Photo by Doug Budzak JrMeet Derrick – lead guitar, vocals
I was born in the seventies, a few months before my hero, Jimi Hendrix, died. Musically speaking to me the ’80s and ’90s were like a rectal exam. Hey, some folks liked ’em….
Seriously though, I was born into a family that had great musical inclinations. We have violin makers, luthiers, music makers and lovers, and they all supported me in my choice of careers. It would be cool to say that I paid my dues by struggling through a lot of angst and tough situations but, truth be told, I was just a lucky kid who was encouraged to do what I loved the most: play the guitar!
I honed my skills playing in bands in Winnipeg through the ’80s, then decided to move to Toronto to follow my dream of hitting the big time. It was tough breaking into the scene but I stuck it out and managed to play with some great and well-known musicians and some … that were not.
In the late nineties, reason and logic prevailed and I moved back home to be closer to my family and a fully stocked refrigerator!
Shortly after moving back home I received a call from Glen Willows of Harlequin who was in need of a guitar player for a band he was managing. He was someone I respected as a musician and I was eager to work with him to see what I could learn!
One day, Glen asked me to sub for him in Harlequin. I have been a fan since I first saw the band in 1986 – I knew most of the material and jumped in with both feet! One gig led to another and eventually Glen decided to move on and the rest is history.