The life of Craig Montoya..maybe...
Craig A. Montoya was born on September 14th, 1970 in Spokane, WA where he
spent most of his life. He grew up with an older brother named Dave, mom named
Marge, and his dad Ed who was not his brothers dad. His brother had a big
influence on him and where he is today. He went to Mead High School where he
didn't really fit in. He wasn't rich, or popular, or into sports like most
the other kids....he said, "I was a total dork" and I think that pretty much
sums it up :o) He hung out with the Stoners and Musicians where he seemed to
fit in most. His dad, brother, and most of his friends were playing the guitar,
but Craig always wanted to play the drums, but he couldn't afford a drum set,
so the summer before he turned 16 he spent it mowing lawns to save up for a bass
since there weren't very many bassist around. Then he sat around listening to
the Montley Crew record learning it down pat! Then him and a couple of friends
decided to start a band and played things like Montley Crew, Iron Maiden, and
Kiss songs and during a talent show at the school they decided to wear tie died
shirts, bell bottoms, and wigs and play "Light My Fire" by Jimi Hendrix. "It
was really funny, we were kind of outcasts but we had fun doing it."
Before leaving from Spokane to Portland Craig was working at a boat repair shop
and got teased all the time from the guys he worked with about being in a band
and when Craig told them he was quitting his job to move to Portland and have a
career in music they got a really big kick out of it. They didn't belive he'd
make it at all and told him that he would be back in a year and so he would tell
them he wasn't coming back, but to come to his concerts when he comes
back through town.
Then in 1990 he moved to Portland, OR with his band Soul Hammer until 1992 when
they split up and by chance Craig happened to be looking through a North West
free magazine called The Rocket where they have ads in the back and Craig read
Art's add and called him up and it went from there and they then found former
drummer Scot Cuthbert who was later replaced by Greg Eklund.
Now Craig is married to his girlfriend of a few years Christel
(pernouced Crystal) Bevins. He met her at a show in Atlanta where she stood
in front of him the whole show. After it was over she told him she really
enjoyed the show and that was it then walked away. A couple weeks later he got
a letter from her in the mail and called her the next day and they talked more
and more and you can see where it went from there. Now they are living together
in Atlanta...far far away from his mother in Spokane where she misses him dearly
:o) ~from Andrea
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Bassist Craig Montoya, a former metalhead and BMX racer, grew up in Spokane, Washington, and dealt drugs during his teens. When he was seventeen, the cops raided his house. Luckily he wasn't home. But when he spent a couple of days in jail on a DWI, he decided he never wanted to return. He got a job washing boats and then moved to Portland with his band Soul Hammer. When they split, he phoned Art, who talked so loud and fast about his plans for Everclear that Craig had to hold the receiver a foot away from his ear.
- from Details magazine
Thanks to the Craig Montoya Fan Club For this information!
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