i started playing because my dad made me when i was young...but i took to it quickly after. loved the blues and i always knew i wanted to be a shred guitarist. i think i'm far more widely-influenced in my playing styles, but that was initially what attracted me to the instrument. hear bands like suicidal tendencies and old metallica got me so pumped up. i remember getting metallica's "kill em' all" tab book and just about crying because it was so difficult. i sat in my room for hours and just copied kirk's soloing. i came out of my room 1,000 times better and i've since moved on to better things than kirk's crappy repetative solos. but they'll always be close to my heart, i suppose.