In 1994 I spent a year abroad studying Japanese at Tohoku Daigaku in Sendai, Japan. On campus were several music clubs and I was invited to join Strangers, the club dedicated to heavy metal bands.
I quickly formed a trio called CAESTUS, and we were known as the loudest band playing mostly covers of Slayer, Candlemass, Black Sabbath, and Metallica songs but with death metal growls, courtesy of me! I sang and played lead guitar. We performed live a handful of times and it remains one of my favorite memories, except for the time I got lost downtown, missed sound check, and almost came to blows with the bass player as a result.

My real name is Bobonic but no one can pronounce that during on-stage introductions. My Father used to call me “Boomer” as a toddler because I would knock down stuff in the house with my head on my hands and knees. Thanks Dad, for the nickname. It sure has stuck. My Grateful Life is filled with playing all kinds of music every weekend and helping others with their music all weekday long at Seymour Duncan. Both endeavors are passions of mine. The pic is of me on my beach at Mandalay Shores.

I’ve been obsessed with things that make noise and tinkering with them since childhood. Born and raised in Santa Barbara, I became involved in the local music scene at thirteen (both playing and working on guitars) and I am always chasing the sound in my head.

I grew up playing traditional Greek music alongside my uncle and cousin, mostly as a bass player, traveling throughout California to play heritage and cultural festivals. Guitar has always been my true passion, however, and, when I wasn’t on stage with my family, I was in my bedroom trying my best to make my way through the licks of some my favorite players like Wes Montgomery, Kirk Hammett, B.B. King, and Van Halen. My bizarre and eclectic musical upbringing led me to study Ethnomusicology at the University of California, Santa Barbara. And, after a few years of performing and freelancing as a studio guitar player after graduating in 2013, I found my way to Seymour Duncan. When I’m not at Seymour Duncan helping guitarists and bass players find the tones of their dreams, you can find me recording in the studio or performing with my Trop Rock band LAYOVR… maybe sometime at a venue near you!

Like my peers that I am lucky enough to work with here at Seymour Duncan, and all of the musicians out there who rely on the products and services we provide, I am totally obsessed. A good Les Paul through a cranked Marshall, a Tele going into a tweed deluxe, or a P bass pushing a b-15 all still give me goosebumps and make me feel exactly like I did when I first heard those magical sounds years ago. That obsession drives me to keep pushing the envelope, working tirelessly to unlock more of that magic. Starting with electric bass at the age of eleven I spent the next decade playing in original and cover bands, gigging constantly, picking up guitar, drums and upright bass, tinkering with guitars, amps, and too many effects pedals, recording and taking lessons from a wonderful teacher by the name of Mike Rosati. The past decade I’ve spent studying at UCSB, serving at and later managing restaurants in the Santa Barbara Area. I couldn’t be more excited to combine my passions for customer service, human interaction, music and sonic exploration at my new position at Seymour Duncan, where my obsessions helps drive my performance. I look forward to getting in touch with and providing service for those around the world that share my passion and rely on the tools we make to fuel their artistic expression.