I’ve played drums in bands since I was 15 years old, but I
started playing snare drum in the 5th grade when a music teacher came to
my elementary school and had auditions for his drumming class. I had
never played before but apparently, I had rhythm because I passed the
audition and made the class! From then on I was hooked.
From 5th grade until the first time I sat behind a drum kit in the 9th
grade, I would bang on the family’s coffee table with drumsticks. I pretty
much demolished that thing. In high school, a friend of a friend
had a kit at her house and she was kind enough to let me sit behind it. The first song I played was “Love Is A Slug” by Fuzzbox. It’s not a very difficult song so I could actually play it. I still remember the euphoric feeling I had from that, and the massive headache I got from the loud noise that I wasn’t used to.
During the summer between 9th and 10th grades, I formed my first band with my best friends. We were called The Initiative and we played covers of The Cure, The Smiths, Stone Roses… all that great 80s music. Since then
I’ve been in a million bands, some “successful”, most not.
I studied at UCLA where I graduated with a B.A. in music (summa cum
laude, thank you very much). During this time I focused on classical
percussion and played in ensembles and orchestras such as the UCLA
Symphony & Phiharmonia, Percussion Ensemble, Wind Ensemble, Idyllwild Arts Orchestra, and the American Youth Symphony among others.
Below are links to some of the music and moments I’m most proud of…