Live: Big D: Vocals; 6 & 12 String Guitar:
Recordings: Big D: All Vocals, All Acoustic & Electric Guitars; Keyboards; Banjo; Mandolin; Sitar; Fake Drums; Pop-Tarts; White Castles; Totino's Party Pizza's; Lots of Diet COke; 9 Volt batteries; Duct Tape; Computer Stuff....
Influences
The Beatles in particular John Lennon are what started my desire to play music. See my other myspace page for more in depth info there.
The Unplugged Adventure was started in 2001, just after wrapping up a successful tenure as one of the Wabash Valley top bar bands ended. The Atomic Farmboys (1990-2001) were a top draw for many years, and this vehicle put BD in contact with many good people during that time. Before the AF run, he had been a founding member of Badd Manners, that had traveled the East Coast, Southeast and points north and west from 1984-1990. You may recall that band under various monikers---Leviathan, then Bad Manners, then added the extra D, to finally Badd Madame.
What started out as just a simple acoustic guitar in the 6th grade came full circle when after prodding from friends BD finally entered the acoustic market albeit with a little twist. Not wanting to be the 'norm' in that field, he made the decision to go exclusive 12-string, and that became his niche. Early on he decided to feature songs that you simply would not expect in an acoustic setting. Adapting hit songs of every genre save country to the 12-string's distinctive sound has proven to be a winning combination.
Everything from 60's british invasion thru the psychedelic period of peace and love. From the late 60's acid rock, 70's jam bands, Pop and Bubblegum as well. From singer/songwriters like Taylor. Chapin, Croce, Simon, Steven, and even piano based artists like Billy Joel and Elton John...nothing is unadaptable to BD Unplugged. We can't forget the tech pop of the 80's, or the hair bands, grunge bands, metal, hard rock...and of course southern rock as well. It is...a virtual plethura of choices made in the course of any performace by you, the patron. Nothing is planned ahead, rather it is based by what BD hears from the tables in front of him.
The perfect BD Unpluged gig consists of mass sing-alongs, tons of requests yelled out, and the look of surprise at what is next. Another is the ability to sing the material. The experience of fronting the aforementioned bands has given BD a unique ability to read and communicate with any type of crowd on hand any night. He can change direction in material in the bat of an eye, get normally subdued folks to flail air-guitar and sing at the top of their lungs!
With choices from the 60's through the current rock out today, he can appeal to about any age group, and in fact can keep several age groups in co-existance by being able to go from say The Beatles or Stones, to Ozzy, to James Taylor to Dave Matthews. In addition, BD joined up with Vincennes band ZERO KINGS in the summer of 2002 as co-lead guitarist and lead vocalist, and has spent the past 5 years doing shows with ZK across southern Indiana and Illinois.
All in all it's hopefully an enjoyable experience, one that may surprise you at the end of the night. It's been compared to sitting around a campfire with a case of beer and a bottle of hootch in the woods just shootin' the breeze....and that's exactly how BD likes it!
