Hi and welcome. Over the years I have gone through three recording decks and four video cameras in an effort to produce this collection of music and video. What started as hobby quickly became a passion.
I set up the ‘studio’ in my father’s basement and began making what he called ‘the racket’. At one point we set up some crappy drums and proceeded to just fly at it. We played about 5 songs in a row and got worse with each song. This was the only time my father said anything. As we sat taking a break he poked his head through the door and remarked,
“For god-awful sakes, it sounds like you're building a house down here.”
Since then I have gained the assistance of several professional musicians and there have been endless hours of support from family and friends. I’m most proud of the original and committed sound.
Throughout my life I’ve always had a high level of responsibility and I enjoy being on the ‘point of the arrow’. Through my twenties & into my thirties I worked as an Avalanche Forecaster and Climbing Instructor. I began a career as a Fire Fighter at age 31.
Interestingly enough this body of work seems to be maturing at a time when the internet has so much to offer an independent artist. By my definition I have already achieved success just by the fact that this site exists.
“Most of us have had the experience where from across the room you can feel someone’s eyes on you and, you even know which way to look. An idea happens like that, something suddenly gets my attention and I can’t look away.”
Beyond The Fire Line
On one occasion we had the owner of a nearby business walk into the hall to report that a roofer’s tar kettle was on fire next to his shop and that it was unattended. I asked him for the address and he replied,
“Jump in my truck, I´ll drive you over to it.”
Fire fighting is all about being ready for
anything at anytime.
A fire fighter could go 2 weeks, 6 months or even 3 years without attending a major event. Then suddenly the heart is pounding and the brain is racing to lock in on past experiences and training.
A first in officer is relying on the
‘collective awareness’
and skills of the crew and everyone realizes that no call is routine. Each scene can have it’s own twist on a real bad time. For that reason no borders exist between ranks when it comes to a good idea.
Often we see events that nobody really wants to be involved in but there is a sense of purpose and satisfaction gained when helping someone out. Contributing to a group effort is an amazing experience — especially when it counts.
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White Thunder
We both heard it. Crack! The snow broke away and the sensation of acceleration was instant. My friend watched from above as debris pushed at my back threatening to send me into a summersault. I did not want that to happen.
For 200 feet I did the backstroke fighting the force behind me with everything I had until the avalanche began to slow as it crashed into a broad ledge. I could feel a hesitation in the flow but wasn’t sure if it would be enough to prevent me from going over the next edge. Thankfully it was.
As I stood buried up to my waist with my arms still in the air and unable to move, I heard my friend yell,
“That was textbook! Stay there! I want to get a picture.”
From this I realized that the greatest times of unpredictability happen during the moderate to considerable rating. At the top of a list of precautions is the lesson learned from this event,
treat every trip as if there is a hazard.
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