"My dad worked at racetracks throughout Southern California and he made sure that the first horse I ever touched was a major star in racing, Damascus, one of the greatest thoroughbreds of the time, and what a touch it was as I stuck my finger right in the horse's nose," states Dave Smith, Pigdog founder. To this day, you can still find Dave at the track. A pro photographer, often times he'll be shooting a featured race; many times he'll be at the betting window giving it all back. "I don't have a gambling problem, I just like to bet," he says. When not working or playing music Dave can often be found snowboarding the local resorts in the winter and bodyboarding or working on his less than ideal surfing skills in the summer.
Dave first picked up a guitar at age 12. Three minutes later, he put it down to go skateboarding with the other disenfranchised San Diego youth in the neighborhood. But somehow, the echo of Zeppelin and Sabbath wouldn't leave his brain (after all, there's lots of room in there at age 12), and he returned to conquer the six-stringed monster. Now he plays a seven-string, "After this, I'm going to get back to basics and play an electric ukulele, plus it's a great way to meet hula girls."
Hawaiian music aside, Dave's big break came with the recent release of Crumbox's Map of the Sky on Timebomb/BMG where he played bass and keyboards. The album received exposure on MTV, but in an unexpected way. "It was used for music beds on MTV's undressed."
Amazingly, the Crumbox album was a big hit in Burlington, Vermont. Sadly, that's where it ended.
Not to worry, though. The Pigdog invasion is on its way.