I grew up in Dayton, ohio, and two of my favorite things to do were drawing pictures and playing percussion in the school band. When I was 19 I attended Wright State University and there met the love of my life, Heather Johnson (then Heather Combs). I also started playing in a band called The Pure Plastic Tree with brothers Brian Bagdonas and Eric Bagdonas. I had known both of them at Beavercreek High School, but we really got to know each other at Wright State. We wanted the band to be all acoustic so we could play anywhere, but with a punk and alt-rock element. Brian met Katie Dougherty at Wright State, and she became our singer. That was my first real taste of being in a band and playing shows (although, I was briefly in a rock cover band in high school called The Calling). I absolutely loved it. The connection, the camaraderie, the creative collaboration and the exhilaration of performing in front of an audience.
After The PPT dissolved (bands do that) and playing briefly with Brian in a post-punk band called Spitcurl, Eric and Brian moved out of state. Heather and I married and had our son, Adam. During that time, I played acoustic guitar and wrote songs but didn't draw or paint much.
When Adam was going into fifth grade we decided to move to Berea Kentucky. We made a lot of new friends, and I met a lot of musicians.
I played acoustic guitar and sang in a children's music duo called Honey and the Bee, played electric guitar and sang in a punk band called Eco-Bombs and played drums in the Americana band, Maywoods. When it came to visual art, I created a tiny community Nickelodeon-style movie theater in an old barn on the same property as the house we were renting. It was called "The Adams Street FREE-ater" (We lived on Adams Street, and my son Adam came up with that name.).
During the COVID-19 pandemic, I started painting and drawing again as well as making short 30-second nature and art videos I called "Steve's 30 Seconds".
The most recent band I was in was called The New Developments. I played drums in this band, and I have to say I'm really proud of this one. TND was very much a working band. We performed a mix of original music and cover songs, funk, rock, and some jazz. We played a lot of shows around the area and throughout KY. It was a difficult decision when I left this band but I felt like it was time and Heather and I were starting a new chapter in our lives when we bought the craft and fine art gallery I was working at called Top Drawer Gallery.
These days, I am painting more and have some of my work for sale at our gallery. I am also enjoying writing songs, playing acoustic guitar, and singing.
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