Who Am I?

I ask myself every day. Maybe you do too. Hi.

I’ve lived a few lives. Austin, Dallas, Richmond, D.C., Los Angeles.

As a musician, I started out recording and touring in arty skronky punkish bands (Jettison Charlie, the Out_Circuit). I graduated to indie rock (Tsunami, Telegraph Melts) and contemporary classical. I staged an opera (The Nitrate Hymnal) with about fifty of my friends and money from Creative Capital, Meet the Composer, ASCAP, NEA, and others. I wrote some chamber music and film scores and such.

As a writer, I started out doing reviews for zines and free weeklies. I bootstrapped my way into a gig at The Washington Post, where I spent about a decade. I freelanced for SPIN and Sojourners and various City Papers and tons of stuff I’ve forgotten.

As a WGA screenwriter, I mostly write things that die on the five yard line, which is common in Hollywood. You’re not supposed to say that out loud, though. You’re supposed to skip from this lilypad of success to that. It’s good money when you can get it and excellent health insurance. I’ve written stuff for Tessa Thompson, Jim Parsons, Tony Hale. For Warner Bros, Sony, Centropolis, Exhibit A, Ley Line, White Horse, Escape Artists. For many other names that no one really needs to know.

The most fun I’ve had in Hollywood was co-producing a show for Mike Judge called Tales From the Tour Bus (Season 2). Imagine laughing with funk legends about all the insane shenanigans they got up to on tour. Wait, you don’t have to, it’s a show!

That’s what I’ve done. Who I am…? Well, read and find out. But this Substack is more about who we are.