On the Down
Bretheren Sol's Trials and Tribulations:
Grew up on a farm outside of Leavenworth Prison.
Burned 20%+ of my body in a fryer oil accident.It was bad.Wrapped like a mummy.soaked in bathtub hours a day just to get bandages off.
Had open heart surgery at age 7.It was worse.
Lived in bible belt tornado alley.
Moved to another farm across the river near Platte City,Mo. Infamous for Bonnie and Clyde & Jesse James robberies.
Frequented relatives near Dodge City,Kansas.Famous for Billy the Kid and Boot Hill.
Parents owned a Western Store complete with boots,hats,shirts,chaps,tack, & feed.
Fed horses and cows.We showed quarter horses on weekends.
Bought and raised a cow and sold it at the auction,bought my first Yamaha dirt bike.
Loved motocross and Evel Knievel.we fathered X Games.
Moved out west to Scottsdale.4 wheeled and boated from Tombstone to Glen Canyon.
Pops owned a Kawasaki motorcycle shop.Desert was my backyard.
Broke both arms in a desert crash. Gave up motorbikes and took up guitars and rock bands.
Being a country bumpkin, big city mentality set in.
Played Keys in Shadow Talk, a mere junior version of Gentlemen Afterdark.
Lived with Douglas Hopkins the prolific songwriter for the Gin Blossoms the year they were signed to A&M.
Got into show business by luck,I skateboarded outside veteran DJ John Dixon's house, He got tired of the me riding my ramps.So he hired me!
The rest is Pure rock history.Front of House Engineer/Tour Manager for Gin Blossoms short lived heyday,No Doubt's Tragic Kingdom's wild ride,Fishbone's angry years,Rock and Rolled with You Am I, Danced with the Sneaker Pimps,Hiphopped it with JEM.
Toured my ass off. All platinum bands, All bus tours, one van tour. a Front of house regular guy.
Blink! FFW 15 years, musical Sol mate and drumming genius "Rolo" Brian Vogel was struck and killed by a car in 2002 while with Fishbone on my clock.
I was 3 feet in front of him.Should have of been me.
I had spinal surgery on my neck in 2007 for 2 herniated disks pressing on my spinal cord.Got a titanium steel plate with 6 wooden screws to prove it.
-All these things fuel the fire and pen below me.