I
was born on April 11th 1987 in Richmond Hill, Ontario
and currently reside here as well. My love for music started
at a very young age, I’d say that the earliest memory
of my childhood is music. My father (Sergio,) constantly
listened to classic rock and quite forcefully lured me
into the magical universe that is rock and roll. I remember
quite vividly car rides filled with what I like to call
“name that artist.” My dad would quiz me regarding
songs on the radio; he would ask who the artist was as
well as the song names. This really helped develop my
love and knowledge of different musical styles and their
sonic history. Another memory of my childhood is my love
of singer/songwriters like Billy Joel and Elton John whom
also played my first concert. I was infatuated with their
musical style and prowess; but also with their ability
to take the mind to another place with lyrics and melody.
I
recall that my father had a copy of Billy Joel’s
“River of Dreams” that I absolutely loved.
The title track was like an imaginary journey for me;
every time I heard it, I would paint a different buy equally
exciting tale in my head, thus I would play the song on
loop continuously, it got to the point where my parents
had to hide the disk from me. Once I started to mature
a bit more I came to appreciate the music that seemed
to make my father so happy; classic rock. I remember so
much movement, rich harmony and texture in songs from
bands like Boston, Journey and Led Zepplin. These songs
that built my musical foundation had such a huge grasp
of those around me, it forced them to play make-believe
instruments and sing at the top of their lungs, for a
child this is invigorating and freeing; this music not
only created an overwhelming feeling, but opened a world
into adulthood that I had never seen before, a place where
the adult (for a moment) could be transported back to
childhood or at the very least a place resembling it.
I
wanted to feel this passion as well, so I began to sing
along slowly but surely with my dad. Both my parents (Sergio
and Lori) agreed that I sounded pretty good for a kid
and that I should continue to sing, so I did. I sang in
the shower, I sang with my dad and I sang along to the
Ninja Turtles (best show ever) theme song. Then I reached
a new point in my musical passion, this was the passion
of expression; the passion to write. I could develop melodies
in my head, but really had nowhere to place them, so I
decided to take up an instrument, that instrument would
turn out to be not only a platform on which I could build
my music, but a close friend as well; the guitar.
My parents bought me my first guitar from Costco when
I was 9 years old. It was a Korean made Yamaha acoustic.
I got it for Christmas and I was through the roof with
excitement. I started lessons that January and in the
beginning was very disheartened because the guitar did
not come as simply to me as my voice did, but I worked
at it and began to look at the instrument as a companion
to my voice; this really helped me develop as a player.
I became enthralled with the instrument and made it my
commitment to understand its workings and the craftsmanship
that was behind it.
Soon after I picked up the guitar, I created the band
which you now know as Bloodline with my cousins whom I
consider more like brothers Matt, Steve and Tony. There
was an instant connection between the four of us, some
may consider this natural because we are family and so
close, but there is something more intense in our musical
connection that is beyond simple genetics, there is something
more magical and more engulfing. Our grandfather was an
avid musician and passed away at a young age, I believe
that he left us his musical legacy to tread forth with
and thus we are bonded somehow by his energies. Perhaps
I am treading too deeply into metaphysical waters and
we connect in basic form because we love music. Either
way there is a definite passion that binds the band to
our music.
One of my first ever live performances was at my grade
school Father Henri Nouwen in Richmond Hill. The band
played at an outdoor barbeque and at the time it was a
huge success especially in regards to stage confidence.
My second recollection of stage performance was also at
my grade school where I played an original song that I
had written for my classes grade eight graduation; it
was absolutely terrifying to play to all of my childhood
friends, but it went well and I am extremely proud of
that moment in my life. My most memorable show to date
though came during my high school years at St. Teresa
of Liseaux (also in Richmond Hill) where the band finished
the annual music night off. The show ended in a standing
ovation, it seems ridiculous now but I jumped off the
stage in excitement, I had never been recognized like
this before and it was incredible to see that the band
had worked so hard to prepare musically and had been accepted
by so many people.
The band has always been excited by the classic/hard rock
genres; yet our musical journeys have led us in very different
yet appeasing and harmonious directions. More recently
I have become deeply focused on British/Liverpool style
rock. It’s jangly guitar sounds and wonderful melodies
are truly pertinent in regards to my musical stance at
the moment, this is not to say that I have left my classic
roots behind, but rather that I have made it my goal to
broaden my sonic horizons in search of new sounds and
bases for expression. It is my belief that each member
of the band has a different taste for sound as compared
to the other. This quite obviously creates some occasional
tension; yet this tension seems to bring out the very
best of the band and we thrive off of each others tonal
comprehension's.
Another of my passions that goes hand in hand with the
creation of music are guitars themselves. To me the guitar
is the ultimate form of artwork because it is both beautiful
and functional at the same; a human sushi plate if you
will. I received my first electric guitar when I was 13,
it is a burgundy Fender Strat that I still have and play.
After the Strat I began to crave guitars; different styles,
companies, colours and most importantly sounds. My favorite
guitar is definitely my Gretsch, it has a sound that is
undeniably vintage and I believe that it is truly a physical
representation of the sound in my head.
I am very proud of my personal and band related musical
accomplishments including our win at The Foundation nightclub.
Also I am very proud of what we have recently created
in the studio and hope it will reach some rock hungry
ears. It seems that real rock and roll is reviving itself
from a previous age of hibernation and it is my hope that
Bloodline can be a part of it’s rebirth.
