My First Band
Masterplan
When I joined Masterplan at seventeen, the band was already active and had a solid following in the local punk scene. Four or five bands would pack church halls one night and then open for bigger acts the next. Because of our age, our parents often had to drive us - and even stay through the 18+ shows so could play. Three of our dads were all in, mine especially, driving us up and down the East Coast. He loved ska bands and even braved Warped Tour with me a few times, nearly getting lost in a NOFX mosh pit.
Masterplan - Oldschool Anthem
Not long after I joined, we recorded our first record - my first time in a studio. We saved enough for two days, and I'll never forget the engineer's face when I showed up without a bass amp. But hearing that finished record for the first time... the feeling of being part of something bigger, making music that was ours - that was unforgettable.
Masterplan - Oldschool Anthem
Masterplan would go one to play hundreds of shows over the next four years, touring the East Coast and supporting bands like Showoff and the Mad Caddies. Being so young, in a band that active, and part of such a strong scene taught me what it meant to be in a band. I loved every second of it.
Masterplan - Lifetime Guarantee
When our original guitarist, Evan Haga, left the band, I knew exactly who to call. Andrew joined, and we kept writing, performing, and eventually went back into the studio to record Lifetime Guarentee
Masterplan - Lifetime Guarantee - Trashcan
I wrote my first original song on this album with Andrew - Trash Can - and that experience showed me how much I loved writing music from scratch. Creating something that existed only in my head and turning it into a real song was incredibly freeing. From that moment on, I was hooked.
Masterplan - Lifetime Guarantee
Trash Can
Masterplan - Lifetime Guarantee - Mindless
Masterplan - Lifetime Guarantee
Mindless
Masterplan - Lifetime Guarantee - Homeless
Masterplan - Lifetime Guarantee
Homeless
12 Year Reunion Show
One of the greatest moments of my musical life was reuniting with the members of Masterplan - along with original guitarist Evan Haga - twelve years after we'd last played together. We share the stage with the other core bands from our local punk scene, and I was blow away by how many people showed up. Even more surreal was hearing them still sing along to our songs after all those years.
That night reminded me that music isn't always about being the best or the most talented. It's about the moments you share - the community, the connection, the memories that stay with you long after everything else fades. After so much time had passed, that show made me realize just how special those years truly were.
Masterplan - Mindless (live)
10 Car Pile Up - 12 Year Reunion
Masterplan - Mindless (live) - 10 Car Pile Up - 12 Year Reunion
Masterplan - Old School Anthem (live) - 10 Car Pile Up - 12 Year Reunion
Masterplan - Old School Anthem (live)
10 Car Pile Up - 12 Year Reunion
And one last funny detail: our album is somehow still floating around on eBay as a "rare Maryland punk CD," jewel case and all, for $49.99. I don't even own a copy myself, so that's where I grabbed the photos from.
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My Musical Influences
A Life In Music
