Started, as these things often do, with a stupid joke over coffee at a tattoo shop.

Founded The Second Step, a New York City ska band in 1984, and began to write copiously. Left the band to pursue a downward spiral of angst and mania and mathematics. Discovered myself in New York in 1993, a little battered and bruised, with guitar in hand and just kept playing, learning, teaching.

Louis Armstrong, Sly and Robbie, Bad Brains, Tom Waits, Paul Simon, Joe Pass, Bill Frisell

St. Stephens Green, Dublin, Ireland

Cakewalk Sonar XL, Native Instruments Battery, Epiphone Sheraton II, Fender Lonestar Stratocaster, M-Audio keystation, Breedlove Atlas acoustic, some spit and polish

“The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn, like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars and in the middle you see the blue centerlight pop and everybody goes "Awww!”