"I Picture It As The Closing Credits Of A Movie" An Interview With J.D. BRADSHAW

Oct 2011 (phone interview broadcast live on Roman Midnight Music Podcast Eps #33)

Virginia guitarist, guitar teacher & music columnist J.D. Bradshaw has worked with the bands Pendragaon, Red Alert, Rocking Horse, Cauldron with Matt Barlow of Iced Earth, & currently the Debbie Caldwell Band. He's had his music heard on MTV's Date My Mom reality show & a radio commercial for Dee Snider's "House Of Hair". Since 1998 J.D. has also recorded 4 solo instrumental guitar rock CDs released on his own label Acacia Entertainment.

I discovered J.D. Bradshaw when he was promoting his fourth solo CD Waiting At The Finish Line. An across the board 'do-it-yourself' artist he struck me as a like minded artist. I was also taken by the diversity of his output from folk rock to metal. Though we hadn't talked much before going live on the air it was an enlightening hour getting into music related topics I hadn't touched upon in previous interviews.

Special thanks to Kaddie Champion for recommending J.D. to be a guest on my show.

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AJ: J.D., welcome!

J.D.: Thank you, Aaron. It's a very good pleasure to be talking with you & I'm looking forward to what you have to ask about my career. I'm ready for the audience to hear some of my songs & kinda get to know me a little bit. So, ask away, brotha'! It's all you!

AJ: Absolutely. There is one very important question, J.D., I have to ask you.

J.D.: Okay.

AJ: With the utmost seriousness I think we have to start, you know, from a good foundation. I don't want to get too personal, J.D. ... but would you mind sharing with my audience ... where online they can find out about your music?

J.D. Okay. You can go to my myspace page, which is myspace.com/acaciaentertainmet. You can purchase some of my music, mostly all of it, online. I'm on Amazon.com, cdbaby, iTunes, Rhapsody & basically you can go to the Paul Reed Smith Guitars website as well, & look in the artist roster & my name will be there & you can check out a little bit of my bio & everything.

AJ: Does that mean you've got a sponsorship by Paul Reed Smith?

J.D.: Yes, I'm endorsed by Paul Reed Smith Guitars.

AJ: Well, that's the hardest question, J.D., it's gonna be a breeze from here!

J.D.: That sounds good! Also, another thing to, for the audience, I forgot I do have a facebook page & if you go to facebook & type in my name J.D. Bradshaw it should come up. Check me out online. If you want to you can go to, another way is you can go to yahoo or google & type in my name & you'll see all kinds of stuff. There's all kinds of interviews & cd reviews & stuff like that, but anyway, I'm ready to get it on with you, Aaron. Let's rock!

AJ: Excellent, man. Alright, if someone comes up to you & says 'tell me about J.D. the guitar player', what do you tell them?

J.D.: Well, let me see ... that would be pretty easy.

AJ: Or, let me put it another way. Who is J.D. Bradshaw?

J.D.: J.D. Bradshaw is a guitarist whose been playing for 30 years who absolutely loves playing guitar, playing music & just being around music in general & just lives for the music. That kinda sums it up. I'm all about music. I love different styles of music & everything. & I'm real big into heavy metal & thrash & black metal & power metal & all kinda genres like that. But, I do listen to a wide variety of other styles of music - blues, you know a little bit of modern country, like kinda improv jazz kinda stuff. That kinda sums it up, you know, it's all about the music. I love it.

AJ: Well, I noticed looking over your career online that, & the things that you had done, that you might be a long-haired leather pants wearing guy, but at the same time it's not ... well, I am too, actually ... but, it's not outside your range to play something like country, or this year you've joined up with Debbie Caldwell, which is a little bit more on the country side or folksier side.

J.D.: Right.

AJ: So you're open to experiment.

J.D.: Exactly. Basically, when you play music, for me as a musician, its all a growing process to grow as the best musician you can be. When you stay with one style of music you tend to get in a rut & I'm all about variety. You know I like learning some modern country guitar techniques. I like learning some jazz licks. I just throw it into my playing style. I'm just really not picky about what kind of music I play, because I'm like a chameleon. I kinda adapt to the situation & just give it my all. Like I said, I've played everything from thrash to modern country to 50's style of music & I just love it all. As long as I've got a guitar strapped to me & an amplifier, you know, I'm a happy camper.

AJ: & yet, when there is that time, you said yourself, 'I've been playing with this, for lack of something else, free jazz set-up. I want to get back to my thrash roots.' You've been pursuing over the years a few solo albums.

J.D.: Right.

AJ: & it looks like now you're on ... number 4?

J.D.: Right, number 4.

AJ: Technically ... I think you also have a compilation out there ... let's see, you've done Caught In The Act, Essence Of Existence, which are both collected on another album that you've released since it's out of print. & then Third Time Around. & now, in the last few months you've put out Waiting At The Finish Line.

J.D.: Right.

AJ: So, you've got a lot of things going on.

J.D.: What I usually do is ... you know, where I love playing guitar & like I said, I love playing all styles ... having my own solo career & putting out the instrumental guitar rock gives me the freedom to kinda, you know, open up to the more rock, the more thrash, the more kinda progressive style of guitar playing. You know, of course, I'm a big Joe Satriani fan, I'm a big Yngwie Malmsteen fan, I'm a big Ted Nugent fan. & when I do my solo CDs, what I usually do is in between bands, when I'm out of one band & kinda looking for the next thing to get into or kinda put my business cards out there & waiting for something to kinda come along, I'll go & write an album & put it out. Like I said before, it kinda allows me the freedom to expand & grow as a musician. Plus, it's on my own record label, Acacia Entertainment. I handle all of the distribution & the airplay & sending it out to radio stations & scheduling interviews & everything it takes to get my name out there. Plus, having the 4 CDs out has snagged me endorsements with music companies: Sfarzo guitar strings, Hot Picks USA, Godlyke Distribution, Inc. & Big Bends LLC &, of course, PRS guitars. & I'm a member of BMI, Broadcast Music Inc. & I also write a column called J.D.'s Riff Notes for Wild Child magazine. That's like the solo part of my music side. & then when I play live in a band situation a lot of times it is a cover band, but we wind up writing originals & then going into the studio as time allows & recording some of the originals that we wrote. I have always been in working bands & even on the side I'm a guitar teacher as well in my local area, so I keep busy doing the music thing. But, like I said, I play in all styles of bands & have a good time with it.

AJ: I'm glad you mentioned Joe Satriani & Yngwie, cause I'd actually written on my blog about your album, I think I quoted those guys & there's always a bit of a ... you know, when you talk about a guitar player you may mention someone whose well known so people can relate ...

J.D.: But...

AJ: But, as a writer I'm always a little bit like 'oh shit, I'm gonna mention Yngwie & I hope he doesn't get offended cause he actually thinks he sounds like Jeff Beck', you know? Because I hear that early 80's style in your playing.

J.D.: Well, I love it. Like I grew up ... when I started learning guitar it was around 1980, so I caught all the guitar bands, like the BAD COMPANY, the EAGLES, Ted Nugent, AEROSMITH & VAN HALEN & FOGHAT. & then when things progressed I caught the Van Halen/Yngwie style of guitar playing. & then of course, the 80's hair band with George Lynch & John Norum & Adrian Vandenberg. I like all that stuff. But, I'll tell you, when I play slide guitar a lot of people think, kinda have the idea that I'm influenced by the ALLMAN BROTHERS, but I'm not. One of my big influences on slide guitar is the guys in FOGHAT. I've always loved the way they play slide guitar. That's kinda like my style of slide guitar playing ... is more kinda, I guess, classic rock FOGHAT style more than like the ALLMAN BROTHERS. But, yeah, it's cool.

AJ: I think you might be the first person I've ever met whose cited FOGHAT as a slide guitar influence.

J.D.: Oh, I love FOGHAT. I've always like a lot of stuff that they've done & also the FOGHAT live album from 1978, I believe, is one of my very favorite live albums. & of course, you know growing up & listening to that style of classic rock & heavy metal & hard rock kind of stuff you kinda adapt as you grow as a player because you don't really hear it at first. But, when you grow as a player, like I've said, you can kinda hear the influence of some of your guitar stylings, so to speak.

AJ: It sort of grows into you.

J.D.: Yeah, exactly, right.

AJ: I wanna just ask about one thing that you've already skirted on. Your solo albums are, I guess we could say, primarily instrumental.

J.D.: Right.

AJ: Instrumental ... you just riffin' away. Why do you take that approach?

J.D.: Well, for starters, I am not a lead singer, by any means. I'm really good at back-up vocals & some harmony vocals, but the thing of it is I always like to let my instrumental stuff ... I let the lead guitar be the vocal, you know, part of the song, as well as set the melodic pace of the song & all that. But, also, I like saxophone, as far as like the brass instrument. Some of my guitar lines are basically like ... I don't lift them up from saxophone players, but a lot of my, some of my guitar melodies typically could be played on a saxophone. They kinda have that same style. Plus, being a big fan of, like I've said, Joe Satriani I kinda model my career to an extent around him, because when I first heard Surfin' With An Alien I was like 'man, you've got big band instrumental, you've got all kinds of instrumental kind of music' but then he comes out with his instrumental guitar rock & its like yeah, it kinda stuck with me. Back in 1998 is when I decided to do the instrumental guitar rock stuff & see what happens & so far I've had pretty good luck with it. But, you know, it just basically allows me to let the lead guitar speak for itself &, of course, incorporating different guitar techniques, as well as some phrasing & stuff like that. Also, it kinda ... all 4 CDs kinda set the pace of where I was when I released it as a player & that's pretty cool to listen to ... to listen back to the first one & compare it to the fourth one & all that. It's cool. I really enjoy doing the instrumental guitar stuff.

AJ: It's interesting you've just said that some of your stuff could be played by a saxophone or is influenced by it. That's actually a very old thing that older guitar players would say. Like, if you hear or read interviews with old, I don't know, like B.B. King or Scotty Moore of Elvis Presley's band or Charlie Christian, they're guys that would say 'yeah, you know I'm playing a saxophone riff.' I haven't heard anyone say that in a long time though. You're probably the first modern guitar player whose mentioning a horn line. That used to be the standard.

J.D.: Right. Well, especially on some of my slower songs, my instrumental songs, you could easily substitute for the lead guitar part in some of the songs a nice saxophone, cause the saxophone is kind of a lead instrument anyways. But, like I said, its just ... it kinda works out that way as far as like the influence, but I just like to let the lead guitar kinda do the talkin' & set the mood. ... Especially with "Blacktop Fade", you can hear where the lead guitar takes over & some of the parts where saxophone could be substituted. That's one of the songs that kinda comes to mind. But, yeah, "Blacktop Fade" is the slowest tune, so to speak, on the E.P.

AJ: Well, I'll just tell you, when I first listened to the E.P., when you sent it to me a month ago or so, I'm listening to it & I had an initial reaction & I thouht "oh, I really like this song, oh that was great." Then, when I was listening to it a couple days ago it was a whole different experience. I think the songs that are a little bit more, they're a little more low-key, have ended up being the ones I like better now. Like they hit me on the second time coming. I was like "oh, you know what, I didn't really hear that one the first time. That's actually really good." It was like the whole thing flipped.

J.D.: Well, thank you.

AJ: One of the ones that initially I didn't get into, I mean, it was good but it didn't hit me like another one, & now I go "wow, that's a real highlight of the album. He really hit home with that one" is "Blacktop Fade."

J.D.: Okay, cool.

AJ: That's why it didn't hit me at first, cause your ears go to the fast & it goes for the speed, like the opening track "High On The Inside". Then later on the second listen I'm like "you know what, I think the slow one ... I'm really diggin' the slow one now."

J.D.: That's cool man.

AJ: J.D., I'll tell you ... when I was really young I discovered the movie, I know you know, Eddie & The Cruisers. I love that film, both the films. & I love the music. It's a really simple, at times corny, film, but it's haunted me 25 years after the fact or something like that. Cause there's a line in it when Eddie first meets his piano player, or the guy who would become his piano player. He basically says, 'you know when you're writing music it's all about the beat. You gotta have that beat in it.'

J.D.: Right.

AJ: He wasn't talking about the rhythm. He was talking about beat in the musical term for the break, that little pause, that breathe of air. & it's always haunted me. That one line completely influenced the way I listened to music, because I love all this wild guitar playing, but yet when that guitar stops for just a moment, or a beat, to me that kicks it. & in this song you have that. It's that little break da da da dum ____ da da da dum ____. My favorite part of the song is that little pause.

J.D.: Well, thank you!

AJ: I know it's a little thing but I just really dig that because it offsets ... it's literally a breathe of air that a lot of guitar players don't do. They just throw out many notes, you know Yngwie's very famous for this & many others are too. But, it's the spaces between the notes which are sometimes the things that get the listener, that are just as important.

J.D: Oh, yeah, yup, you said that right! That's the truth. Yeah, I always liked ... like when I wrote "Blacktop Fade" I really didn't expect it to come out as good as it did. I mean, I knew what I wanted to do with it. I picture it as in the closing credits of a movie or something like that. Or even just putting it in your car & cruisin' on a long straightaway. Of course, the blacktop is going to fade in the distance & that's the whole purpose of your driving somewhere, or actually, you're leaving a place, an older place, & you're going to a new place & the blacktop fades in your rear view mirror, so to speak. All my songs have a few different, so to speak, meanings behind them, but the music gets the message across.

AJ: Since you're not worried about lyrics here, you don't have to worry about that. You don't have a band whose writing with you. I know you do have a real drummer here, but you're basically playing all the guitars. What is your approach to writing?

J.D.: Actually, I start off with just some chords. I have a drum machine that I use & I just record, just jammin' along with the drum machine. Then when I lay down something that I feel comfortable with or, you know, a piece of music that I recorded a few years ago, I might bring that up to today's sound, so to speak. But, what I usually do is I'll write the rhythms first along with the drum machine to get a good idea of what I want to do. Then I just kinda listen to it over & over, you know, kinda get an idea of where I want to go with it, & then I start with the melodic part of the song. Trying to capture ... to give the song a theme. Then what I'll do is I will add the lead guitar in & different techniques & different ways of phrasing whatever part I want to do. That's kinda like in the very rough stages of it. Then I take it all to the studio & do it that way. But, basically, I just start off jammin' with the drum machine & then I work up, like I said, the melodies & the theme of it, then I add the icing on the cake, which is just the leads. Because, if you don't have melody in your music you lose your listener, as that's part of what keeps the listener's attention. I know what keeps mine is some kind of melodic, something melodic, & it kind of sets the mood for the songs. So, that's kind of the way I usually write my instrumental guitar rock. The song titles are the very last thing that I come up with. You know depending upon the theme of the CD of what I want to do that's kinda the way that goes ... but, that's what I use.

AJ: The way that you describe that, J.D., you sound like someone who ... is a guitar teacher.

J.D.: Yeah. Yeah.

AJ: Did I hit that nail on the head?

J.D.: You know as a guitar teacher you have to start, when you have a beginning student, you have to start with the basic building blocks of, you know, holding the guitar, where to put their hands & how to hold the pick. & then you progress from there, the chords & the scales, & then it goes from there. It's kinda like the same progression as building a song.

AJ: Well, every so often I have spoken to a guitarist on the show who also has had somewhat of a day job teaching & I always ask them ... because I'm not a teacher, but I play bass & have for 15 years now.

J.D.: That's cool.

AJ: I used to play guitar, but my ear just can't do it. But, I never really took lessons or anything.

J.D.: Me neither!

AJ: Though my father was taking guitar lessons. So, I'm kinda interested ... so, I have to ask ... how does teaching affect your playing? How is J.D. Bradshaw the teacher affected by J.D. Bradshaw the guy jamming with whatever band he's in or putting out Waiting On The Finish Line?

J.D.: When you are a guitar teacher ... I teach different styles, different ages ranging from like 7 year olds all the way to like 65 years old. But, the thing of it is with me as a teacher & as a player, you kinda have to be on your game at all times, because I'll teach some younger student between 18 & 22 & they'll want to know 'how does John Petrucci from DREAM THEATER do this? How does Herman Li in DRAGONFORCE do this?' Then you'll get a young student that just wants to play nursery rhymes, so to speak, & that kinda kid friendly stuff. Then you get the older student that will want to learn 'how does John Coltrane play this? What's Pat Methany doing in this part of this song?' So you kinda have to be on your game & just kinda keep your options open, because when you teach, you know, my students come up with all kinds of really good questions on theory & all music related stuff. But, occasionally, once they get playing, they want to learn how to play music that they listen to. When one of my guitar students wants to learn a KILLSWITCH ENGAGE song, well that's a whole different story cause you have to show them how to de-tune, how to play in dropped D, C or B or whatever the song calls for. It kinda keeps you on your toes. But, also, it makes you a better player because while you're teaching & showing your students what they want to learn you're learning as well. & what you learn is patience. Now I have a lot of patience so I'm cool with that.

AJ: Now I hope you don't have too many 65 year olds coming in asking you to teach them those Marty Friedman of MEGADETH licks.

J.D.: No, I haven't had that ... as of yet. But, it's like you'll get some people between 50 & 55 that will want to learn how to play some George Lynch or something like VAN HALEN or something. Where they just learned how to play guitar & they've always wanted to play like "Running With The Devil" or "You Really Got Me" & once you show them that it just makes their whole year. It makes you feel good because ... you know. I haven't got nobody, like you said, a lot older wanting some licks from Jason Becker & Marty Friedman. Not yet, but it would be cool to have some old dude shredding like that! I might be that one day if I keep it up!

AJ: Well, you know that's what's happening, J.D., is ... we were talking earlier about the music you grew up with & 30 years ago when you were listening to Joe Satriani Flying In A Blue Dream, he's a young guy & you're a young guy & basically the whole metal world was young. But, now here we are 25 years later ... it's grown up. The metal world has gotten older. For now to say 'yeah, I got this 50 year old who shreds like the devil' ... yeah, 25 years ago it would be you killed anyone over 30 cause they were old, but nowadays Joe Satriani is still shredding like the Devil & I don't know how old he is. Or Ronnie James Dio who left us at 60 or Mick Mars of MOTLEY CRUE & all these guys. Metal has gotten older. Metal has grown up. It's also gotten a third & fourth generation following behind. But, I said that jokingly because to see a 65 year old shredding is actually more common than not.

J.D.: Of course, because you figure they're 65 now, but they would have been, let's say, their late 20's, early 30's back when the hair metal thing was going on. They would have heard all that stuff on the radio & MTV & Headbanger's Ball & all that stuff. So, of course, if they learned to play guitar they are gonna be attracted to kinda emulating what they saw before they learned how to play guitar.

AJ: It's just interesting because metal started off as a very youthful thing, but it's matured. It's no longer just about youth. I meet people who are older & they go 'oh, I don't listen to rock'n'roll anymore. I don't listen to loud guitars. I'm not into that, I've matured beyond it.' I just want to say, 'you know what, the music that yourself & other people were playing isn't just about youth. It's about just making some good music. It's not age specific.'

J.D.: Well, music, as we all know, is a form of self-expression. To be honest with you ... I like all kinds of metal oriented stuff. But, as a musician I try to play everything & anything, you know? It's all ... I have fun with it, it's all good. Like the older I get ... I'm still a big metalhead. I'll go out & see metal bands. I like black metal, death metal & all of that, the whole metal genres. But, I can still appreciate some laid back kind of stuff, like the jazzy & the bluesy kind of music out there. Music is about self-expression. I've always said age is just a number. It's what's inside you that makes who you are. Like, for instance, I'll tell you the truth, my mom she still enjoys listening to KISS & Ted Nugent & VAN HALEN & stuff like that & she in her middle 60's. So, you know, it's nothing to go into my mom's house & she's got the CD playing of AEROSMITH Greatest Hits or something like that. Plus, when we were younger, I have a brother, she used to take us to all the heavy shows before I got my license - JUDAS PRIEST, METALLICA, Ozzy, VAN HALEN & the SCORPIONS. She would just sit up in the balcony & let me & my brother go upfront & have a good time. Mom always liked that & she always encouraged us to listen to whatever music we wanted to. Yeah, we were blastin' SLAYER back in the early 80's & VENOM & POSSESSED & CANNIBAL CORPSE & mom was just cool with it.

AJ: Yeah, you did get into some heavy stuff there - VENOM. You show your colors there.

J.D.: I love VENOM, dude. All that - VENOM, BATHORY, a lot of it, like CELTIC FROST. Love it. Love it all.

AJ: That's the hardcore stuff, man.

J.D.: Absolutely. DESTRUCTION, ARTILLERY, ONSLAUGHT, CORONER. I love European thrash metal & stuff. I've always liked it. But, anyway ... for what its worth.

AJ: No, no, no. It's good to have someone throw those bands out there & mention 'I really like these guys' & those are some of the heaviest & darkest & wildest bands in the music world.

J.D. I'll tell you another band that I really like ... I've always been a big fanatic of them. They're from Sweden & they're called OZ. I've always been a big fan of OZ & all that. & MALTESE FALCON, that's a band a lot of people haven't heard of.

AJ: Moving from the teaching in the classroom that you do to another type of teaching that you do that's kinda interesting ... you started writing for a magazine this past year. You're a columnist for Wild Child magazine & if I'm right you're doing music business type stuff.

J.D.: Right.

AJ: Can you tell me a little bit about that or correct me if I'm wrong?

J.D.: Actually Bonnie Teller is the brainchild behind Wild Child magazine & she has commissioned me to write a column called J.D.'s Riff Notes. Basically, I just write about personal experience, you know, as far as music business tips, practicing, anything & everything from band promotion to like setting up your gear & just everything. But, I write it from experience, so I can give my insight to my readers. When they read that they can so 'oh, well, that's cool.' & anyway that it can help somebody out is ... well, you know, that's what it's there for. It's a teaching tool for knowledge but it comes from my experience as a musician for playing guitar for 30 years. Like I said, it can have music business tips, playing tips &, you know, all kinds of stuff. It's just there to help out anybody & everybody who reads it & if you get something out of it, great, that's fine. & if you don't & already know it, that's fine, too, you know? But, as long as you take a look at it & kinda see where I'm coming from that's kinda like the main idea to ... just to kinda get some of my experiences in the music column.

AJ: That's Wild Child magazine. Speaking of wild things ... the opening track to your new album "High On The Inside." I'm sure you'll agree, it's definitely a contrast to "Blacktop Fade."

J.D: Oh, yeah, it's the opposite end of the spectrum.

AJ: I think I can say "High On The Inside" is definitely the Satriani track of the collection.

J.D.: Yeah, the influences are there, that's for sure.

AJ: That's pretty obvious on that one. You gave me a chuckle there. What were you thinkin'?

J.D.: Well, you know, "Blacktop Fade" is real kind of mellow & free flowing & of course that's the third song on the track, well, the first song on the track is "High On The Inside" & that just jumps at you. I just get a kick out of that because it jumps out more than eases you into it, you know?

AJ: Yes, it does. Actually. J.D., we are, believe it or not, quickly approaching the end of this show.

J.D.: Oh man.

AJ: It goes by fairly fast. I just wanted to make sure that I say a big thank you to you for joining me tonight & talking with me & sharing your thoughts.

J.D.: Cool.

AJ: It really is appreciated. Is there anything we haven't hit on yet that you'd like to share as we wind down?

J.D.: Well, first of all I would like to personally thank you for having me on your show. I've had a really good time with you & I hope your audience has enjoyed our conversation & discovered some new music. Also, it's people like you that give musicians like me & other ones out there a voice & an identity & a nice big introduction to your listeners & to the world, so to speak, because it's all about networking. I've had really good luck with that, but, like I said, it's radio shows like yours. Of course, it's a big thank you personally for having me on the show. I left off something earlier in the interview.

AJ: Yeah, go ahead.

J.D.: I have my own youtube page which basically has me playing 4 improv songs at this year's Paul Reed Smith Guitars Expo as well as some sound clips of me playing with the Debbie Caldwell Band. I'll be adding more stuff to it, but I left off that I had a youtube page. Just go to youtube & type in J.D. Bradshaw & you'll see the Acacia Entertainment.

AJ: That's a nice long 11 or so minute bit of you, too, at that live concert, just basically, I don't know, just riffing away or improvising away. That's a good video.

J.D.: Yeah. Actually you could sign up to play with the band that was featured for the day. I got to play twice on Friday & twice on Saturday. &, like I said, you just get up there & just tell the band what you want to play or the song or the chords or whatever. All that's in the video is just totally improvised. It's just an amplifier, chord & the guitar, you know, PRS guitar. Yeah, I had fun with that. That was cool & everything. Yeah, I said, Aaron, I really appreciate you having me on your show & appreciate your friendship on facebook & its nice to meet people like yourself ... & you rock, dude. I appreciate everything ... you know ... that's how I am.

AJ: I told you earlier I'm a musician, but I don't play so much anymore. I used to play in some rock bands & some metal bands here in New York & I've played in other places. But, I came to a point, you know, where I always wanted to kinda do stuff ... I always wanted to share the musicians that I saw growing up, & I grew up in the Seattle area, that I saw in the coffeehouses. So, playing music was a way to get in touch with the musicians, but to share, like sharing your music, this is what I've had my heart on for 20 years.

J.D.: You do a great job.

AJ: This is my music. This is my Waiting At The Finish Line. That's all it is.

J.D.: That's cool, yeah. You do a great job.

AJ: I try. That's all it is. Just like when you put together your album, you just plan & see what's going to happen.

J.D.: Exactly. You just put it out there & hope for the best.