Past Projects BrainStorm BackStreet 1 BackStreet 2 Shakeher Spank West Of East All Fired Up On The Roxx   Instructors Jimmy DeGrasso Wally Schnalle Stanton Moore Joe DeRose John Xepoleus     Matt Padgett, Drummer, Backup Vocals Raised in San Jose in a musical family (his Mother was a choir director and piano teacher, and his father was a music teacher), Matt played snare drum in his Junior High School Band. He played drums at 15 in High School (he had taken lessons earlier) and has been in bands since he was 17 (cover, original, country, jazz, rock and funk bands). As a child, Matt made drums, a guitar and an amp out of cardboard boxes, inspired by pictures of instruments in a Montgomery Ward catalog and a desire to start a band. He always loved music in general, but was drawn the drums, stating “I love rhythms, I love beats, it’s like an escape. Sometimes I just hide in my music”. Matt started off playing guitar, but was not really into it. His cousin had a snare drum in his closet and said he would sell it to him for $10. He talked his Mom into it, and remembers sitting in the back of their Mercury stationwagon on the drive home, banging on his new drum. Early inspirations that helped spark the interest he already had included Jon Bonham, Ian Pace and Billy Cobham. Current inspirations include Steve Smith, Mike Portnoy, David Garibaldi, Dennis Chambers and Billy Kilson. In recent years Matt has studied with three of his latest inspirations: Jimmy DiGrasso, Wally Schnalle and Stanton Moore. He has also studied with Dick Carlo, Joe DeRose and John Xepoleus. Matt met Christopher Dunn (guitarist) in 1987 when Chris answered Matt’s ad in Guitar Center for a guitarist. Chris pulled a tag from the ad, met Matt at Dunkin’ Donuts, and the two have been playing together ever since (in Backstreet, ShakeHer, Soul Shaker, West of East, Spank, All Fired Up and On The Roxx). The pair met bassist Joe Birtola the same way, and the three have played together in West of East, Spank, All Fired Up and On The Roxx. Bands: Mark Alberg Band Release Dreamer Black Widow Titus Tyger Rose Abstract Motion BrainStorm Backstreet ShakeHer Soul Shaker West of East Spank All Fired Up On The Roxx