Rock developed an interest in music at a very early age. Whether it was watching jam sessions at family parties or listening to his dad's Little Richard & Beatles albums, music was always an integral part of his life. He got his first electric guitar (Sears Silvertone) at age eleven and his first acoustic (Yamaha) at age twelve. He attended his first concert (KISS, Ted Nugent & Montrose) at Anaheim stadium in 1976 and was hooked. Not only did he want to make music but he also wanted to be a performer. Throughout junior high school he spent most of his free time in his bedroom trying to learn his favorite guitar licks.

 It was during his high school years that he became a roadie for a local rock band, The Flyers. Their guitar player was Marshall Rhoner. “It was one of the best experiences of my life. There is no better way to learn the instrument than to watch someone who has already mastered it play night after night.” It was also during this time he met another guitar virtuoso, Tad (Kurt James) Schumacher who was in a local Van Halen tribute band called The Source. “Marshall & Tad are two of the most talented f*ckin' guitar players I've ever seen.” They went on to play with such bands as The Crusados, Steeler, Stryper, and the Rudy Sarzo/Tommy Aldridge project, Driver.

Rock played in a couple party bands throughout high school but it wasn't until attending a local college that he met Rich (Michaels) Michelik and they started their first “serious” original band called Filthy Rich. They took a very aggressive approach rehearsing four days a week and promoting at local clubs every weekend. “It was an awesome time. Everyone was vying for the same prize, a recording contract. Whether it was Poison, Warrant, Fallon, or hundreds of other bands, we were all there trying just as hard and having just as much fun.” Once Warrant got signed and their debut album, Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinkin' Rich was released, the band decided to change their name to Filthy Rocks. They continued to headline local L.A. clubs such as Gazzari's, Roxy, Whiskey, and O.C. clubs Marquee and Jezebels. In 1989 they released their first E.P. and opened for Stryper on their In God We Trust tour. As grunge music became the flavor of the month, the band called it quits in 1990.

Throughout the early nineties Rock continued to play in other local bands Skyline and Raggmopp. They had some good times but the business had changed. He finally took a long break from playing in bands and lived a normal life with his family while working for city government. While working for the city, Rock was introduced to a fireman, John Sahm. John also happened to be a singer/guitar player and former punk rocker from the same O.C. area. They decided to start a band playing their favorite classic rock songs and the rest is history. “It's very fulfilling. Playing songs our audience is familiar with is a completely different animal from the old “original” days. Talk about full circle, these are the same songs I tried so hard to learn on the edge of my bed thirty years ago. I still have some originals in me but right now it's about having a good time covering classics and having an audience sing along with us. It doesn't get any better than that!”

You can contact Rock by email at: rock@midnitetrain.com