sʃʃıɥ ǝɥʇ ɹoɟ pǝpɐǝɥ

It was my step-father who first suggested that I reinvestigate music. I’d been in bands all my life, and had given up on it. I was involved in a really very good group where after one particularly superb practice the bassist was explaining how into my song ‘Uptown’ he was… I was flattered. I’d never had a band mate gush like that about one of my songs before. But he went on to say that he didn’t have anything to contribute to the music I was writing, and that as much as he liked it, he was really just there to showcase me. Showcase me? I asked the rest of the group about their feelings, and essentially they all felt the same way. We never rehearsed again.

Ultimately I felt that I was getting better at song writing, but that my ideas were limited, and usually based on other people’s work. I wanted a true collaboration, something more than a jam. Disappointed in myself, and my limitations, I set music aside for close to five years.

It was on a long car ride that my step-father suggested a keyboard and write some music for my little sister to sing. He was looking at Debbie Gibson, and Tiffany and thinking that my sister was prettier, and could sing better than they could, so why not? I agreed about my sister, and got really excited about the prospect of getting a keyboard. We went to Guitar Center and bought a brand new Korg M1, a Tascam 4 track, and a mic. I wrote some music for my baby sister, and we got together a few times. What came out of it was a muddy recording of her singing ‘Straight up’ by Paula Abdul. After which, she decided not to continue her singing career.

But I kept writing on that M1 in the closet of the flat where I was living, and started a band. The band would eventually transform into Dubtribe, and the closet would become the Dubtribe House recording studio.

My step-father, in his infinite wisdom, also suggested that I write. He encouraged me to begin thinking about my days as a Punk, and start writing as soon as possible. I investigated web based applications for writing, and discovered WordPress. Thus, this place was born. Punk was written, as well as my other stories and daily journal. This place has come to mean the world to me. It is a piece of the glue and cellophane tape which has kept my head and my heart from falling to ribbons over the last few years.

Thank you Jack. Your faith, interest, encouragement, and love mean the whole world to me.