Well, My Life's Story ........ NOT!

But just a bit about me.... I'm Jerry, but a lot know me as Jman. It's my web handle that is as familiar to me as my real name! Actually several years back some of my friends started calling me Jman and it just kinda stuck.

I started playing drums when I was 16.... typical guy.... just wanted to beat on things and call it music... But, it was different than most passing hobbies/fads, this was something that.. well, went deeper, music therapy.... I'd say. To this day, when I'm playing in a groove, the hair stands up on the back of my neck, and a smile comes over my face that reaches all the way into my heart!

I played in some bands from time to time. But life, family and practical necessity kind of pushed me in pursuit of, for lack of better words..... Making a living.... feedin the fam.

In 1978 after driving past Disneyland in Anaheim Ca. I had a life changer... It struck me that pretty much my whole life was dedicated to the pursuit of happiness.... like those people I saw at Disneyland that night... but they weren't happy... some kids were crying, some people were fighting, some looked exhausted and just plain miserable... That was me....! Long story short... Christ came into my life that night..... I've never been the same since.... Peace replaced the turmoil.

Well you'd prolly never pick me out of a line-up as one of "those" kind of people, but I am...

So my new direction led me to seek out bands that were playing Christian music... played in some along the way, none famous, but very fullfilling... I think just playing in the worship band in a young church was the best I ever fealt.... since I wasn't playin really to crowds or even to myself, but to the One who made me. End of Sermon.... LOL

So Life goes on ..... things happen ...... down the road I put my drums in storage and didn't play again for over 10 years. Couldn't even think about gettin that gigantic acoustic kit out and settin it up, as I was in the S.Cal. apartment syndrome.... so I gave it up...

In 2000, I entered a music store, sat down at a Roland V-Drum kit, put the headphones on, WOW! All that I had been missing came right back to me..... the hair went up on the back of my neck..... the thought of playing almost silently without the problem of bothering others nearby.... Yup the rest is History! April 2004 my Monster V-Drum kit was featured as the Kit of the Month in Modern Drummer Magazine!.....

Me and the MONSTER ..... we be jammin

Lately my life is filled with songs accompanied by musicians I've never met in person, from all over the world...... gotta love this On-Line Collaboration ....... IT ROCKS!!

Maybe a bad idea for someone with an extreme case of G.A.S (Gear Aquisition Syndrome) to enter into a whole new area of electronic drums...... the stealth conversion of acoustic drumkits into beautiful electronic drumkits..... Now every nice acoustic drumkit or percussion instrument I see becomes a potential candidate for a new Stealth drumkit or percussion instrument..... LOL ....  But if it weren't for G.A.S. I would have never come along this far with the incredible Stealth drums and percussion. So I suppose even G.A.S. can work out for good....... LOL >>..Jman