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It is absolutely amazing and everything we hoped it would be. This is our 4th tour, but it is by far the absolute best ever and a total sensory overload.  Beyond that, I (personally) was able to meet multiple musical influences of mine.  It is extremely validating when these influences have now become peers that are attending our shows.

Ha!  The best of the best always are, LOL.  We haven't had much interaction with him.  He mainly keeps to himself (which I completely understand).  We see him often in passing and he always waves to us and is cordial.

I have been a music fan my entire life (3 years old listening to my uncle's record collection whenever we would visit my grandmom).  He introduced me to Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Jethro Tull, Aerosmith, etc.  At age 6 (yeah 6, I remember it), I knew I wanted to be a singer in a rock band.  Fast forward to age 13 where I finally had my parents convinced that playing guitar would be a GOOD thing, LOL, I got my first guitar/ practiced amp.  I played every night and for hours.  When I was 16 and in high school, I had formed my first band.  We were a very primitive version of what Images of Eden would later be.  However, we auditioned MANY singers, and no one could do what we needed.  So, out of extreme frustration, I decided I would try to sing and "see what happens".  My first attempts were brutal, but I kept with it, took lessons, and improved to the point to where I could carry my own.  It was during this time where I also started tinkering with the other instruments (bass, drums, keys, etc).  This would prove to be priceless later down the road.  I could go on and on, but this is what set the stage for me to form Images of Eden in 2001.

I was in and out of bands for a long time and ALWAYS had issues with band members (arrogance, unreliable, "Yoko's" wanting to run things, sub-par skills and every other reason) so after I got fired from a band in 1998, I officially had enough and decided I would start my own thing.  I made a decision that I would record a CD with me playing everything but drums so that I would have a tangible product to shop band members.  So, In 1998, I went into the studio with a session drummer and tracked the first Images of Eden album.  I had a title for the album but no band name.  The album title was supposed to be "Images of Eden" but my wife mentioned that this should be the band name since it perfectly described the lyrical content, so I ran with it…. In retrospect, doing the debut album was the best thing I could have done because I was able to capture the sound and message that I wanted and could easily weed out people who were not into it.  Basically, it was, "If you like it, let's talk.  If not, then this is not for you."  Well, no matter what I did, I still got some band members come in and try to change the formula no matter how clear I was about the direction.  Due to this (and all of the reasons listed above- arrogance, etc), there have been 22 band members in IOE over the years.  It took 21 years for the "final" lineup.

I cannot even try to pick a favorite.  But…. Of everything I have ever had my name on (IOE albums and otherwise- approx. 15 albums), my absolute #1 favorite is our "Angel Born" album.  I went through a very rough and sudden loss of someone close to me and I was devastated, to the point of not wanting to get out of bed for the first few days after.  Well, the next 3 months would consist of me writing this album in break-neck speed.  This turned out to be the biggest healing experience of my life.  I know God was on my side and healing me as this was being written.  On many occasions (during the writing and vocal tracking), I would find myself breaking down in tears.  I would literally feel the grief being "purged" out of me.  I cannot even explain this phenomenon, but it was life changing.

This being said, I can say that my absolute favorite songs are "In Memory Of Me", "If?", "Angel Born", "Serenity Regin" and "Marigold Sun", all of which are off the "Angel Born" album.  Yeah, I am extremely biased!  I even find myself on tour recommending this album whenever someone asks which one they should buy.  I have a feeling I always will do this. LOL

Yes we are and cannot be happier about it.  Good story… Steve Dorssom (drums) suggested that we cover this song, and I was immediately on board because it had been one of my favorite songs for many years.  We were not planning on putting it on the "Angel Born" album, but rather just track it and release it as a single.  But, after we recorded it and filmed the video, our label highly recommended that we put it on the album, so we did.

While we were tracking this, I was extremely apprehensive about releasing it because I was nervous about how it would be received.  After all, this is an iconic song and a gutsy one to remake.  The rest of the band was very confident that we had a winner, but I was holding my breath and waiting to see how the chips would fall.  Well…. It was extremely well-received, and to the point where Triumph themselves loved it so much that they asked us for the master video to put on their YouTube channel.  At this point, we knew this was going to be our closer every night.  Best decision we could have made.

The short answer… from "above".  The long answer… the first thing that hits me are song titles (yeah, weird by that's how it comes through) and usually about 60-75% of the original song titles remain on the final product.  After this, I get lyrics that hit me in piece-meal in random times, so I just compile all of the lyrics/ phrases then piece them together accordingly.  It's almost as if I know which songs they should go to.  After I have semi-finished lyrical drafts, I can almost "hear" the arrangements in my head.  I will then lock myself in my studio and lay down what I hear in my head.  After that, I fine-tune until it "feels finished" then send to the band to all record in our "assembly line" process.

We are a band of survivors- addiction, abuse, PTSD, etc. and are telling our stories in ways that people can relate to.  If you read the lyrics, you will notice that there is a specific "narrative" or "dialogue" that runs from the beginning to the end.  Basically, we want to bring hope, inspiration, strength, etc to the masses and also make it very clear that we are living testimonials of survival.  Now, when the inevitable question of, "Well, how did you get through all of the adversity in life?" arises, I tell them that the common denominator that got us through was the Man above!

This is a question that I have never been able to really answer.  Both elements play VERY crucial parts in the grand design.  The writing process for me is my therapy and I connect with God when writing.  I want to be clear- when I say, "connecting with God", I am not writing preachy lyrics.  I am writing lyrics in ways that everyone can relate to regardless of what they believe.  Now, I dig deep and make sure that EVERY lyric means something extremely personal to me and something so extremely personal that there is no way that I cannot do anything but basically "cry" them out when playing live.  I NEED people to feel what I felt when writing, and to experience the power of healing that I received when writing them.  I put myself out there so vulnerably showing every blemish and weakness so that the world can see that I am no different than they are, just a strong survivor!  So, to me, writing an album is like giving "life" to something inanimate, but delivering it live is like reliving the content which brings out the original intense emotional experience that I went through that inspired the lyrics.  I MUST be able to convey that clearly and passionately.  Otherwise, what am I even doing on stage!?!?  When I go to shows and hear singers that are not passionate live, I get bored right away.

To date, I write all lyrics, music, and arrangements.  Like I said above… learning all of the instruments was the best thing I could have ever done.  That said, I am inviting future ideas from other band members since it seems I have a lineup that (after 21 years) is FINALLY all on the same page.

My biggest influence and THE reason I became a vocalist was because of John Arch (Arch/Matheos & ex-Fates Warning).  My life changed the day I first heard "Awaken The Guardian" so many years ago.  I am not exaggerating when I say that my life and musical direction took a major turn and my world "shifted" after I was blessed with that album in my life.  This said, after decades, I am about to meet John Arch at our Beverly, MA show.  Not only will I meet my vocal hero, but I will also have the blessing and honor of performing for him.  I have never been that crazy "fan boy" when meeting any influence but he (without ever knowing), changed my entire life all those years ago, giving me a major sense of hope and direction when I didn't feel like I had any, so I am extremely excited but also nervous.  We'll see how this meeting goes.  I just have to let it be what it will be and try not to program the evening to go how I want it to go.

Oh, and other influences are Iron Maiden, Queensryche, Type O Negative, Blind Guardian, anything Ray Gillen's vocals are on, Black Sabbath, Ian Anderson from Jethro Tull (among many other metal/ classic rock bands).  That said, I just got heavily into Greta Van Fleet in the last 2 years.  I know there are extreme opinions of them but they have become one of my absolute favorite bands right now.

Thank you!  Yes, I believe it is available at any/all online retailers (CD and digital) wherever you would normally go for music.

Phew… for the first time ever, I honestly do not know for sure.  Right now, we are just trying to get through each day on tour and give it our all every night.  I can barely see a foot in front of me right now without my head spinning so to me, that is forever from now. LOL However, our eyes have been opened to a LOT of things this past month and I almost feel like it will be a regrouping and reset.  Just as suspected, this tour has given me a TON of inspiration for the next album.  So, I think I will just get home, get my head back together, take some time and let the dust settle, then allow the inspiration to pour out into the next recording.  I also know that there will be some "aftershocks" (opportunities, fruit of our labor, etc).  So, we will let God guide us as we always do.  That said, I am really looking forward to the holiday season with my family this year.  I will dive into new material when the time is right.

You as well!!!

Rock on brother.
Always!