Eclepto is the "ee" in "e-fraud" and "e-crime." It acknowledges my main inspiration is other people's music, preferably easy to play other people's music.

Funk is the "f" of folk and the "unk" of punk put together, since I think of myself as a folk punk singer, or a punk folk singer, but that would be Polk.

Americana is self-explanatory, since I sound just like Lucinda Williams.

bring on the money, baby ... i'm easy

I took some guitar lessons as a kid, never clicked. then some piano lessons. clicked even less. picked up a guitar around 14 and have been playing since. i am self-taught, for better or worse.

started writing songs in high school; got my first band in college. played around a few bands as writer, lead vocals, and rhythm guitar.

somewhere along the line i messed around with the saxophone (alto and tenor), accordion, piano (again), drums.

basically i just love music and want to make my own

in December of 2006, i started writing with the purpose of putting a collection of songs online to share. in January, 2007, the name Eclepto Funk Americana got attached to that project.

pretty much anything i listen to is open to being ripped off. i find a lot of Bob Dylan and Neil Young in my songs ... also Tom Petty ... Bruce Springsteen, of course ... Kurt Cobain is a huge influence, but i don't think as noticeable.

the Beatles were the first band i went crazy over (from about 1980 to 1985). i worshiped the Sex Pistols and the Ramones. REM was huge with me, especially during their early days. the Smiths, the Cure, and New Order were big with me too, though I am not sure I was influenced by them that much.

my writing is probably most influenced by Elvis Costello, early REM, the Pixies, Tracy Chapman, Sarah McLachlan, Tori Amos (believe it or not), Ani DiFranco, Tom Waits ...

at various times i've tried to sound like the Jesus and Mary Chain, the Pretenders, the Clash, Nirvana, Matthew Sweet, Everclear, even Dave Matthews ...

anyway, i hear bits and pieces of a lot of people in my songs ... too many to go into ... lately it seems everything i write sounds like a bad Cat Powers song

2000 Telecaster Custom through a Roland MicroCube (quiet!). For (very basic) bass lines, I use an early-1980's Aria Pro II Cardinal Series bass from a pawnshop and a Ross Fame-series bass amp (also from a pawnshop). New Simon and Patrick SP6 does the acoustic job. A cheap Yamaha keyboard takes care of fills and such. Also a harmonica. Also a tambourine.

I use a Rode NT1A and a Shure SM57 through a DMP-3 preamp. I mix and master with Reaper.