Título: Michael Anthony (musician)
Seção: (1967-1974) Musical career begins
Background: Michael Anthony Sobolewski (born June 20, 1954 and legally shortened his name to Michael Anthony in 1978), is an American musician who is currently the bass player in the rock supergroup Chickenfoot and the Circle. Anthony is best known as the former bass player for the hard rock band Van Halen. Anthony is known for his stage antics, his effects-laden live solos, his number of custom-made bass guitars, including a Jack Daniel's model shaped like a whiskey bottle, and his background vocals in Van Halen. He also has a signature Schecter Guitar Research bass-guitar series.

Conteúdo: While Anthony was a promising catcher in baseball, he also competed on the Dana Junior High School track team (long jump) and played in the marching band there from 1967-1969. He took an interest in guitar as a teenager, but picked up the bass instead since most of his other friends already played guitar or drums. Anthony's friend Mike Hershey gave him a Fender Mustang electric guitar that Anthony converted by removing the two highest strings and playing it as a bass guitar. Eventually, his father bought him a Victoria copy of a Fender Precision Bass and a Gibson amplifier. Anthony mostly modelled his bass playing after Jack Bruce of Cream, but also admired Led Zeppelin's John Paul Jones and Harvey Brooks of Electric Flag. His first band was called Poverty's Children. Other bands he played in included Black Opal, Balls, and Snake. Although Anthony is naturally left-handed, he plays right-handed.  Snake, a three-piece group featuring Anthony on lead vocals and bass guitar, was the last band in which Anthony played before joining Van Halen. Snake played covers of ZZ Top, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Foghat, along with some original songs. They played several of the same types of gigs as did the Van Halen brothers' band Mammoth. Snake even once opened for Mammoth at a show at Pasadena High School. Mammoth's PA failed that night, so Anthony lent them Snake's PA.  While attending Pasadena City College, Anthony pursued a degree in music. Eddie Van Halen also took classes there and they woul

user: How did his musical career begin?

assistant: He took an interest in guitar as a teenager, but picked up the bass instead since most of his other friends already played guitar or drums.

user: Was he in any other bands before Van Halen?

assistant: His first band was called Poverty's Children.

user: Who was in Poverty's Children with him?

assistant: CANNOTANSWER

user: Did he play in any other bands?

assistant: Other bands he played in included Black Opal, Balls, and Snake.

user: Did he work with any other popular artists in his early music career?

assistant: Snake, a three-piece group featuring Anthony on lead vocals and bass guitar, was the last band in which Anthony played before joining Van Halen.

user: Did Snake have any big hits?

assistant: Snake played covers of ZZ Top, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Foghat, along with some original songs.

user: Did they ever work with these groups or any other big names?

assistant: Snake even once opened for Mammoth at a show at Pasadena High School.

user: Is there any other interesting information about his early music career?

assistant: While attending Pasadena City College, Anthony pursued a degree in music. Eddie Van Halen also took classes there and they would often see each other on campus.