Max's Jellybelly cover.

[Shrapnel]

I just wanted to say that was an awesome cover Max!

You probably have this answered elsewhere but how long have you been playing music for?

[Bret Walker]

To give you some idea, you can check out the Max the Dork History page.  But I can answer your question quickly here:  I started playing organ at age 5, then moved on to piano at age 10, after briefly taking saxophone lessons in the fourth grade.  At age 13 I took guitar lessons briefly before taking up drums in high school.  When I graduated high school, I went to college(s) for music, but I was never very serious about college, and ended up going to four schools in five semesters, amassing enough credits to finally enter my sophomore year.  I dropped out and started playing guitar in earnest around 1990, but guitar was more of a hobby (and still is to a large extent) until 1995 when I separated from my wife and started playing punk to take my mind off the divorce.  The result was the majority of the songs on these first two albums.  In fact, the first two albums are comprised of, aside from the six cover songs, 13 songs written in 95/96, and the other 8 songs I've written in the last two years.

In 1986 and 87, I was in the All South-Jersey High School Chorus, and in 1986, I was in the All-State Chorus.  I know that's hard to believe, but it's true.  I was also in the Glassboro State College Youth Orchestra for four years, the All South Jersey Wind Ensemble in 86, and the John Phillip Sousa National High School Honors Band in 1987.  Along the way, I've also taken lessons in oboe, french horn, and trumpet, although my 10-year old daughter is a much more accomplished trumpet player than I ever was.

Hope this answers your question.  Despite all those years of music experience, I still suck  ;D

[Shrapnel]

Bret said:

To give you some idea, you can check out the Max the Dork History

Oops.
Heh... I was in a hurry and didn't read the history section.
Thanks for re-writing your brief history here again for me.

OutcastedMisfit mentioned your Jellybelly cover either on the Newgrounds BBS or Severedheads so I decided to check it out. I really thought it was cool.

What was your trade in the army?


I swear I've seen your "pc_shark" id somewhere before....

I also didn't know you like R.E.M.!

Yay!

Um... me sleep now.
I won't be able to reply until I get back from the weekend.

[Bret Walker]

It wasn't me that liked R.E.M., that was my sister's half of the ID.  I was the Green_Day portion.  Also, I was a truck mechanic in the Army.  63S - Heavy Wheeled Vehicle Mechanic.  After I got out of the Army, I was a mechanic for three more years before switching to computers.  I like this field much better.  It's cleaner, and so are the people.  Plus, I get to stay inside most of the time.  You almost never have to work on a computer on the side of the highway in the rain.

[The Vonz]

Yay, I've helped introduce another fan to Max the Dork. I've been plugging him quite a bit lately. BUY THE CD.

Shrap, you probably know him from the SCAP forum, I remember you posting there every so often.

[Shrapnel]

Bret said:

It wasn't me that liked R.E.M., that was my sister's half of the ID.  I was the Green_Day portion.  Also, I was a truck mechanic in the Army.  63S - Heavy Wheeled Vehicle Mechanic.  After I got out of the Army, I was a mechanic for three more years before switching to computers.  I like this field much better.  It's cleaner, and so are the people.  Plus, I get to stay inside most of the time.  You almost never have to work on a computer on the side of the highway in the rain.

I should've known it was your sister that liked R.E.M.  

I started playing the piano when I was 6 and I stopped when I was like 14 or something. I started playing the trombone when I was 10 and stopped when I was 16. I played the guitar briefly for one year when I was 17 and didn't pick it up again until I was 20. I just started taking lessons last year and I'm enjoying them. I get really frustrated though but I got a little inspired after reading your music history and hearing your Jellybelly cover. I'm saving up to buy a synth with weighted keys so I can learn how to play the piano again.

Well I'd better finish packing for my weekend army reserve training.

[Bret Walker]

Reserves, huh?  I was in the reserves for a few years after I got out of the regular Army.  Give 'em hell!

And keep chasing that dream, you never know when it's gonna kick in  ;D  For me it started when I separated with my wife, but MtD really started to take off when I started playing live.  I'm 32 now and I think it would be a huge joke if I broke into the music business now, but still, I'm having fun, and that's what counts isn't it?