Guitars Top Row L - R
 November 1966 Gretsch Viking; March 1967 12 string Gretsch; circa 64 or 65 12 string Gretsch; 
January 1967 12 string Gretsch; and Scotty's very first Gretsch -- a March 1970 Streamliner.
Bottom Row L - R 
1983 Rickenbacker 360 12 string; June 1967 Monkee Gretsch; 1976 Gibson Les Paul Custom; 
January 1967 Monkees Gretsch; 1977 Rickenbacker 360
 

>What was the first guitar you ever had?    
The first guitar I ever had actually was purchased for my mother. It was a Check-mate acoustic and cost about $12.00 I think from Two Guys department store. It never stayed in tune and the top was splintering but I loved it. I played that guitar for the longest time and eventually sold it to a young boy at a garage sale for $5. I can remember how sad I was to let it go knowing the bond and history I had with it.

>Who were your musical influences growing up?
The majority of my musical exposure came from my parents. Mom liked Pop music and Dad liked Broadway musicals and Show tunes so I'd be listening to The Beatles' Magical Mystery Tour one moment and Man Of LaMancha the next. Television also played a part and I feasted weekly on The Monkees and The Banana Splits. I also had a fling with the Beach Boys (but I assure you it was strictly platonic!).

>How old were you when you realized the guitar was for you?
I don't think I ever thought the guitar was "for me". When I was about 13 or so I started to figure the thing out, put my fingers where the dots in the chord book I had said they should go and just started strumming away. I never really got advanced as a player (I could never riff) but I've just felt this connection with the artistry of music and instruments in general.

>How old are you now?
Old enough to know not to answer this question.  Besides, age only matters if you're cheese. Or maybe it's age only matters if you're THE Cheese. Something like that.

>What inspires you to play? 
At this stage in the game I don't know if it's so much inspiration as habit or some other inexplicable force. For the most part, guitar playing is a kind of therapy; it helps to calm your mind and soothe your soul. You can almost equate it with chanting the right mantra until you reach nirvana.

My dream guitar would be to own Mike Nesmith's Gretsch 12 string from his Monkee days.
There was one on eBay a few years back rumored to be his, but $15,000 was too much
to spend at the time on a "it could be his" investment.

>Do you prefer to perform with a band or alone? 
Usually I prefer to perform with a band, especially if they are good musicians.

>What are the fringe benefits of playing with a band?
You can always stand back in a group if you're not feeling on that night.  It's also nice to have a few extra hands to load in equipment.

>What CD would your friends be surprised that you own?
Hmm. I don't know if my friends would be surprised with any CD that I own as they'd either know me that well or find me that predictable.

>What was the first song you learned to play?
The first song I learned to play was A Day In The Life by the Beatles. I had my Big Note Chord book and sat down and figured it out. I thought knowing how to play B minor was the equivalent of knowing the Colonels 11 secret herbs and spices. I still have that book somewhere.

>Do woman come on to you more since you're a musician?
No, I think it's about the same as ever (i.e. 0 + 0 = 0)

>What do you like best about recording in the studio?
The Tea & Sympathy.

>What's the most embarrassing thing to happen to you at a gig?
I have a habit of breaking strings, whether it's due to bad playing technique or poor choice in string brand. I can recall one such gig when I was bass player of a group named State Of Mind. We were playing a showcase gig in this venue called Real Montes that was strip club 5 nights a week and a rock club the other two. They had a horrible PA system but it was LOUD and you felt like you were on stage at Madison Square Garden. Now bass players shouldn't normally break strings. I mean, a guitar player will usually break a string due to exerting some severe stress on it by bending or hacking at it. Bass players usually just pluck away without incident. It just so happened that at this particular gig the Whammy was hovering over me. Early in the set in the middle of a song one of my strings snapped. Hmm....okay, no big deal right? I've still got 3 strings left, so I keep playing. A song or two later...SNAP! 2 strings gone, 2 still left. Well okay, the set is only 30 minutes so there's no point in changing the string now. We can get through with 2. Next song....boink!  3 strings kaplooey. I ended up finishing the gig with only the A string intact, playing in sort of wash-tub bass fashion. After the gig a few people came up and said "Man that was fantastic! I've never seen that happen before! I can't believe you made it through the set!" High praise indeed, but still embarrassing. I still never figured out WHY I broke 3 strings.  Suffice it to say, someone got stabbed at the club the next night and we decided the Whammy was working too much overtime for us to consider playing there again.
 

>What style of music do you find more difficult to play?
I'm not much of a finger picker. I'm much better at noses.

>Song that gets most requested? 
People always request American Pie. Why they want to sit thru and eleven minute song just so they can sing "Bye bye Miss American Pie" is beyond me. I grew to loathe that request.

>Will you play "Easy To Be You" for me?
Only if you say the magic word.