HAPPY 10TH BIRTHDAY TO I LOOK LIKE SHIT Wow happy 10th birthday to my debut solo record, I Look Like Shit. The record that accidentally started my life as professional musician and a record that almost went in the garbage. A lot of these songs were intended for Bomb the Music Industry! (trash, snow charges, 80s thru the 50s, bonus oceans) but the band broke up before we got there. When Bomb! broke up, I spoke to Sean Bonnette and he offered me a spot playing keyboards and sax with AJJ on their upcoming tour with Future of the Left and also hey, since I was there anyway I could open up the night solo. I hopped at the chance, thinking what better way to ride off into the punk sunset touring with my dear friends in AJJ and one of my favorite bands, Future of the Left. I wanted this tour to be as distanced possible from Bomb - out of respect and because I was emotional - so I finished the unrealized songs, a few more I was kinda stuck on and some covers I always wanted to do and voila I had this mixtape type thing that I ended up being very proud of. The album cover (and above photo) was taken on my 30th birthday. In a drunken state of confidence, foolishness and inspiration I decided that night I wasn't going to work at the prop house driving trucks anymore. I really liked the job and people I worked with but I felt like I was getting too comfortable doing somewhat mindless work for an owner who didn't seem like a good person. I also thought, hey, if I am doing freelance design work, playing occasional solo shows, producing and mixing records, event production with John and maybe if I'm lucky some jobs writing music for movies & TV, intermittent not-great-paying jobs could get me by and I'd be working more towards what I'd like to do with my life.