Are you originally from Texas? Where were you born?
I was born in the west Texas oil town, Midland, but I grew up about an hour west in the small town of Monahans. There’s nothing in a Monahans but dirt, high school football, and caring people.

How old are you?
23 years.

When did you start playing guitar/ making music?
I got my first guitar when I was six or seven I think (maybe eight). I loved to make noise on that guitar until I actually learned my first chords at about eight or nine. I made my first four track song when I was ten on a little karaoke machine; I think it was a three chord progression (G, C, D probably). I used two tapes and switched them back and forth, adding a new track each time. I didn’t really start singing until after I graduated high school, so it wasn’t until then that I actually wrote lyrics to go with my music. My mother had always said I couldn’t sing so I was afraid for people to hear me try.

When did you decide you wanted to become a professional musician?
I never really decided it. People just started listening and it happened. I found myself spending more and more time with music than anything else.

Do you write and compose the songs yourself?
I generally write every song when it comes to lyrics and melody. My buddy Curtis helps sometimes with melody. As far as complete composition is concerned, what you hear on the album is typically a collaborative effort between Curtis and myself.

Who is Curtis Steen? How did you meet?
Curtis Steen is my childhood friend and a multi-faceted musician. He is two years younger than me and I have known him since I was five. He actually grew up down the street from me. I’ve worked with a lot of musicians over the years, but Curtis is one of the most talented people I know. I couldn’t imagine making music without him.

How did you meet Mike Pinto?
My buddy Adam told me about Mike. His stuff is infectious; very unique and catchy. I thought “this is the kind of music I want to associate myself with”. I got a hold of him through e-mail I believe, and invited him to come visit us in Texas. When he came down to visit, he showed me some of his new songs and we recorded his song “Knocked Up” on my home studio (not his album version). Subsequently, when we starting writing for our new album, I felt like something was missing on the song “Share the Moon”. Curtis and I agreed that it needed Mike’s touch. I called him up and a couple weeks later he was in the studio with us. His part really completed the song.

How long did it take to record the album from the decision to make it until the release?
That’s kind of a funny story. It was supposed to take about three months. It ended up taking a year. During production, I was finishing college, Curtis was attending recording arts school an hour a way, and our producer was having personal issues of his own. Not to mention, “Talk to Me” and “Sunstone God”, were written after production was almost complete. They replaced other two songs that we felt were not ready for release. That put us really behind.

You are married, do you have children?
No children yet, just my beautiful wife Lindsey.

Which musicians, apart from Jack Johnson, inspired and inspire you?
Simon and Garfunkel, Jimmy Page, Johnny Cash, Bob Marley, John Lennon, Elton John, Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughan, John Mayer, Shannon Hoon, Bradley Nowell, and my good friend Matt Jennings. This list could go on forever.

What else inspires you?
My wife, my love for people, and my desire to inspire others through my music.

The title of your debut album is “New World”. Why?
While writing these songs, I feel like I was undergoing a transformation. I was becoming less selfish and more selfless. When I began to see the difference it made in my own life and other people’s lives, I realized that I was waking up to an entirely new world. The song “Fiction Disease” was originally entitled “New World” but I felt like the phrase “New World” summed up more than just the one song, so I changed it at the last minute.

The purevolume release “Wave to Heaven” is not to be found on New World, why is that?
Wave to Heaven was the third song (with lyrics) I ever wrote, but it didn’t feel complete enough to put on the album. I’m sure I will release it at a later date.

Were the tunes you had put up at purevolume home recordings?
They were low budget studio recordings and were part of an eight song demo we put together for gigging.

What have you learned from your first album recording process?
It’s a collaborative effort and requires a great deal of time and patience, not to mention an element of creativity that is much different from playing live. I had a great team working with me, including Scott Faris my producer, Ben Mercado (engineer) and Curtis Steen.

How would you describe your own music?
Genuine and heartfelt.

Are your songs fictive or based on true experiences? Can you tell me any particular story that made you write a song?
My songs are actually a blend of fact and fiction. Most often however, I take on a different persona to write my music. I put myself in other people’s shoes and write from that perspective. I think that it helps me become a more empathetic and selfless human. “Sunstone God”, for instance, is about an ancient Aztec character who is questioning the change that’s taking place as a result of Spanish invasion in the new world (there’s that “new world” theme again). It’s about realizing and coming to terms with that change.

What do you do other than music?
I spend time with friends and family, I read (mostly non-fiction), and up until recently, I played baseball competitively.

Can you describe the production process? One day you decided to record and release an album, what then?
You really have to find a good team. A good producer and good engineers. People you can trust. The bottom line is, you can spend a lot of time and money on an album, and if you don’t have a good team, you’ll waste both.

Is there anything else I or the people should know about you? Something extraordinary that happened to you? You know, like the surf accident of Jack Johnson. It doesn’t have to be something tragic though. Simply something the readers would like to know.
I spent my whole life preparing for a career in baseball. I was voted MVP of my baseball team in high school and went to the United States Air Force Academy to play NCAA Division I baseball. I realized during Air Force boot camp that I didn’t want to play baseball. I left boot camp, returned home, married my high school sweetheart, and finally realized that I was supposed to be making music all along. Ever since, inspiring and uplifting others through my music has been my goal. It was a spontaneous decision, but I one don’t regret.