Secret Riffs and Sacred Solos

Playing since I was 6 years old, I grew up playing classic rock songs by bands and artists like Led Zeppelin and Jimi Hendrix. By age 12, I gained a strong intuition for the blues pentatonic scale, equipped with bends, hammer-ons, pull-offs, and slides. Speaking of slides, I learned slide guitar around this time, with major influences from Jimmy Page and Keith Richards.

I became very interested in metal (thrash, death metal, melodic death metal, doom, tech death, etc.) around age 13 and gained a lot of speed with minor/major/harmonic minor scales (all over the neck, learned the meaning of the modes later). I've developed a heavy sort of hardcore/thrash/raw improvisation in my metal/hardcore solos. I go for risks often and try to keep my solos unique and authentic.

I began gigging in New Hampshire and Boston while I was in high school with my former Indie Rock band Weekend Greg. I played lead guitar as well as sang lead and backup vocals. My stage presence has always been dynamic - I can match the mood of the music and I am not shy (once onstage). These performances continued through college, where I became better educated in music theory (through classes at Boston University) as well as music production. Currently, I write, perform, record, and produce for my solo-project Billy Motherboard. I am oriented towards what sounds best, and not what sounds most impressive. John Frusciante is my greatest influence.