GUITAR / BACKING VOX
 MIKE'S FACEBOOK PAGE  I was always interested in music of any kind. I would put on concerts for my family lip syncing to Buddy Holly and Richie Valens. I would sneak into my older brother's room and play his guitar. It was clear that music would be a huge part of my being. When I was 13 I made my parents trade in a violin for my first guitar and I converted my dad's office into a jam room for myself. Taking solace in my guitar playing was all that i wanted to do. I had one lesson at 15 and decided to teach myself from then on. I was playing stuff like Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Weezer & Live at this point. I bought scale books, Jimi Hendrix sheet music, videos, whatever I could do to educate myself. I then discovered Stevie Ray Vaughan and was amazed by his intense bluesrock style. I would play to a metronome for up to 8 hours a day while also recording songs and ideas with my makeshift portastudio. At that age my main concern was to be the fastest and best ever, but, at the same time I wanted to have the soulshine and intensity of Hendrix or Vaughan. As my playing changed, so did my influences picking up on Metallica, Pantera, etc. But eventually I put my guitar down and basically away for 5 years! I had gotten caught up in the wild side of being young. When my best friend Rob and I decided to start a band, I had only been playing again for a couple months. It was inevitable that I would someday pick it up again. After 5 years with Rising my playing is far better in someways and not as good as when i was 17 in others. I now realize that speed is an illusion. Shredding is cool but one note can mean ten times more if done with soul and conviction. Zach Wylde once said in an interview that if you wake up in the morning and playing your guitar is the first thing on your mind, then you know you are meant to play. That's me! So now my death.....January 1st, 2012 the whole band decided to get in the same vehicle and let Tommy drive us around in the snow....Not a good idea! He lost control speeding around a corner, and all of a sudden I wake up in a coffin 6 feet under ground, and I can't find my guitar...Not cool! So I climbed out of my grave to go find my guitar and I see the other dead members of the band standing there. And At that moment it was obvious, we were DEAD RISING! ;) |
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