I'm Joe Gerardi (big surprise!) and I'm 44 years old. I am (God, I HATE this title) the Regional Information Technology Coordinator for the State of Georgia, Department of Human Resources, Office of Information Technology, Region 12, which explains why the state won't let me get business cards.
I started playing piano at the age of 5 as a result of having Asthma and living my first 5 years of life in hospital. When I got out, my parents thought that it would be something to keep me in the house and not running around like every other crazy 5 year old. It worked and it didn't: I took to it like a duck to water, but still ran around like every other crazy 5 year old.
At 14, my father, realizing I was really going to stay with it, got me an Arp 2600, a C3, and a Leslie 122 after I bugged him to death following me hearing ELP for the first time. I worked that entire summer and got my own RMI Electric Piano, and Shure Vocalmaster amp, and when the school year started, began to put together my first band, which finally came to fruition in '73. The 70's were great: You could play progressive rock and still score with the girls! http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/smile.gif
I never lost my love for classical, and when the time for college came, I auditioned for, and was lucky enough to make, Julliard. I was only able to attend for 1 1/2 years, as my mother and brothers (my parents divorced in '70) needed help with expenses, and I was old enough to work full time (my brothers were still in school) so I quit, got a full-time job, and still gigged every night I could.
I married, moved away from NY City to Buffalo NY, and continued through the 80's and 90's playing in regional touring bands. At the same time, I was working in a music store, and the owner got a Novell Network. (This was '86. It was Netware 86.) I was bit by the computer bug, and switched over to computers, and I became a Certified Netware Engineer in 92, and since '90 have been in IT management. I played out until I "retired" in 1996. What that really means is that I got tired of getting home at 5:00 in the morning, and try to get up for work at 7:00, and try to be the boss while I tried to keep my eyes open. That, and it was 18 steps up to my apartment, (My wife and I separated in '94) and carrying all that equipment up and down those stairs was a BITCH, y'know? In 1999 I moved to Savannah with my girlfriend, and I've been here since.
Currently, I'm playing an Alesis QSR module and and Oberheim DPX-1 Sample Player from a Yamaha KX-76, but that's about to change: According to UPS.com, my 2nd KX-76 is due to arrive tomorrow, and then I will add a Fatar 90, 900, or 990, a Vintage Keys, and a K2000r. That should pretty much get me where I want to be with a "recreational" rig.
Sorry for rambling for so long, it's hard to cram 44 years into a few paragraphs.
This message has been edited by joegerardi on 04-10-2001 at 07:04 AM
