Lost an old friend and bandmate last week, best guitar player I ever worked with. Gutted. Just gutted.
Woke up to the news on Wednesday while I was on vacation. Have not accepted it yet. 30 years of making amazing music comes to an abrupt ending.
I first met this man through a mutual former bandmate in the 90s. "You've got to see this guy play, he's ridiculous!" And he was right. An imposing man of 6' 7"(!), Bruce made a Les Paul look like a ukelele. Played effortlessly in many different styles. Could play any Eddie van Halen or Rush, anything you could ask for or put in front of him.
He played with national acts. He also did work with Angelo Badalamenti, film/TV composer. He was "that" level. Knew hundreds of songs, had perfect pitch, could speak through his instrument. I don't think he liked touring. He certainly could have been a member of any number of bands, as is the case with some people I know. Music was his passion, though--he taught music, wrote it, recorded it, played it live, was a huge fan. I'll never forget him calling me to discuss the Beatles remasters in 2009 on the day they were released.
Worked with him live, first in a trio with my former bandmate, then in the studio in the early 2000s, then finally as a member of my Beatles band and with my girlfriend in an 80s band, where I often subbed in for the regular drummer.
He was a musical force of nature, but was also the cliched gentle giant. We used to talk before and after big shows, and he often needed a ton of reassurance that his playing was good! However, he was equally supportive of YOU if you played alongside him.
Sadly, he suffered from huge weight losses and gains which I believe shortened his time here. He also had Bipolar II and his share of demons. I think some of these things contributed to immense stress in his personal life. I also do not think that he was satisfied with his playing, even though people were heaping praise on nearly everything he did. He had gained weight again recently, and had just begun losing it as well, when he seemed unsteady on his feet.
Now, everybody claims to know "a great player", but check out the video down below--it's beyond opinion. He's playing with the great Deodato and killing it. If you know players like this who are also great souls, you are blessed beyond measure.
We were down the shore when we got a terrible phone call. Bruce suffered a massive heart attack in his sleep. He was 55 years old.
[media=https://youtu.be/LRaQLYibLyc]
I first met this man through a mutual former bandmate in the 90s. "You've got to see this guy play, he's ridiculous!" And he was right. An imposing man of 6' 7"(!), Bruce made a Les Paul look like a ukelele. Played effortlessly in many different styles. Could play any Eddie van Halen or Rush, anything you could ask for or put in front of him.
He played with national acts. He also did work with Angelo Badalamenti, film/TV composer. He was "that" level. Knew hundreds of songs, had perfect pitch, could speak through his instrument. I don't think he liked touring. He certainly could have been a member of any number of bands, as is the case with some people I know. Music was his passion, though--he taught music, wrote it, recorded it, played it live, was a huge fan. I'll never forget him calling me to discuss the Beatles remasters in 2009 on the day they were released.
Worked with him live, first in a trio with my former bandmate, then in the studio in the early 2000s, then finally as a member of my Beatles band and with my girlfriend in an 80s band, where I often subbed in for the regular drummer.
He was a musical force of nature, but was also the cliched gentle giant. We used to talk before and after big shows, and he often needed a ton of reassurance that his playing was good! However, he was equally supportive of YOU if you played alongside him.
Sadly, he suffered from huge weight losses and gains which I believe shortened his time here. He also had Bipolar II and his share of demons. I think some of these things contributed to immense stress in his personal life. I also do not think that he was satisfied with his playing, even though people were heaping praise on nearly everything he did. He had gained weight again recently, and had just begun losing it as well, when he seemed unsteady on his feet.
Now, everybody claims to know "a great player", but check out the video down below--it's beyond opinion. He's playing with the great Deodato and killing it. If you know players like this who are also great souls, you are blessed beyond measure.
We were down the shore when we got a terrible phone call. Bruce suffered a massive heart attack in his sleep. He was 55 years old.
[media=https://youtu.be/LRaQLYibLyc]
