How many bands have I been in?

Okay, so I have to really think about this one.

I started playing the guitar when I was 13 years old in 1976. Those first few years were more about me just jamming with my best friends Mark and Curt. Me on the acoustic guitar, Mark on the electric and Curt on the bass. Mark and I would meet up and jam with some other kids a few blocks away from our neighborhood. That was about it. It wasn't until I got into high school that I started thinking more seriously about actually joining or forming a band. In 1978, my Sophomore year second semester, I transferred to another high school where the music program was a high priority. Al Clausen was our band director. He was well known in the Southeastern Wisconsin Musicians Union and had an extensive musical history. Al was a huge influence on me in guiding my direction in becoming a much better practicing instrumentalist. Al gave me the opportunity to try the bass guitar for the first time. So, I joined the school jazz band. Having only ever practiced the six strong guitar, the bass guitar was very new to me. Somehow, it felt very comfortable. I understood the instrument almost immediately.

During those high school years, I was the bassist for the jazz band. I also played in two or three bands outside of school. When I was out of high school, I joined a local pop/rock band. We had a few rehearsals, but nothing ever came of it. Mark was doing the same thing with his circle of band mates. Sometimes, Mark's cousin, Mike and I would "roadie" for Mark's bands. I would tune all the guitars, do all of the mic checks and run the soundboard while Mike worked the stage. In 1984, I joined a friend, Ron, from an earlier band. Ron wanted to do wedding reception gigs. Back then, people still hired bands to play at their weddings. That lasted for about a year, but we never did any gigs. Mostly, we just hung out in the band room and played songs for a few hours.

For most of the 1980's, I worked full time at my job. I didn't have much time to play in a band. I moved to Orlando in 1988 and almost immediately began to meet other musicians around town. Most of these bands were weekend warriors. You know, guys with weekly jobs. Playing in a band was just something for them to do to get away from their wives and girlfriends for a few hours. I worked with my good friend, a bass player by the name of A.J. Johnson. This guy was an amazing singer and bassist. I never heard someone play funk bass before. Honestly, at first. I was intimidated by A.J., and then I was motivated. In 1994, purely by coincidence, I saw A.J. walking across a parking lot as he and this long-haired buddy of his were on their way to a gig. A.J. introduced me to his friend, Mike Walker. Little could I have known at the time, just how much Mike would one day change my life forever.

A.J. and Mike started a band called World Wide Tribe. I started going to their rehearsals, learning their songs, helping do set up and tear downs and roady-ing for the band. Mike and I got along great. I wanted to be in the band. I learned as much as I could so if the opportunity came, I would be prepared to audition. I was playing in another band called Moral Dilemma, but it wasn't going anywhere. I finally joined WWT in late 1997. We did a few gigs around town. Then A.J. moved to Las Vegas to start a new career.

I had started teaching at the local music store with Mike, in 1996. I was meeting all kinds of musicians from all over central Florida. I loved being a real musician. I was asked to join a swing jazz band out of Clermont called The Baby Blues band. We played several shows around the Clermont area. I left that band a few months later. I had been asked to join another band called Byron Haze. That lasted a few months. Then I was asked to audition for a working band out of Kissimmee called Radio Daze. I decided that I wasn't interested in going on the road with that band, so I backed out and briefly joined another band called the Timothy Lewis band. At the same time, I started hanging out with a couple of girls I had met at the music store. They had a band called Jayla. They were a working band doing gigs all over Florida. I started going to their rehearsals and helping out with roady-ing. I learned all of their songs and even played with them at a couple of acoustic gigs where they didn't need the entire band. I eventually joined that band. My last gig with Jayla was February 2001.

While I was playing with Jayla, Mike introduced me to one of his students, Peter Brunton. Peter was from Scotland and wrote his own songs. Mike invited me to his house in Poinciana to listen to Pete sing and play some of his songs. After hearing Pete sing, it was immediately understood that we needed to put a band together. Our vocals blended effortlessly. The music was catchy and interesting. We needed a drummer. Mike's first thought was to call Gary Moffatt. Gary came down to Mike's house and met with all of us. Mike had a small drum kit in his house, so we played a few songs and the chemistry was undeniable.

Gary joined and we came up with the name "Lift". We booked a gig at a venue off of Orange avenue. We packed the place. People loved us. Then we found out a few days later that another band already had the name Lift. S

o, we had to find another name. Mike wrote down a possible name after seeing a poster in the guitar department of the music store, of a bunch of well-known shredders all standing in a group with their seven-string guitars. At the top of the poster read "Rule of 7". That became our name.

Rule of 7 went on to record two studio CD's. We played several gigs around Orlando. We did a two night gig in Loveland, Colorado in February 2004. The band took a year-long hiatus due to scheduling conflicts. Then in November 2005, we did a road trip to Miami to play two songs at the Grammy Academy of Music showcase in South Beach. The only reason we went down there was to hopefully meet with a few record labels. When we got there, we were disappointed to find out that none of the record labels sent any representatives to Miami because of the fear of a hurricane. Well, Hurricane Wilma had already come and gone the month before, so we collectively felt like we made the trip for nothing. Then we decided that if we weren't going to impress any record executives, we would show all of the other artists in the showcase, just how the big boys did it. We ended up winning the showcase. This would be the last time Rule of 7 would play as a band. So, we left while we were on top. Mike and Gary I have all played a few gigs together since.

So, how many bands have I been in? It looks like I've played in quite a few. Gary still plays with a well-known national rock band. Mike owns a recording studio and does some gigs with his artists. Peter was the leader of his praise and worship band at his church. Not sure if he's still doing that. Me, well, I'm not doing the band thing right now. I might try it again someday. For now, my focus is on teaching and bringing the experience of my 46+ years of being a musician to my lessons.