User Profile

updated: 10.9.06

i was born in alabama, raised in tennessee... if you dont like my peaches dont shake on my tree. well not exactly.... i was born in phoenix arizona in the summer of 1982. i started a small record label "moose records" when i was in high school. this fine label had such great releases as "how many teeth do you have vol. 1" "nevergonnascore (byron sessions)" "girl repellent's lp" "the centerfolds lp" and "wednesday." i was 16 and loved putting out records. somewhere in the mix of all this i fell backwards into promoting a concert. it was for a ska/punk band called the hippos. other bands were link 80, the rx bandits, longfellow, and nevergonnascore. this was one of the best nights of my life. over 400 people showed up, it was at a place called the jackson hole. i knew that i wanted to promote more concerts.

i made friends with labels and pretty soon people were calling about new bands that needed shows. i started renting this punk rock club called the nile and made friends with the owner. a position opened up, and a chance to learn what i needed to know. i got into it... and got into it pretty deep and eventually he wanted nothing to do with it and sold it to me. also included was running and living above, nile theatre. will anderson and sam means became my partners and we renamed it amj concerts. the nile theatre was awesome, and the whole community was great. every day of my life i miss that place and promoting shows. we did 35 shows a month on average... in phoenix, tucson and albuquerque. i booked bands like new found glory, dashboard confessional, less than jake, the ataris, saves the day, millencolin, lagwagon, anti-flag, disturbed, the get up kids, jets to brazil, guttermouth, the vandals, bouncing souls, taking back sunday, starting line, fenix tx, finch, toadies, zeke, cannibal corpse, morbid angel, converge, death cab, reverend horton heat, alien ant farm, dropkick murphys, flogging molly, something corporate, strung out, goldfinger, reel big fish, alkaline trio, the impossibles, andrew wk, the used, yellowcard, the anniversary, the weakerthans, brand new, etc... anyways... from 16 to 21... a lot of bands.. a lot of shows.. i loved booking shows and running a venue, not a day goes by that i don't miss it.

my roomate/business partner/great friend at the time was sam means. him and nate's old band "thispastyear" broke up. they were writing without a name as a duo. from that day forward i managed what became the format. i did this for 3 years. they got signed to elektra, and life was great. they are an amazing band, and im glad i did what i could do for them. i tour managed them along the line (most) of the time. there have been a few lapses here and there but i currently still tour manage and do lights for them. i love them, they are my oldest friends and touring with them is a blast.

as for amj concerts. somewhere in there along the line, i basically ended up giving my concert company away to tom lapenna "nipp/lucky man". it was a crappy deal, but will anderson and michelle donovan are still the life line of amj and apparantly also somewhat happy.

somewhere down the line i opened a store called inferno with an old friend named chet pope. he was in "girl repellent" and did a whole lot of touring with the ataris as well as loads of other bands. the store was inspired by a another store in chicago called strange cargo. however was nothing like it at all.... anyways, the store was a bust. but it also seved as an office and headquarters for all our other shit. i wish i knew what i know now about that damn store man.... uhhh... man. it had some moments though.

i should also say, there was also a booking agency started with two other childhood friends "ryan vanbuskirk" and "mike lentz" aka... rvb and bean. we booked tours for allister, digger, groovie ghoulies, squad five o, etc... yea, it wasn't the best idea... but fun at times.


the nile theatre was temporarily shut down, rented out to a church and ever since... the arizona music scene basically took a blow... there was something special about what we had with that place as well as amj. so the store closed and after amj concerts merged, i just managed and tour managed the format. and after the format and i parted ways.... i became very confused and didn't know what i was going to do. i bought a house in may of 2005 and needed some way to pay for it. everything was weird... i was working at a restraunt, selling mortgages and shit. it was silly. but anyways, chapter closed.

the phone rang and hellogoodbye needed a tour manager. i left immediately and toured for over five months straight. went to the uk and germany, it was a great time. those guys are awesome. i then had a month to myself before the format took da muh for a two month ride.

currently i made some new friends in a band called maxeen. im tour managing and doing sound for them. they are rad people and super jammers. i already feel like i've known them for years. once this tour is over, ill be back out with the format from october 23rd through december 22nd. after that, who knows.

all my life ive loved music and i have been so caught up in the business that i havent ever had a chance to create. i hope one day to sell my house, live in a van and play music all day. im working on it, june of 2007 the "couch tour" will be booked. im sick of the music business and im going to do what i love. and i do love the business side, but it's total shit. the people, the politics, everything about it... selling someones art is easy if the art you are selling is good.

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