 Fowles grew up in Orange County, California, and started playing guitar in his early teen years, having been inspired by seeing the guitarist character of Marty McFly in the film "Back to the Future".By age 14, he was regularly playing in local punk bands, including one band called CleanX, who opened for The Aquabats in the late 1990s.In 1997, Fowles put together the original formation of Orange County hardcore punk band Death by Stereo, naming the band, designing its logo, and writing/recording on the band's early demos and EPs.