COMPLETE APPRENTICE AUTOBIOGRAPHIES & PROGRESS

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STEPHEN S.

My name is Steve S., and I'm from a very small town in Maine. Where should we start? Well since I was young I've always had an interest in music. I used to listen to a lot of stuff my dad liked, like the Beach Boys, The Monkees, and his favorite, The Beatles. I really enjoyed it and always told him I wanted to be a drummer. Well that really didn't happen because I have a hard time keeping an actual beat on a drumset.. although I can do it on a table. Its a mystery to me.

So the drums didn't work.. but when I was 14 I learned how to play guitar, as it was mandatory in eighth grade. By then I had graduated onto rock music, a big fan of guitar solos and 80's hair bands (I've outgrown that too!). I took a major interest in playing guitar. A lot of the kids just did it because they had to but with my passion for music I soaked up as much as I could out of it. My teacher had noticed this and asked me and a couple of other kids who excelled also if we would like to learn more in a study hall. Well we jumped on that, and then it went to private lessons at the teachers house. When she had taught me as much as she could she set me up with another teacher. I took lessons for a pretty long time and was becoming good.

My best friend and I were both involved in playing guitar. Ironically he really wanted to play drums too. Anyway, by ninth grade we had decided to start a band. He was as good as I was if not better. We got the band started, and being from a fairly small area, we didn't have much competition we got several gigs at school dances and small bars. We played all through high school and were well known in our area.

Well then it came time to decide what to do with our lives. My parents were insistent that I went to college, not a problem with me. The question was, what for? I'm a firm believer that you should do something you're truly happy with, otherwise your job/career becomes work. Well I loved music and I didn't have enough formal training to go to school for guitar plus I didn't want a job in it I just wanted to be a rock star, well to do that you need a record deal. From a small town that's worse than a dream. I always had a small interest in recording our music though. Then we went to a studio in Waterville and recorded. I was amazed and thought I could do this.

That's what I wanted to do, so I applied at the New England School of Communications. I got accepted and started my journey. I spent 2 years there, that being their highest degree, I received an Associates Degree in Communications, majoring in TV and Sound Recording. I graduated and had no idea what to do, I waited and they went 4 yrs, and that's where I was headed this fall. Well 2 more years wasn't going to get me a job, what I needed was a foot in the door. I like Maine, its a good area so I didn't really want to leave. I found this and thought it was an awesome opportunity. What could be a better way to get a foot in the door and meet some people. That brings us to today. I hope I didn't overfill you with info, as I tend to ramble and go into detail. I can make a 2 minute story last forever.

Thank you for your time,

Steve S.