You have been with DVG from day one and are a true mainstay of the band. It must be fair to say that your vision has remained steadfast and unwavering. An invaluable trait for weathering the lineup changes and challenges any band faces but specifically what core values have you held onto that have guided you through the past decade?

Oh wow, thanks! Actually, the vision has completely changed! At first we were just a rock and roll band trying to play shows. As we grew as humans it became obvious we had a greater message to share! When began to heal we became obsessed with helping others in the community heal, feel seen, heard, and know that they are inherently important! We are all connected, and being guided, that core value /message has remained the same over the last 5 years, and is only becoming more important to share as time goes by! 

What characteristics and creative forces did those who have fallen by the wayside bring to your records that you feel were utterly unique and shaped the course of the DVG trajectory?

Everyone has brought an important sound to the band that is uniquely their own. Almost all our records are improvised, so no one else in the world could have played what they played! 

In what ways would you say your sound evolved from Street Venom through to Islands in the Sky (and everything in between) that is etched into each album?

It may sound funny, but I wrote Street Venom, Glow in the Dark, and Darkness Rains. We recorded those albums as a rock and roll band. The rest of our music starting with Under the Spell of Joy was all channeled from my guides! And maybe it all was channeled, but I wasn’t conscious or consciously channeling their messages until 2020! 

Lyrically, have these changes been equally reflected in terms of the subject matter you explore and the ways it is expressed?

Yes! I no longer write the words, they are all channeled from elsewhere 🙂 

Can you share with us some of the pivotal moments in your career that in hindsight were massively influential and have allowed the DVG project to stay the course?

Yes! When we shifted our consciousness from thinking success was something to be attained in the future, to knowing success is actually how far you have come in your life! Being honest, virtuous, considerate, mindful, thoughtful, authentic, and creatively compassionate, helps you become a little more successful each day ! I am a way better person now – more successful in every way, than I was before I cared about these things. 

What does Islands in the Sky say about your life right now and what do you want it to say to the world?

We are all connected and being guided. When we truly see ourselves, we can truly see each other, we have limitless infinite potential to do good! 

Renowned for your live performances, it is not a feat all acts can pull off. In developing your own on stage approach, was it shaped by what you weren’t seeing in other acts which informed your own riotous style?

Live performance is a ritual, a ceremony, an invocation. The goal for me is for each and every person to feel seen, and touched by a joyous electricity that can only be achieved if we are all together in one place it must be once in a lifetime, and electric. It must be fun for all, or you might as well be listening to the record in your car 🙂

Having performed countless shows and having played with so many amazing acts, what are some stand out shows that are particularly noteworthy and what made them so memorable? 

Charles Bradley was one of the best shows I’ve ever seen in my whole life. Ronnie Spector made me feel something no one else will ever do. Shannon Shaw – Shannon and the Clams, there are tons of fantastic singers, I love unique voices! 

During this time, have there been any words of wisdom spoken to you that really resonated with you which in turn altered the way you approach your craft? 

I once read in an obituary of a gentleman that passed that all his friends knew he loved them, because he told them all the time. Those words changed my life. I want we shone to know I love them 🙂 I love you!

On something of a philosophical note, what does music give you that nothing else does?

Perhaps it’s not the only thing that gives me an opportunity to express gratitude, joy, love, and devotion, but music is a damn fine way to express those things out loud, honestly, and authentically everyday!