| About TUKK | For most of my life I have been a musician. And for most of my life I have been drawn to the stage. From simple high school talent shows to run of the mill cover bands, I have pursued the spotlight relentlessly. It’s an obsession really. A driving force that never lets up. It speaks to me, engages me, and helps me to escape the mire of everyday life. It is my sanctuary. We were first introduced when I was eight but it wasn’t until I joined the Army at age seventeen that I really started taking it seriously. Purchasing a top of the line Yamaha keyboard, I spent the next two years letting my creative energy flow; penning a library of instrumentals that I still revisit today. Sadly, keyboards can only get you so far so I made the decision to step out from the shadows and try my hand at guitar. Laughable at best, I quickly realized that playing the old six string was simply not for me. Not only was I having extreme difficulty shaping my fingers into something that resembled a chord but my picking style was atrocious! Knowing that this was something I was obviously not ready for I decided to chuck my aspirations of playing guitar and focus on bass instead. This was by far a better choice. Inspired by such notable artists as Nikki Sixx and Gene Simmons I immediately grew comfortable with the elongated neck of the bass and in no time had mastered such anthems as “Round and Round,” “Strutter,” and “Dr. Feelgood.” But it wasn’t enough. I wanted more. Not happy with learning other peoples music I began to move away from doing covers and focused on writing my own. There was only one thing standing in my way: my voice. Because of the inconceivably high vocal range of the decadent ‘80’s I never believed I would ever become the quintessential front man but when a new sound emerged out of Seattle a whole new world opened up to me. Pearl Jam, Nirvana, and Soundgarden showed me a side of music that I never knew existed. The lyrics were solid and thought provoking. The image was subdued and generalized. But what was most important to me was that it was something I could sing to. Who would have thought that men with real voices could actually break into the mainstream; but there it was and I was on it from the beginning. Coincidentally, it was also at this time that my need to learn guitar really ramped up again so I went to the local music store and purchased a cheap Ovation shallow body acoustic. I guess it was just meant to be because this time around it worked. Armed with only a simple chord book, I painstakingly played through each of the pages until my fingers were just a mottled, bleeding mess of calloused tips. Sometimes my fingers hurt so bad I could barely touch the strings but I persevered until I managed to create a compilation of ten original songs. What emerged was a sound similar to that of Incubus; acoustic rock infused with a touch of Lenny Kravitz, Live, and Smashing Pumpkins. What set me apart from these well established artists was my wide vocal range. Able to systematically flow between the subtle lows of baritone and the smooth melody of alto I crafted a library destined for worldwide success; however, the theme of my music really didn’t mesh with the mainstream. From the beginning, my intent was to create a reservoir of tunes that were both cerebral and captivating; the idea of wasting my time on subject matter which offered little substance left me weak and unfocused. Themes such as drug abuse, adultery, and the hypocrisy of everyday society weaved their way from my subconscious and helped forge a fresh and exciting sound far beyond the stagnate sewers of conformity. Unfortunately, I was still unsure of my direction. That is, until the fall of 2001. Just as it did every American, 9/11 effected me deeply. So much so that I was compelled to once again serve my country after a 12 year break in service. When I left the military in July of 1990 the Gulf War was just a blip on the horizon. Now it had come full circle with a rogue band of terrorists breaching my homeland. As I prepped myself to defend the Constitution of the United States I vowed that I would discover how it was that these thugs could bring down two of Americas financial icons and lead us into war not seen since Pearl Harbor. For three years I read everything I could get my hands on; meticulously comparing and confirming notes so as not to imbue an illogical hypothesis. What I discovered was an interconnected weave of religion, politics, and mistrust stemming back to the days of Abraham. Realizing that the questions I had would never be answered I turned to what I know and allowed the music to absorb my frustration. What emerged was a collection of songs exploring the disconnect between Islam, Judaism, and Christianity. It called for an end to the unwarranted violence perpetrated by each and lashed out at those who invoke hatred simply because there are those in the world who think differently. Released in July of 2008, “Three Faith |
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