Johnny D started playing at the ripe old age of 8 years old. Like most drummers, he started banging on things a lot earlier, but made the switch from his brothers and sisters to pots and pans in the garage. Later, with a new drum set, he joined the high school band. They were an instant hit for the party scene, this is where he laid down the foundation for the “Party Band” attitude. “ I like it when people dance to my drum beats, it gives me a feeling of satisfaction” says Johnny about what drives him on. Playing in every type of band from; New Wave , original R&B, Country and Western, Heavy Metal and Blues, he has always drifted back to the classic / southern rock scene. “This is where my roots are” he states. His influences include UFO, Pantera, Metallica, Led Zepplin, Judas Priest, The Who, as well as all the drummers of the 50’s and 60’s. “Back then, those guys knew how to do a drum solo” and he carries this same attitude to his drum solo’s with Modoc. “ My solo’s can be from 30 seconds to 20 minuets, what ever I feel like at the time and what ever the guys will let me get away with”. Johnny still plays on his 1978 Ludwig blue Vistalite set that he purchased with his first tax return check. Although it has gone through some hardware modernization, the basic set is still the same as when he started.
