My songwriting influences include the stuff I heard on the radio or on American Bandstand growing up in the 50s/60s plus countless country blues recordings, Monty Python, Steve Allen, Mad Magazine and beatniks. Also, my Brit heritage, the stories my mother read to me and my father's love of a good beat (he loved Fats Domino and The Pretenders). Literature, history and geography have also been influential.
My first instrument—the bongos. I learned to play guitar so I could write songs.
Other than fire, music may be our most important discovery.You can't roast meat with it but you sure can cook! Where would we be without Cole Porter or Chuck Berry or Captain Beefheart?
Thanks to my current, future and past recording collaborators: Chuck Kawal, Mitch Rosenow, Tom Mohbat and Geoff DeMuth. And hats off to Mike, Dan and Pete of UTK. And madman Brian McKinney.
