It all started at childhood with a guitar and a dream. But guess what, I ain't rich yet. But I have had a lot of fun and some unique experiences. I am still working at it, despite commitments to work, family, and all the rest. This is a page with some of the musical things I've seen and done here and there, and some people I've had the pleasure of jamming with. More will come in the future.

 


MGMM

The Mean Green Music Machine was my main project between 2004 and early 2011. Band Members included Jeff & Rachel Haughton, Earl Lowe, Mike Payne, and Eric Foreman. We played a LOT of venues , and traveled a lot, etc etc. Bought way too much stuff and paid WAAAAY too much taxes. I guess those are good problems to have had.

Had to throw in a pic with Earl, cuz he is the best effin drummer you could ask for!!!


The Seldom Herd

   

This was another fun project that occupied late 2003 and early 2004.  Pictured at left is Joe Phelan on Guitar, and Rich Cesani on Drums.  I played Bass, and Jimmy Brister from the Bel-Air Club was our singer. Jimmy passed away recently, and will be missed by all. I will try and post a pic of him soon, if we can find one.  We played a lot of Old R&R standards, some Country, and just whatever we felt like pulling out of our hats at the time.  These guys are truly a pleasure to work with, I have also played as a second Guitarist with this band and James Flynn (RT Scott, Southern Creed) played Bass while Jennifer Jones sang.  As of 9/04 Joe, Rich and I are currently putting together a new project to do some Buffett tunes and what not. Should be a lot of fun.


Rubber Soul

I played a few gigs with these guys in the later part of 2003, and began studio work on a second album to follow up their "Filet Of Soul" debut release.  Jeff Haugton (left) is on Lead Guitar, Scott Alan (center) sang, played guitar, and pretty much set creative control for this project, writing all songs, etc.  Jimmy Rogers plays drums, and they have a great crew of buddies that helped with sound, lights, etc. I was replaced due to scheduling difficulties and other things, but was just about to leave when it happened, so the timing here was pretty good (No hard feeling guys!!).  I plan on working with Jeff in the very near future on some new developments, and they will be placed online soon. I noticed that their website is down, so maybe a name change and a big facelift is due. We'll just wait and see.


N-The-Middle

This project covered most of 2002, and was lots of fun, and I made some good friends here.  Meri Beth Eubank (front, center) was our lead vocalist.  That's Larry Liberto on the left (Drums).  Michael Herron (right) played Guitar. We played a lot of Classic Rock, 70's Trash-Disco, and some newer stuff as well. This was my first regular gigging project in a while, and a welcome change to some of the Dive-Gigs I'd been playing.  Mike took a full-time Casino gig, and this effectively split us up, can't say I don't blame him, though.  We left on good terms, and may do it again someday.

 


The Rock Doctors

 

The Rock Doctors was a very fun and informal weekly jam that I did with Butch Azbell, my former R Pleazure Drummer, as well as David Street (Bass), and Cliff Christopher (Guitar). We played weekends at Stonewall's (now Willie Moffait's) in Memphis for several months.  David formed the Rock Doctors in Nashville a few years back, and brought the name to Memphis when he moved here. We all miss the hell out of Butch, who moved up north, near Baltimore, after living in Memphis gave him the Willies. Cliff, David and I also played a lot at the Windjammer during the Summer of 2003, with Windjammer Joe on Drums.


240-Loop

    A band project with Mike Strickland (Bass),  Jennifer Jones (Vocals), David Jaffe (Drums), and myself playing Guitar. We played a couple of gigs here and there for fun until David joined Rob and the Rage full time.  I still work with Mike and Jennifer occaisionally.


R PleaZure

     I joined up with R PleaZure October of 2000. We split up around Summer 2001. We played Rock, Blues, Dance, and other various cover tunes in some of the clubs around town. The old web page is still up at  rpleazure.tripod.com.


Passion's Door

Top: Dylan Cranmer-Guitar/Vocals, Chris Anderson-Drums/Vocals, Mike Strickland-Guitar/Vocals
Bottom: Me-Bass/Vocals, Brad Eiskamp-Lead Vocals.

      "And if the band your in starts playing cover tunes, I'll see you on the dark side of the moon....." That was a common statement from this cover band that played the infamous Highland Strip around 1994 or 95 ish. We played a lot of the 96X tunes that were becoming popular at the time.  Mike Strickland & I are regular partners in crime, as he is a mentor type instructor dude or something. He showed me my first chord at age 12, and we have been friends ever since, I started sitting in on some of his gigs at 17, stealing his licks, jokes, and other stuff. It was cool for us to be in this project together. Brad went on to form The Five that Framed OJ, which is now the Super Five. Dylan plays guitar for Crash Into June. Chris Anderson is doing the family thing right now, but really whackin' those skins whenever he gets a chance. Passion's Door was a very fun project, but it was hard to make any money due to club owners ripping us off, or make a recording due to lack of original work. Who knows, maybe we will do it again some day, but we are still waiting for Brad to buy a microphone I think....(ok Brad owns a bad-ass PA system now, and has since learned to play guitar quite well so I'll get off his back now).


Me, Mike Strickland, Rod Gilstrap, and Mike Spacek jamming at TJ Mulligan's on Quince in Memphis. I think this was a New Year's Party for 1994. This was one of Mike's many solo gigs that his buddies sat in at.  Mike still plays regularly at Bahama Breeze and a few other venues, and teaches music a lot.  He has also written a great guitar theory book. I am playing Mike's guitar, and he is playing an old bass of mine.  Through Mike, I have played with some of Memphis's finest musicians such as Tommy Cathey, Buddy Davis, Pete Sulley, Bill Marshall, Jeff Kuhn, Mike Maffai, Rick Erwin, and David Jaffe to name a few. Rod Gilstrap plays a mean blues harp as well.

  Bela Fleck and I after the "Three Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" show at the Omni-New Daisy in Memphis. The Flecktones put on an awesome show as always, and a great time was had by all. The guys signed an old Banjo of mine, as we yapped a bit after the show. Roy "Future Man" Wooten and I gave the show two thumbs up, as he took the time to explain to me the concepts of his Synth-Axe Drumitar. Very neat stuff.

 

Me, surrounded by some dudes from GORKY PARK, at Strings and Things in Memphis in late 1989 or early 1990. GP was a popular Hard Rock/Metal band from the former Soviet Union. You just gotta dig that mullet.  I think it got chopped off a few months later to go work on Ambulances-this was during my EMT school-Pizza delivery days. Not to mention too far after the tragic and embarrassing Telephone-Pole-Job Van accident. It surprises me to this day that I still got chicks to go out with me in that thing.....


Say hello to my buddy Jim Hollingsworth. He is pictued next to his wall of Serious Ampeg-Voodoo and a stunning array of instruments to pluck, thump, and flodulate upon. Jim works at Consignment Music on Park Ave. in Memphis, TN and keeps all of my guitars in perfect working order. He plays bass for Memphis' Own Cryin' Shame, and they have a new CD out now.

Does anybody recognize the two guys? Yeah that's Josey and Wayne from Saliva. Josey played drums with me back in high school (no shit), and now is a big Super Star or something. Anyway, I don't see much of him anymore except on tv, but I am very proud of and happy for him and the band. I took this pic at the shooting of their Click Click Boom Video. We used to work at Pizza Hut too, back in my smashed van driving days, before I started Paramedicing and he began working at the Purple Church (also known as the Mt. Moriah Ballet).


 

     John Michael Osbourne, better known as Ozzy, makes a brief stay at the Memphis Criminal Justice Center after a Memphis concert. Ozzy allegedly was charged with urinating on a statue somewhere downtown. But we know our favorite rocker would never do such a thing. Shame on whoever harassed this fine pillar of the musical community. We love you, Ozzy.  I wonder if they would arrest every pigeon that shat upon the same statue?¿?

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