Since 1991 he has made 20 albums and toured the American continent, Europe and Asia with Hagfish and Only Crime. For the past 13 years he has been the bassist for Texas favorite the Toadies. He began writing his first book “Even If It Kills Me” (YMAA Publications) while on the road in 2015 about his black belt journey in Taekwondo. Upon release it was a Silver Winner for the Benjamin Franklin Award.
When he’s not writing he can be found drinking coffee, trying to learn Rush songs, training in martial arts and drinking coffee .
He lives in Amarillo, TX with his wife Shelley and, since his bass guitars are his children, their 13 kids.
- The Partial Artist - October 13, 2021
- The Harder We Fall - September 8, 2021
- Am I My Brother’s Keeper? - September 6, 2021
As a kid I spent hours drawing with crayons, tongue out of the side my mouth in thought, left hand cranking out masterpiece. My brain couldn’t count as high as the 48 colors in the box but I took a crack at using everyone one of the options offered on my Captain America coloring book. It was hard staying in the lines but I did better than most, and by ‘most’ I mean my brother Zach.
My Mom gushed over pictures of the Hulk and Spiderman, who had been given brown and yellow colors instead of the green, red and blue that Marvel’s colorists had decided upon before we were born. The older I get the more I realize that all we have are options. You live based on those choices, good and bad.
I didn’t know until I was done with my ‘art?’ that Spiderman shouldn’t have been colored with a purple Crayon. But I chose it anyway because the option was there. It’s the same with music and martial arts. I love Steely Dan more than anything but I can’t JUST listen to the Dan.
…Okay, that’s a bad example because I probably could.
I have……and will again.
Since the age of 10 I’ve trained in several styles of martial arts and loved each of them. But to be clear, when you hear someone say “I’ve trained in several arts” a mental image is conjured of the author mastering kung fu, TKD or BJJ. That’s not the case here. I’ve mainly sampled the charcuterie board of martial systems and I’m trying to figure out if I like little pickles or hard cheese.
Starting in TKD at a young age I had no idea there were other styles. The goal was to kick, punch and maybe learn how to use throwing stars. At the same age I discovered Led Zeppelin and thought they were the only band on the planet. I realized later that of course there were other bands and styles of martial arts.
If I hadn’t have tried different systems I never would have learned to charge punch or break two boards together with a Tornado Kick, or tap someone out with a triangle choke. The best thing about going to different dojos/academies are the people you engage with. I guarantee I’ve had the pleasure of meeting 10 actual martial artists, real people, for every bonehead who thinks he can blow out candles with his chi.
I wouldn’t have half of the friends in my life if I had stayed on my side of kung fu blvd. When I toured with my band the Toadies a few years back, I put out a message on Reddit asking if I could train at BJJ schools in exchange for tickets to the show and the response was overwhelming. From that message, I gained more friends and experiences than I can put down (…or maybe I should someday?).
There’s always a question in my mind, no matter HOW happy I am in what I’m training, that asks “what if?”
What if I’m missing out on a block? Or a cool kick or form? What if I’ll feel more energized and relaxed if I try THIS style over the one I’m doing now? Maybe THAT instructor will give me what I need?
It’s an endless, downward spiral if you let it get to you, and believe me, I have. It’s like shopping for a TV at BestBuy, finding the one you love, going home and then seeing an even bigger one for sale at Walmart only to get it and realize you bought a turd. Not all martial artists have the ability to land upon the ONE on the first try and stick with it forever.
I know of a few who are lucky and I envy these people. I’m constantly keeping my head on a swivel, looking for the one that will complete me. In martial arts the grass IS greener on the other side but you’ll never know unless you try…right? Then again, I know of a few Thanos wannabes who train several disciplines, collecting Infinity Belts for their gi.
I’ve gained so much from martial arts, far more than I have put in. Some experiences were great, some stunk. To quote the Butthole Surfers’ “it’s better to regret something you have done than something you haven’t done”.
How will you know you love anything unless you step away from it? I left BJJ a while ago, I regret that but know my brain wasn’t ready for what was coming down the pipe. I often think about returning and hopefully, relaxing so I can learn. There’s no reason to go hard all the time.
They do call it the ‘Gentle Art’ but that’s hard to think about when someone is cranking the hell out of your ankle.
Gentle art my ass.
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