The Early Years, aka, Out of the Basement and Into the Closet (it’s not what you think)

As a kid I wanted to play drums, but my parents said “no f*cking way are you having drums in this house.”  Come to think of it, I should see if they were just referring to Tom.  Anyway, my dad bought himself a guitar to learn classical method, not realizing that learning an instrument after drinking a bottle of Gallo red rose nightly is not generally the best plan.  One day when I was 16 and slightly toasted, I picked up my dad’s unused guitar and picked out the notes to “Sunshine of Your Love.”  Oh the possibilities. School?  Who needs school?

I had been playing guitar for about three months when I first met and jammed with Tom, his brothers and a really smoking guitarist whose ears started bleeding.  It was then I knew what I wanted to do – make peoples’ ears bleed.  Before you knew it, we were playing beer fests, pig roasts, backyard love-ins and the like.

The Early Years, Part Duh:  Q: If you drop a guitarist and a watermelon off a tall building, which would hit the ground first? A: Who cares?

I had the privilege to rock out with Tom again in college.  We were quasi-top 40 although our inner punks and hippies would come out on certain numbers.  We had a hot female vocalist and therefore we were a big draw.  As I recall, we consistently set records for alcohol sales wherever we played.  Life was good.  

Then one day I made the mistake of falling 30 feet down a stairwell and hitting a concrete floor – a feat I don’t recommend.  As they say, it's not the fall that gets you but the quick stop. Fortunately I only fractured my left hand and wrist in many places. The doctor said “your guitar playing days are over.”  I hate being told what I can’t do.

The Hazy, Crazy, Neybas Years: Why would anyone name a band the Neybas?

Around this time I became the singer, songwriter and guitarist of "The Neybas." As an aside, I never wanted to sing, but was the only one who knew the lyrics.  Anyway, the Neybas were awarded "Best Original Rock Band" in readers' polls so many years in a row that we were "retired" from the ballot to make room for other area original bands.  We played in clubs from Boston to New York for 20 years continuing to set records for alcohol sales (sensing a pattern?).   Boy those were fun times.  At least that’s what I’m told.  One time I did a guitar toss and fractured my skull - blood coming down over my face, the whole 9.  Unfortunately people loved it.  

These are the Good old Days

I have to say, this is one of the best sounding bands I’ve heard or played in.  If only we were 17 and hadn’t destroyed our minds with chemicals.  Wait, that’s Leonard Nimoy I’m thinking about. 

By the way, I don’t make people’s ears bleed anymore...