▁school ▁years ▁at ▁Gl end ale ▁High ▁School , ▁in ▁Spring field , ▁Missouri , ▁he ▁divided ▁his ▁time ▁between ▁studying ▁during ▁the ▁day ▁and ▁playing ▁drums ▁with ▁rock ▁bands ▁on ▁the ▁week ends ▁throughout ▁the ▁Mid west . ▁He ▁entered ▁Dr ury ▁University ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 1 ▁to ▁major ▁in ▁music . ▁ ▁The ▁university ▁hon ored ▁him ▁as ▁Dist ingu ished ▁Al umn i ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 8 , ▁and ▁with ▁an ▁honor ary ▁doctor ate ▁in ▁music ▁the ▁following ▁year . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 3 , ▁Whit lock ▁travel led ▁to ▁Los ▁Angeles , ▁California , ▁planning ▁to ▁start ▁a ▁band ▁there . ▁While ▁helping ▁his ▁friend ▁Dave ▁Conc ors ▁at ▁the ▁now ▁def unct ▁studio ▁Dav len ▁Sound ▁Studios , ▁Whit lock ▁met ▁f amed ▁composer ▁Giorg io ▁Mor oder ▁as ▁he ▁compla ined ▁about ▁bra ke ▁defect s ▁in ▁his ▁Ferr ari . ▁Whit lock ▁purchased ▁some ▁can s ▁of ▁bra ke ▁fluid ▁and ▁proceeded ▁to ▁fix ▁Mor oder ' s ▁car . ▁Mor oder ▁eventually ▁h ired ▁Whit lock ▁for ▁work ▁at ▁his ▁studio . ▁In ▁the ▁meant ime , ▁he ▁studied ▁recording ▁with ▁Mor oder ' s ▁engineer ▁Brian ▁Re e ves , ▁given ▁the ▁studio ▁was ▁busy ▁with ▁films ▁such ▁as ▁Sc ar face , ▁Flash d ance ▁and ▁B ever ly ▁Hills ▁Cop , ▁and ▁wrote ▁his ▁own ▁songs . ▁Prior ▁to ▁the ▁production ▁of ▁the ▁Top ▁Gun ▁sound track , ▁Mor oder ▁found ▁his ▁song writing