother John!)

DEATHMASK was originally the band SAVAGE CHOIR; a New York/New Jersey based band playing shows in the tri-state area.  In 1986 Killerwatt Records based out of London, England approached us to release an album.  There was one small problem... They didn't want the SAVAGE CHOIR name.  Instead, they wanted us to be called DEATHMASK.  I think the label had an idea in mind to sign a metal band, and we just happened to be that band that easily fit their vision.

DEATHMASK released a full-length ten-song album titled Split the Atom.  The record was recorded at Talysin Studios in Long Island, New York.  Although the record says that Jon Mikl Thor and Steve Price produced it, in reality they didn't produce much of anything but a major headache.  But that's a story  for another time...

The band DEATHMASK fizzled out within a year, however the music still lingers on.  One of the songs from the record was used in the horror cult classic movie Zombie Nightmare featuring Jon Milk Thor, Adam West and Tia Carrere.  In 1994, Mystery Science Theater 3000's Episode 604 featured a spoof on Zombie Nightmare.  It was classic!  

Songs from Split the Atom have appeared on metal compilations over the years, and the album was released several times on various labels such as Strike Force Records and Retrotrash Records.