I’m gonna drop some Schnooky knowledge on your ass!
Well, it’s a Yiddish term for someone who is not the brightest, easily duped… You know, a fool. I chose this for three reasons. First, I got the idea from a Beastie Boys song. Second is that it reflects my heritage. And lastly, because I feel like one.
Unless otherwise noted, yeah, it’s just me. From soup to nuts, it’s all me.
First instrument was the drums, but that didn’t last long due to noise complaints. So next was guitar. That was between 1991 and 1992. I honestly don’t remember all that clearly when exactly I started.
I consider myself a “utility player,” I can do a lot, and do it competently. But I am not expert at any one thing (the old “jack of all trades” thing).
But, if you had to pin me down to one instrument, it would be drums followed by bass. As a child with undiagnosed autism, I became fascinated by rhythm and various sounds at a very early age (we’re talking around 1983) . Therefore, drums are a natural choice, and bass can also be very percussive.
Well, I see the L4L5 levels of the lumbar spine. What we have here are the vertebrae with some serious osteophytes coming off of the side.
Man, I gotta say, those facet joints aren’t looking so good. And the missing bone structure tells me that this person has had surgery before. Makes sense, look at those foramen. That right there is classic foraminal stenosis.
Does this person lean on a shopping cart? What…? Oh, this isn’t an MRI?
I tell you what, if you’re cool and you bring some snacks, you can come to my studio. That’s about it.
Cauda equina syndrome (CES), that’s why. Long story short, I suffered a catastrophic back injury in the line of duty as a public safety officer. It is astonishing that I can walk, let alone play drums. I can’t play for long, I can’t carry my gear…. Also, I would need backing players or tracks, and that ain’t happening.
Oh, I sure do! Here’s some of it:
-1981 Ibanez Destroyer 2
-1987 Fender USA Strat (Scott Buehl stamped, for those who know)
-1995 Ibanez ATK100 4 string bass
-Roland TD17KV vDrum kit
-Roland JD-Xi synth
-Behringer Deepmind 12 synth
-Behringer MS1 mk1
-Arturia Microfreak
-And more…
I’m a sucker for Steak & Shake chili. That stuff is spicy heroin with beans to me. A close second is Wendy’s. And yes, I know they throw the old hamburgers in there. I’m just not a pussy about it like you are.
Mike Patton, for one. Great frontman. Very unique. John Paul Jones, I thought he was the best one in Led Zeppelin. Carol Kaye is a huge influence in both tenacity and ability. I have so many (Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Mitch Mitchell, Jaco Pastorius, Les Claypool, Danny Carey, etc.).
But the last one I will end with is Mel Brooks. He is a composer, singer, and songwriter. But more importantly, he was willing to push the boundaries and to be a little stupid without shame if it makes others feel good. Plus he fought Nazis. That’s badass.