Gary brought his talents to the Dimeslots in 1981 when he saw his first show on the lads on the steps of W&M Hall.  Later that year he was the man in the band.

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By that time, the end of the Spring semester of 1981, the band had been through a series of nice drummers who spontaneously combusted, often spraying "drummer parts" all over poor Reid.  The band was hired to play for the after-party of the Colonial Relays Half Marathon at the famous William & Mary Hall.. For this particular show, Reid had decided to participate in the race resulting in the Slots asking Neil Sherman to sit in with the band for the show.  

 

Ed's sister Jeanne was friends with Gary and had seen him play around town (even on the drums, too!) and suggested he check out the band in anticipation of the likelihood that the band's current drummer would soon explode and create another opening in the band.

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And so it came to pass.  Drummer gone.  When Gary called Ed during that summer to express an interest in joining the band, well, you know what the answer was.  As of the time of this writing, Gary has not yet exploded.

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In Gary's own words:

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Oh boy.  Writing (or talking) about myself, one of my least favorite things to do.  But because it’s Ed, I shall endeavor to do my best.  It’s a bit convoluted, so bear with me.  I am roughly 10 years older than most of the band and ended up joining in a bit less traditional way.  So starting way back…I had just started taking drum lessons in junior high school when the Beatles arrived along with the rest of the British Invasion. Ringo et al. didn’t inspire me to take up drumming but did inspire me to continue.  My first real band was called The First Century which included a lead, bass and two rhythm guitars.  One just wasn’t enough.  I only had one year of college following high school and then was injured badly in a motorcycle accident.  After spending nearly a year recuperating, instead of heading back to school I headed to California, as you do.  Spent two years there surfing, growing up (not really), and pursuing women (occasionally successful, mostly not).  I did manage to get hired as a drummer for a country band after a surfing buddy of mine landed a job as their lead guitarist,  His name was Lee Rollag and he went on to tour with Roger Miller in the eighties.  Truth be told, neither of us cared much for country music at the time.
My real passion had always been racing cars and I decided it was time to do something about it.  I wanted to become a professional or at least see if I could.  So, in 1973, I moved back to Virginia to start that chapter.  But that is non-musical story for another time.  Although I grew up in Hampton, while I was in California my parents had moved to Williamsburg.  So that is where I moved back to.  Once there I joined a group called Breeze, who were, or had been, William and Mary students.  That was my first William and Mary connection.  Interestingly, about 5 years ago, an alum named David Lord asked if he and a friend could play a couple of songs during one of our Friday Night Fest concerts in front of the alumni house.  He also asked to use our drummer.  As I was backing them I quickly realized that David was one the people I had played with in Breeze, all those years ago.  We hadn’t recognized each other at first, maybe because I no longer sported the handlebar mustache I had back then!
As a townie, I was often at the Pub for the great bands and the not so great beer.  I’m pretty sure that is where I met Ed’s sister Jeanne.  At some point she mentioned she had a brother who would be attending W & M and that he played guitar.  I believe it was through her that I learned he had a band that was looking for a drummer.  I do remember checking them out while they played on the steps of William and Mary Hall.
Originally, I was just a local who had luckily hooked up with this great college band.  But several years afterward I returned to college, got a degree in psychology and then got into grad school at, wait for it, William and Mary!  Master of Education, 1990.  It was inevitable.
Actually, Susan (another townie) and I were married in the Wren Chapel even though neither of us were affiliated with the school at the time.   That was 1980.  Yes, a few weeks ago on May 26, we celebrated our 40th anniversiary!

Other groups of note:  In the mid-eighties I played with a blues group out of Gloucester (home to one Mr. Reid Harrison) called 60West.  We recorded an original called “Don’t test my pee”
The New Hampshire Rock Bottom Band was next around 2004-2008 (roughly), Country and Classic Rock band.   Awarded 2007 Band of the Year (Adult New Country) by the North America Country Music Association International.  On a side note, “New Hampshire” was added to the name after a (belated) google search indicated there were approximately 6 trillion other bands with the name Rock Bottom.  But Kim had always said if she ever got to front her own band it was going to be called Rock Bottom and six trillion others getting there before her wasn’t going to stop her.  Bless her heart…
CD  titled The NH Rock Bottom Band by The new Hampshire Rock Bottom Band (titles were not our strong suit).

2008 to…I don’t know, am I still in this band?  The Davis Bros Band aka The Rick Davis Band (occasionally appearing as “Live Music”)
CD – Weekend with Irene.  The Davis Brothers Band (with Special Guests) 2011.

Currently retired and live in an idyllic New England village, Walpole, NH where I spend winters skiing and summers dreaming of winter and skiing.  Honestly, I do.  Maybe drummers really are crazy.

Favorite Dimeslot memory.  Too hard to narrow down but two thoughts come up immediately.  First, our homecoming reunion concert at the Williamsburg Lodge.  We were smokin’ that night and the huge crowd was lovin it!  Also, for some reason, the question conjured up a distant memory of how impressive my drums sounded the first time Jim Winter mic’ed them up at the Pub.  And, of course, Ed’s leg warmers.  I’ve got to get down to the Smithsonian sometime to see them.

PL&U

PS - I think it was Ed who first bestowed the moniker of "StiX" upon me.  I believe it was to disguise the fact that my real name wasn't Bill or Billy.