I have been playing stringed instruments since I was 5, studied classical cello for 12 years, picked up my first guitar when I was 10. For most of my teen years I was sure I was destined to be a metal guitar god like many of us do at that age, but as life, reality, and fate conspired, my priorities changed direction. I have been fortunate enough to have a successful career outside of music that has consumed most of my time and energy for the last 20 years, but in the last few years have dusted off the old chops to fuel my need for some additional form of creative expression.

Now much older and hopefully somewhat wiser, I write and record a variety of styles of instrumental guitar based music ranging from soft jazz to heavy rock, and am grateful for the advances in technology that allow a solo musician to write and share his own music from a small home studio with the rest of the world.

If you like my music, please download and share with your friends. I play for myself mainly and am happy to have anyone listen at all. Please visit my website for a full selection of all of my current demo recordings and links to other web pages and projects of mine.

A songwriter named “cook”….

Ever present and silent, cook, has been witness to that which makes our world alive.
He is simply put….aware.
His love of music and art has brought both beauty and rot to his life, but he has embraced it all. A shy, slightly introverted child, cook wanted nothing more than to laugh and please others. This has not changed in him. He has only discovered how to use music as a way of showing how the moment appears to him.

“We’ve forgotten how we fit into this world like the animals we ALL are. Instincts have been surrendered for ‘social standards’ and ‘public opinion’. People are scrutinized for being deemed selfish while others praised for having attitude. Some will swear how independent they are just to fit-in. Answer me this….do we wear the labels on our clothes, or do they wear us?”

“Listen to your gut. Act on a dream or a passion. Dare to let yourself be truly happy. Relish in the moments alone, by yourself. Count your friends and forget about your enemies. Read. Laugh….and laugh some more. “

All of cook’s music is written from personal experiences and profound moments in his life. Presented in a way that, hopefully, you can relate to your own.

So turn off the phone…
Open a beer…
Have a listen….
Reflect on your good times….
Smile….

…..cook

There is a New Kid in Town...And he's Smokin' Ray Burnt. He is a Smokin' young guitarist from the highest peaks of the Smokey Mountains. He is a real throwback to the good ol' days of the Instrumental Blues. Is he the next crazy Hendrix or the younger soul of a B.B. King? Maybe.. Go on, Find Out for yourselfAnd So it Begins...Smokin' Ray was born on June 1, 1977, high on top of Smokey Mountain. His Mother and Father were both musicians ( His father played the fiddle, his mother played the accordion.) They had a decent life, poor but not without. As the story goes, Ray was struck by lightning and burnt nothing but his soul. Something came inside of him and now he is what he is. He wasn't hurt...He was just destined for something... He was destined to play the guitar. So from high upon the tree tops the first song he ever heard was the soft/heavy tone of B.B. King's, 'The Thrill is Gone'. That was like magic to his ears. The next? Jimi Hendrix, 'Red House'. 'WOW! He thought to himself, 'I have to do that'. And so he did. He studied all the greats, even as far back as the great Robert Johnson. He learned from John Lee Hooker, SRV, Leadbelly, Chuck Berry, and many others. Lightning Hopkins, 'Lonesome Dog Blues' scared him to shivers. Tucked away in a little studio he recorded by himself. No one could ever guess what would come out of there next. His tone could fall a mountain, his playing could hypnotise you. His brain...insane.Over his short span of playing I think that he really developed his own style. Is he Chicago? Maybe more Texas Style? Perhaps Modern Electric Blues? I don't know, Whatever it is, He calls it the 'Smokey Mountain Style'. Whether SRB is playing clean or dirty you can tell it's him. As you can tell from his acoustic picture and the way he plays, he likes Heavy Metal, Rock and Punk. He is very much influenced by such bands as Metallica, Megadeth, Nirvana, Green Day, AC/DC, Guns & Roses and more. But his true calling is the blues. All you have to do is hear his songs and you will be shown.Where does all this lead up to? I don't know. Maybe something new or maybe just a blip on the radar. We will have to see.Some day his Guitar will quit burning,But until then... Keep on Smokin' Ray Burnt.Available music is Awesome

For over four years Pretty Train Crash has dazzled Winnipeg with their unique musical style. As their name suggests, it's a mixture of light & dark...soothing & abrasive. High-energy performances combine with intelligent & innovative songwriting that leave packed houses moshing, singing along, and screaming for more.

Pretty Train Crash is:
Josh Bedry - Guitars
Rob Burton - Bass
Steve Hammel - Vocals
Eric Nordquist - Keyboards
Troy Strattner - Drums
Mike Wagner - Guitars

Contact the band at:
http://www.myspace.com/prettytraincrash

•  You're right
•  PERFECT! PERFECT!

The Dead Legs was started by Aaron Green and Mikil. Originally from Skellington. Tyler was adopted from 21 Gun on bass. With Mikil and Aaron on guitars and vocals they needed a drummer. They then found the beast, Nick Harrison who was crazy enough to join the band and play the same annoying drum beat over and over while still enjoying it. From then on they where known as The Dead Legs. The Dead Legs had a short run with Mastro productions, but it was cut short when they found there own method of recording, which consisted of hanging a microphone through coat hangers while hanging from the ceiling of a garage door. The Dead Legs are currently writing songs in hopes of returing old school punk and metal, while still hinting at classic rock and ska. We are out to destroy the mass media MTV music mainstream. And don't forget, punk rock is your freind!!!