It was a hot summer day in 1978, and I had just come home from an intense bicycle ride and found my brother and cousin laying down on the brown shag carpet of the abandoned living room of our newly built home.  “Blaring” (ya right) out of our combo stereo speakers were some serious harmonies and guitar riffs screaming off the vinyl on the turn table.  Apparently the two had already been there for three hours listening to this record over and over, laying on their backs, tapping their fingers and toes, trying to sing along.  So naturally, I joined them.  We listened to it for another three hours, until it was time for dinner. Since my cousin was over, I think we had pizza which was always a favorite during music appreciation time at our house.  Well let me take that back.  There were times when our parents took over and we had to eat goulash, and soon there was nothing but polkas, waltzes and accordion.  Don’t get me wrong, the intensity of these nights could easily parallel any rock festival.  When my family got together, we were ready to PARTY!!!  

 

So in 1981, my brother moved our combo stereo into his bedroom, which also accompanied his walkman.  The next day he decided to to ride his 10 speed 6 miles to purchase a Richard Blade favorite.  We opened it up and it sounded like a rock band with synthesizer and the boys in the band looked like girls.  It appeared as though my corduroy’s had run their coarse.  Although mouse was a  daily part of my attire, I was still unable to play the synthesizer.  The arpeggio, the pitch bender, the EVH would eventually save my love of the 80’s.  So there I was in this abandoned living room where my brothers’ band rehearsed, with complete P.A. and band instruments playing some guitar, some drums, and of coarse synthesizer.  It felt like the sports arena to me.    

 

Well before I knew it, it was 1987, and guess what, my brother bought a compact disc player.  Dude, they were expensive!  So I learned how to play the bass.  Well the 80’s wore out and so did I.  There were no more post cards from paradise, so I went totally retro.  It was all about the west coast sound of the psychedelic era, the english invasion and 60‘s detroit.  That also led me to explore the lore and sounds of the mother country.  Little did I know that these tunes were deeply embedded and could be instantly be reproduced.  This led me to my next endeavor, which put me into my current position.  That is how....yaaaa!

 

 

In 1981 Tommy got his first guitar and didn’t touch it until 1983. then he got some lessons and was jamming all the time.  In 1986 he put his first band together which was influenced by 80’s KROQ..Richard Blade.......  That was fun.  In 1990 he joined another band called the Misunderstood, that turned out to be his musical education.  That was intense.  Influences included the bands of 60’s, such as The Beatles, Buffalo Springfield, and Canned Heat.  In addition to that band, he joined a wedding band that made a man of a boy.  That was a blast.  Tommy is currently playing with Radio-Active.