A bottle and a half of wine, writers block, frustration, and laziness all contributed in equal measure.

I think its absolutely fabulous that I can use the internet to pollute your ears :) I don't think I'm ever going to be part of the industry so its great to be able to put my stuff out there for the 2 visitors that come by each week.

Absolutely! It would be great to have vocals that didn't sound like they were being sung in a small bathroom.

I bought my first guitar in 2001, it was a Johnson Acoustic that served as an excellent ornament for the dirtiest corner in my living room. Finally, after months of gazing at the beautiful finish, I took it to Colorado in the boot of a rental car in case I was inspired. Needless to say, that trip proved fatal for the guitar. As it turned out, it was the best thing that could have happened to my musical aspirations (well okay, not quite the best, watching "Don't look back" was far more significant).

I bought a real guitar and found that there was a way to learn without leaving bloodstains on the fretboard. Since then, I've been binge-playing and have taught myself a few things, one of which, is that if you're looking to make something truly original, you really shouldn't be f***ing around with pop music in the first place. Unburdened, I proceeded to unleash the full extent of my tropical monkey brain and surprisingly childlike hands upon the world.

Bob Dylan (the 1960's young, virile, irreverent version, not the still-in-existence human version), Pink Floyd, The Doors, Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Mogwai, Sigur Ros, Beth Orton, Interpol, Explosions in the sky, Soundgarden, The Shins, Ben Harper, Radiohead, The Strokes, Joe Henry, Califone, Me'shell Ndegeocello, the Eels, Neutral Milk Hotel, Essex Green, Ladybug Transistor, the Velvet Underground, Ani diFranco, Michael Sheehy, Tom Waits (did anyone see that terrible movie, "Wristcutters"? WTF was Waits doing in that trainwreck), Bob Marley, the Editors, Don Henley, Elvis Presley, Simon & Garfunkel (yes, that terrorist's old band), Guns and roses (for having the balls to er, put their balls out there), Lisa Gerard, Daniel Johnston (for allaying my fears about shitty recording standing in the way of strong songwriting), Janis Joplin, the Beatles, Oasis, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan (try singing his melodies if you want to feel inadequate), The Kinks, Tindersticks, Michael Jackson, John Lennon, Neil Young, The Who, Mark Knopfler (the authentic voice of the blue-collar man), Dire Straits, Red House Painters (it is indeed possible for beauty to come from wallowing in self-pity), Califone, Mark Lanegan, Belle and Sebastian (ah you lovely things), Iron and Wine, Porcupine Tree, Marillion, Pink Floyd, Roger Waters, Iron Maiden, Led Zeppelin, Jimmy Page, Robert Plant (if only your original solo stuff was as good as the covers you do), Prince, Eddie Vedder (I've finally grown out of my fixation with you), T Bone Burnett (who has had a significant influence on my production tastes), Adam Kaspar, Brendan O'Brien, Eric Clapton, The Black Keys, Jimi Hendrix, Counting Crows, The Black Crowes, Soundgarden, Mos Def, Tupac Shakur, Wes Anderson

... and countless others that don't come to mind right now.

The Acoustic Coffeehouse, Johnson City, Tennessee

A liberal oasis in the heart of an otherwise RED (in the new and less pleasant incarnation of the word) city.

Squier'51 electric through a
digitech RP150 effects pedal
MXL 992
Behringer XM8500
Piedmont Blues Harmonicas
TubeMP studio
Vinci Acoustic
Acid Pro
SoundForge
Sampleswap.org

My musical mentor. We now have very different styles.

Todd Courson at:

http://www.myspace.com/toddonacid