MICHAEL DAVID LEWIS - biography and pictures

MICHAEL DAVID LEWIS
biography and pictures

Growing up my dad always played country music. I got a very healthy dose of Johnny Cash growing up. That was
my first musical memory, and that left a huge impression on me. When I started elementary school, I discovered
popular music, and my first foray into that was the Jackson 5. I remember admiring Michael Jackson most of all,
and soon thereafter I discovered Elton John. Those two were my first real musical heroes and the great music
they made stuck with me: "The Love You Save", "ABC", "Never Can Say Goodbye", "Ben", and "Maybe Tomorrow"
from the J5 were my favorites. Elton John tunes that I loved were "Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me", "Someone
Saved My Life", "Bennie and the Jets", "Harmony", "Rocket Man", and "Your Song". Soon I discovered FM radio,
and I was introduced to the world of Rock 'N Roll.

Rock music had grown from the 60s (arguably the greatest era of Rock 'N Roll with The Beatles, The Rolling
Stones, The Who, Beach Boys, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Jimi Hendrix, and countless other great rock
groups) into the arena-rock fueled artists of the 70s: Led Zeppelin (who started in 1969 actually), Aerosmith,
Boston, Peter Frampton, and KISS. It was KISS that pushed me to the edge of wanting to play guitar, so at the
age of 13 I talked my parents into buying me a cheap Sears Les Paul copy. I taught myself chords through
various Mel Bay books.

I stumbled along for years on guitar through high school until I hooked up with my first band, "The Radical
Molesters". We played Beatles, Who, and Stones covers, as well as songs of the day - this was the 80s, so this
included a healthy dose of the Clash, The Police, etc. It was in this band I made the switch to being a bass
player. It seemed that my attempts to teach myself guitar gave me a good idea of fretboard knowledge that
translated well into the bass.

By now I was fascinated with The Who, and the songwriting of Pete Townshend in particular. I always had an
interest in writing, and songwriting seemed to be a perfect outlet for me. However, I lacked the basic knowledge
in chord structure, so I just focused on lyrics. I must've penned over 100 song lyrics and poems in a 6 month
period. However, I was too shy to ever show them to anybody! But I've always written songs through the years
and continue to do so to this day (I'll get to that soon).

The Radical Molesters became "The USSR". I played with them for a few more years, and then hooked up with a
band called "NEIN". All of this was fun, but by 1985 I earned my degree in Computer Science, and at the tender
age of 22 made a foray into the workforce and put music on the backburner.

I continued to jam informally with friends, and in 1989 a brief Radical Molesters reunion culminated in a show at
the Del Mar Fair. After that, I pretty much stopped playing. In 1991 I got married and sold all of my equipment. By
1997 though, I started getting the itch to play again, and I bought a Fender P-Bass. In 2000 I bought a
Rickenbacker 4003 bass (with a Sea Green finish) and by 2001 I was back in a band called CenterAisle. We
stayed together for a few years and had an amicable breakup. I hooked up with Ed De Caro from CenterAisle and
together we formed With Intent.

This was early in 2004, and I stuck with that group until September of 2004, where I bowed out because of family
commitments. The time required to rehearse in a band was taking away valuable family time. With three young
children this was no longer possible. But this turned out to be the blessing of blessings. Although my time
constraints prevent me from participating in a band, there are no constraints with me playing solo acoustic guitar.
While in CenterAisle I rekindled my love for songwriting. I had actually started cranking out many songs. So now
on my own, armed with an acoustic guitar, I started working on a solo acoustic venture featuring my own songs,
many that I wrote while in CenterAisle and With Intent.

So now I am on my own playing original tunes on acoustic. I have informally dubbed this effort "mikelewismusic",
which happens to be the title song to my debut CD. The song celebrates my musical history, and the many
friends that I have been blessed to cross paths with on my journey are mentioned in this song. I tip my hat to all
of them, for their collaboration with me over the years helped shape me to what I am today. Thanks guys!

UPDATE:
Today (2008) I am working on a new CD. It will be a full-band ensemble of "garage rock" tunes. This CD will
feature all original tunes and is the type of music I have been playing all these many years. It will be the album
that has been swirling in my head since I was a wee-tyke. More forthcoming!

Mike

Band History:

Michael David Lewis / Mike Lewis / mikelewismusic (2004 - current)
Michael David Lewis - Acoustic Guitar, Vocals

With Intent (2004)
Ed De Caro - Guitar, Vocals
Mike Lewis - Bass, Vocals
Dan Stuart - Lead Guitar, Vocals
Mark Schlaefli - Drums
Tony Taravella - Lead Guitar
Allen Robinette - Drums
Tony Vigo - Lead Guitar
Jason Borisoff - Drums

CenterAisle (2001 - 2003)
Brian Baxter - Guitar, Vocals
Harry Brandon - Lead Guitar, Vocals
Ed De Caro - Drums, Vocals
Mike Lewis - Bass, Vocals

NEIN: (1984 - 1985)
Joe Mode (Cliff Jomuad) - Guitar, Vocals
Chris Crim - Drums, Vocals
Mike Lewis, Bass Vocals

The USSR (1983 - 1985)
Roger DeLong - Guitar, Vocals
James Apodaca - Lead Guitar
Mike Lewis - Bass, Vocals
Joe Mode (Cliff Jomuad) - Drums, Lead Guitar, Vocals
Lloyd Ladrillono - Drums
Fred Allee - Drums
Steve Kelly - Drums

Radical Molesters (1980 - 1983, 1989)
Joe Mode (Cliff Jomuad) - Guitar, Vocals
Mike Lewis - Bass, Vocals
Lloyd Ladrillono - Drums, Vocals
James Apodaca, Lead Guitar

Influences:
Pete Townshend
Bruce Springsteen
The Who
Woody Guthrie
Keith Richards
Rolling Stones
Johnny Cash
Clifford
James Apodaca
John Entwistle
The Beatles
Elvis Presley
Dusty Leer
Bob Dylan
Neil Young
KISS
John Mellencamp
Tom Petty
Harry Chapin
Jackson 5
James Jamerson
Bob Babbitt
Elton John
The Clash
Ramones
Sex Pistols
Led Zeppelin
John Paul Jones
Fender Telecasters
Fender Stratocasters
Fender Tube Amps
CF Martin and Co. Guitars
Gibson Guitars
Rickenbacker Basses
Fender Precision Basses

Copyright 2007, 2008, 2009 Michael David Lewis