Inspirations are the Beatles, Nelson Mandela, the Ramones, Peter Gabriel, Chris Brenne, Pink Floyd, Daniel Quinn, Ottmar Liebert, Claude Bolling, Carlos Santana, Steve Thorpe, the Dali Lama, Phish, Thelonius Monk, Willie & Lobo, Dennis Kucinich to name a few!
Mike is also a solo guitarist/singer/songwriter playing in many remote hidden away places around the mid west for some times up to 40 people at once and having too much fun. He has performed at coffee houses, restaurants, casinos, music festivals, campgrounds, and in concert around South Dakota, Minnesota, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona. Drawing from a play list of original and cover material, he has an eclectic song repertoire.
Original songs explore the lyrical themes of love, loss, love lost, and worlds lost, words unheard and unheeded, with a ray of hope and sunshine almost always thrown in for good measure (but not always).
Mike has been performing as a musician since 1980. He attended Bostons Berklee College of Music way back in 1980 and Massachusetts College of Art before that. He writes an occasional song and also teaches guitar and bass.
Mike played with rock, jazz, and blues bands in the Boston area as well as a stint with a classical vocalist from India. With names like Five Guys Named Jeff, a' la modal, White China Power Bucks, Fat Fish Don't Get Treats, Larry Levin and the Purple People, Swinging Beef, Boys with Toys, well, none of these groups became household names. It was good time fun!
Since moving westward to Rapid City, South Dakota in 1994 Mike has played bass with the Celtic new grass pop fusion band the Counter Players, the funky groove band the Toadstool Jamboree, the original rock band Abby SomeOne, alternative melodic Afferent, Cambridge Massachusetts based Red Velvet Slide, LA based "Betty Dylan" as well as fronting his on acoustic world music rock band No Clue!.
Mike most recently performed with the Sugar Free Jazz Trio featuring Shawn Parker (Sax, Clarinet, and flute) and Terry Rathbun (drums).
He has also played bass with the 50s bands; "the Drifters", "the Platters", "the Coasters", and "the Temptations" for up to even thousands of people at once. Fun! Fun! He may be interested in playing bass with you. Ask him.
Awesome running into you as well, next time i am in rapid I will look you up I am playing in newcastle at the antler on friday the 14th at 9pm if you would like to come play a couple songs too that would be awesome. Hope you are doing well look forward to jamming sometime soon.
I don't remember saving your life. I remember jammin' with you a few times. I didn't perform CPR on you in the middle of the Blue Oyster Cult song did I?
Hey Mike, hope you had a good time in Chicago. Honestly I've been pretty swamped lately with work and other time consuming things. Who knows though, maybe this summer will be easier for me. I will keep in touch.
Thanks, Mike! Life has been so crazy lately that I haven't had time to play. I forgot how much I missed it. :( My cousin is getting married this summer and she wanted me to play the paino at her wedding, but I can't play, video tape, and do photographs all at the same time! So, for a surprise I'm working on a couple songs to play on the guitar and sing for her. It's going a lot better than I thought it would. I'm going to be in R.C. over Easter Weekend, are you playing anywhere?
Hey Mike. Hope all is well. Sorry we missed each other in December. Hey is the house concert you are doing in Chi town private? I think my Mom may want to go see you.
Thanks for the invite. I just live a couple of blocks from the Chop House. I would much enjoy hearing you play. Your music always makes my heart feel good. I will try to make it. Sending Love and Light, Barb
yea deff. im gettin pritty good. im in 2 bands and i got a telent show comen up we playin in. its so hard to find a bassist thought theres only one in our school and luckly he's my friend but my other band doesnt hav a bassist so its pritty hard to play some of the stuff we want to like zeppelin
Mike thanks for the welcome to myspace. I have been touched by your music in the Black Hills for several years and I enjoyed a nice retreat and the music in Ten Sleep Wy a few years ago. Keep up the great work. You make difference in the lives you touch with your music. Glad to have you as a friend.
Hey Mike! Long time no see eh? Hope you're doing well. It was good to hear your music again. I liked Echoes. Let me know how you and everyone else is doing out there. Miss you all, as always. Take care.
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