	
I started on drums way back in '82 after hearing Number of the Beast by Iron Maiden.

I made the switch to bass in '85 because drums are so darn expensive and my set sucked, we were a big family with limited resources so... I got the first payment for a bass from my dad free and clear but then I had to earn the rest of the monthly payment money of $33 by working around the house for $1 an hour. At the same time I was doing odd jobs around the neighborhood to pay for an amp (that was the hardest I have ever worked in my life).

Why bass? I figured with two less strings it would be easier than guitar (boy was I wrong). By '88 I was heavily influenced by Steve Harris, Billy Sheehan, Geddy Lee, and Stu Hamm.

By '91 I had barely enough money for a decent drum kit, and I started playing bass or drums with various progressive rock bands in the seattle area. In '93 my shame of not knowing any music theory got the best of me and I studied with Randy McLuskey for about a year and a half, I had taken bass lessons before, but this guy was rough.

By this time I knew lots of great drummers and bass players but the grunge scene had taken hold of the few decent guitarists I knew and they had all hocked their Jacksons and modified Marshalls for a beat up fender jaguar and a bunch of drugs.

I had gotten pretty tired of the usual musician problems, girlfriend, money, drugs, so by '97 I decided to study guitar with Scott Lindenmuth so that I didn't have to depend on anyone else and could do it all myself. I had a working knowledge of jazz from Randy and I told him my goal was to be a mix of Steve Vai and John Coltrane on guitar (and I would really still like for that to happen).

By '98 I realized I needed to make some serious money and my style of music wasn't going to ever do that for me, so I enrolled in the Divers Institute of Technology and after graduating left for the Gulf of Mexico. As I got more skill as a diver I got more gear and continued to practice and study on my own.

I now have a decent Pro Tools HD/Mac setup and a ton of guitars, basses, and other gear including six drum sets. As time goes on I will eventually retire from diving to open a nice recording studio where people like me, when I was younger can come to realize their dreams at a reasonable rate.

My dreams of stardom are long over, but I will always write and record music. I hope you enjoy it. 

Collaboration between Charley Whitson and Eddie Curnan.

Whitson Curnan Project is following