None yet. I do occasionally work with other musicians and hope to establish a group soon.
Influences
Tears for Fears, Robbie Robertson, Peter Gabriel, Michael Hedges, Tangerine Dream, Patrick O'hearn, Dire Straits, U2, Tomas Dolby, Afrocelt sound system, Tom Petty, Brian Ferry, Feist, Seal, Daniel Lanois, Paul Simon, The Beatles, Joni Mitchell, Antonio Vivaldi, Phil Keaggy, Adrian Blew, Talking Heads, Sting, The Police, Arcadia, Duran Duran, John Cougar, Billy Joel, Beck, King Crimson
As a native of Minneapolis I began my musical journey back in grade school where I was in love with the sound of trumpets and violins in the Minnesota Orchestra. I started my first lessons on the violin. After my humble beginning I was suddenly confronted with my teacher leaving the U.S. and lacked the interest to continue. At the age of 17 I started to play piano at home, by myself. I started to really enjoy listening to music like " dont stand so close to me" by the Police, on stereo headphones, which at the time were very new to me. Later I found my life long friend, Paul Higgins at school playing a ensoniq mirrage sampling keyboard. He has taught me all kinds of things about music recording and electronics. I eventually discovered my new love for music in the form of recordings of all different genres. After graduating from Washburn High in 1987, my enjoyment for education diminished and my love for making music grew. In 1988 I started to work in a music store named "Roger Dodger Music" and met another life long friend John Mika whom introduced me to a member of a band who was looking for a keybordist. Rhys Alexander, another life long friend whom I started to play with his band "Tripper Straight". Not long after I joined the band it fell apart and left Rhys and I working on songs together with my next life long friend Rick Pelletier. In 1990 I attended classes in music production at a small independent school called "Film In the Cities". There I recorded some of my early work with guitarist Rhys Alexander. For many years after our first studio recordings I had been struggling with trying to keep my recording chops up to date and started to record other bands and get involved with the music scene in Minneapolis. After 1994 I made some decisions that kept me away from music and started working full time instead. Around 1998 I started to play more guitar and get involved with music again. For the next five years I had devoted much of my time to hard work and making a living and moving out of my parents house. In mid 2003 Andy West, a good old friend who had many bouts with drug and alcohol addiction died of a heart condition and brought me back to my old friends once again to produce recordings in memory of him. In late 2003 Rick talked me into taking some singing classes with him at Minneapolis community technical college. These classes renewed my sense of spirit with music and helped me gain momentum to start performing again. These newest songs reflect the new found love for life, I hope you enjoy them and may you find peace in your journey,
Bret
Bret, thanks for joining KGB at Famous Dave's last Saturday. Just listened to your CD and wow! Each song is uniquie, yet all songs hang together into an nice collection. You have done a really good job of writing, performing, and recording. Looking forward to more!
