his career. When he turned ten, his parents bought him his first drum pad and sticks, practicing on it before they purchased his first full professional kit at a junkyard for $100. Christy bought instructional videos to improve his technique, including tapes from Terry Bozzio. Later in his development, drummers Dave Lombardo and Pete Sandoval inspired him to play fast. He was also influenced by drummers Frankie Banali, Mikkey Dee, Bobby Jarzombek, Sean Reinert, and Gene Hoglan. At fourteen, Christy attended his first concert, seeing Stryper and White Lion. Christy's first group was playing in a school band in the mid-1980s which included a position in the school's marching band, playing the snare drum and tympani, which he particularly enjoyed, and wrote a song dedicated to the experience and his teachers named "Forever Marching On". He passed his school music exams, and played in his first "legitimate" rock group, Syzygy, at around fifteen which involved live gigs in local bars. Around this time, Christy formed a short lived "joke band", Bung Dizeez, along with Paul Brewer, Gary White, and sometimes Les Henderson. Their first gig took place "on a hay wagon at a keg party." The three wore jock straps over their clothes and performing parody songs and Judas Priest covers. In 1992, Christy graduated from Uniontown High School in Uniontown, Kansas, where he also lettered in baseball. Career Music In 1992, the 18-year-old Christy decided to pursue music in college in Kansas. In the week before he was set to begin, he heard one of his favourite bands, Public Assassin from Springfield, Missouri, were looking for a new drummer. After a successful audition in August 1992, he chose to join them rather than study. He then moved from his Fort Scott home and into "an old warehouse" in Springfield, and played on "Raw as Fuck", a same-titled mini-CD, and a demo titled Murdered. They toured the midwest across 1993, playing covers. As he needed further income to support himself, Christy learned to become a residential electrician. In December 1993, Christy and Public Assassin guitarist Steve Childers formed a comical group, Skip Skiffington and The Elite, with Skiffington on vocals and Rick Granberg on keyboards. During this time, Christy played in a "joke punk band" with several friends named Pisser, playing GG Allin and Cocknoose covers. In 1995, Public Assassin disbanded after Christy and Childers had several differences with singer/bassist