Welcome to The Fireproof Hotel.
My father tells really long stories. They twist and turn and deviate, causing my mother to often step in with a “hurry up and get to the point.” But no one can argue that, no matter how many alternate routes and side streets his stories take, they always entertain.
He passed that gene on to me, but I complicated it. First, I decided I wanted to tell stories through song. I did that for years, toured the world, and had many folks pull up their sleeves to reveal words I’d written permanently etched in their skin. It was a dream.
I then decided I wanted to help filmmakers tell their stories, so I slipped into the background and spent a few years making music for picture — creating little musical worlds that crept into the subconscious of the viewer, telling them how they should feel when a character experienced despair, confusion, or joy. It was challenging.
Somewhere along the line, I decided I wanted to do everything. I became obsessed enough with film that I bought a camera and started making little videos in which I told stories, made the music, and stitched it all together in such a way that, much to my surprise, a good number of folks found their way to me in a place I’d previously tried to avoid — the internet. It was bewildering.
Now we’re here.
This is not a place for me to promote my music or sell you anything. I’m here because I grew exhausted with all of that. There’s no bait and switch. I want everything here to feel like a gift.
While it’s a place that affords me more words and freedom than all the other venues, I try to keep the deviations to a minimum. When you see me in your inbox, know that I’m aware of all the noise. I try to send my letters out early in the morning so they might find you on a commute or just as you start your day, in hopes they do what others’ stories do for me — take the edge off. Because while I’ve never been able to make up my mind on the medium that’s best, the purpose has always been the same…
To tell a great story.
Ride or Die
Paid subscribers gain access to any music I share in my posts, as well as the occasional exclusive piece of writing. So far, I’ve shared over 30 songs, including b-sides, unreleased music, and demos. I make it super easy by putting it all on one page so you can access the whole archive whenever you like.
Another reason to pay — it’s challenging to keep this up, but most of my posts seem to give rise to comments from folks saying how much they appreciate me sharing.
I’m grateful for those who pay for this thing, and I feel obliged to push through that tough part of the process for them. They keep me accountable and give me the justification to carve out the time to do it. By paying for a subscription, you become a part of that group. Thanks for that.
