What’s going on with the band now - anything exciting going on? Especially since you guys pretty much picked up and started over...

Yeah, we did... In August of ‘01we spent a lot of time trying to get away from our contract (with Wind-Up) - because they wouldn’t let us go. But eventually we got out of it... we did an EP called "Degrees of Black" - it’s got eight songs on it. We got a new website, which is dustforlifemusic.com. Chris and I got back together to try to get this going last... I guess August of ‘03. We put this record out in October of ‘03... you can really only buy it on our site, we don’t have a big distribution deal... they sell them in stores in Memphis, online, and at shows. Since October we sold 3,400 copies - totally on our own. So that’s a big deal. We’ve got a couple things working right now... the first single is called "Comedown"... right now we’re in the process of having that played on about two-hundred radio stations.

And you’re managing the band right now?

(Laughs) Yeah, I’m the manager of the band right now.

Are you going to look for a manager later on - or is this something you’d like to do?

I’m not going to do it for good... we’re talking to the managers of Motley Crue... we also have a partnership with a large major company that’s in the works too - can’t name any names, but it’s a big company that’s looking to own a band. So that’s something that’s in negotiations right now - We’ve got Creed’s attorney working for us - he also did John Mayer, so he’s on the team... we’ve got about twenty five or so tour dates booked, on our own. The band is alive and kicking - good things are happening. The whole album is only five bucks, that’s really cheap... those are the big things to me. We’re hoping people come see us when we go on tour - hopefully they’ll also hear us on the radio.

What’s going on inside the CD - what sort of topics do you cover?

Well... (laughs) there’s a lot of songs about being depressed by a corporate structure. The first CD, the Wind-UP CD, Chris and I were both the writers of that... we talk a lot about failed relationships and things like that. Yeah, this one deals with a little bit of that. When you get out into the music business, a lot of people will just tell you anything... it’s just about buying lies... you think people are honest, but they’re not. I think the main topic on there is revenge or hate, what’s interesting about this CD - there are actually a couple songs on there that are more "pop radio" sounding than anything we’ve ever done. And at the same time there’s some darker and heavier songs... than anything we’ve ever done. We basically believe that one of the greatest qualities we have is forgiveness... we’ve definitely forgiven them... we’re definitely over it. I bought the new Finger Eleven - I’m not going to spend my time to spite the label. Yeah, Chris and I... this is an interesting story... Chris and I were hanging out here in Memphis... the night watchman told us that there were some kids outside and they want to give us a demo. So I went out, met them, and got the demo.... put it in and "My Immortal" was on there almost exactly the way it is now... as soon as I heard it I thought "that’s a million dollars waiting to happen..." So Chris and I immediately went - we had several meetings with the kids and we signed them to a management contract and they started working with our producer on demos. I guess Wind-Up didn’t like the way that producer was sounding, but they did like the band. Up in New York, the owners of the label were asking us about the band - I spent about fifteen minutes with them and closed the deal for Evanescence. But that’s the kind of things we’re interested in - we’re interested in working with other bands - getting involved because we love music.

Do you still keep in touch with Evanescence?

Yeah, in fact I was out and I saw Ben... I guess he’s not in the band anymore... I ended up at his birthday party with Brett from Fuel and it was really fun. Everything great... the story to that is... don’t quit... don’t let anybody steal your dream.

Where does your passion for music come from?

I don’t know. I wish I could tell you so I could stop it, but I can’t. (Laughs) I remember being a little kid - I heard stuff that my parents would listen to like the Beach Boys and the Rolling Stones... things like that on the radio. I don’t know, for some reason I just sucked on to it. I had a Beach Boys record when I was ten years old, and ended up going on from there.

I can hear an Alice In Chains influence when I listen to your records...

Yeah, their stuff does influence us... we all like them. I think if you listen to the new record, I don’t think you’ll hear as much of that. We love Alice In Chains - I just don’t think they’re as much of an influence on this one... but yet, it’s still heavy and dark. But like I said, there’s more uplifting things on there as well.