On a cold December day in Michigan — after the earth cooled, yet before grunge — Pete was born. Soon after, he began rocking. In small intervals at first, it’s true, but nonetheless. Sometimes to his parents’ old Beatles albums, sometimes in a chair with curved pieces of wood underneath, sometimes just in his mind.

As he grew, he began to realize that he could make himself, as well as others, happy with music. In his formative teenage years, he began to question all the happiness around him. He came to see the possibilities. If he could cause happiness, why not other emotions? Why not a complex mixture of fear, awe, joy, anxiety and relief? Why not complete thermonuclear destruction? In a musical sense, of course. This, it is generally believed, was the exact point where his collision course with the other members of Mellotrön began.

Anyway, Pete has been playing in bands since high school. His influences include The Beatles, Yes, Pantera,Iron Maiden, Van Halen, Dream Theater, Rush, King’s X, Frank Zappa, The Mars Volta, Led Zeppelin, etc. There are many many more, but why keep listing kickass bands? Is that really a Bio? I think not. And that is what this is supposed to be. Let’s just leave it at this: He likes kickass bands, and, in turn, has become kickass through absorbing a portion of the kickassery of said bands. Now put on a helmet and listen to Mellotrön.