The Wild Unknown

Self-portrait at The Society Hotel | Bingen

In the Summer of 2018, I concluded my 6-year campaign on the Marketing Team at Uber. At the time that I joined in 2012 — we were a team of ~100 individuals and Uber was mostly unknown outside of San Francisco, Seattle, and New York City.

I, alongside some of my closest friends and confidants, made Uber my mission and adopted it as my own for the duration of my employment. By the time I left, we had grown to an unimaginable size of roughly 25k full-time employees (not drivers) worldwide.

I just couldn’t shake the quote I shared on social media just before I embarked on my adventure at Uber.

“If you don’t build your dream, someone will hire you to help build theirs.” — Tony Gaskins

It’s true. And there’s truly nothing wrong with that. We all have a place In this world and as long as you find purpose in what you do, I believe that’s what matters the most.

For me — I needed to take a leap of faith. I needed to get back to my roots and commit to living in the WILD… No, not an out in the forest kind of wild, but more of an unattached and without the safety net of someone else's business kind of wild.

Photo by Nader Abushahab

I leaned into my decision to branch out on my own even more with what’s commonly referred to as a “job-stopper”.

Job-stoppers are the hand and finger tattoos that tend to discourage traditional employers from even considering you for any role. It was a statement. It was me digging my heels into the life of working for myself.

After a brief hiatus from Uber and on the tail-end of some eye-opening exploration around the world — I thrust myself into Photography and Music full-time.

And then I went through a particularly messy divorce.

A divorce that temporarily left me without my beloved tools to create. I didn’t have access to my studio or my guitars. But I did have a place to stay, and I did have the first acoustic guitar I ever bought.

And just as separation turned into dissolution — I met someone who would change my life forever.

While I was busy feeling sorry for myself (I’ve got some deep EMO roots) she reminded me that I had everything I needed right in front of me. So I dusted off the old Takamine, sat down in the Arizona room of my parents' house where I had been living for the last few months, and wrote the first song of many. The first song in more than half a year.

The Wild Unknown is dedicated to Paige. The woman who nudged me off the ledge and into the air. It’s dedicated to me and my journey to get here. And it is also dedicated to anyone in this world who is going through a transformation.

We’re all faced with some kind of uncertainty right now. Some of It is terrifying, and some of it is exciting. Focus on loving yourself, first. Then keep the folks who love you as close as you possibly can — from a social distance.

The official recording of The Wild Unknown comes out on September 22nd everywhere. The track was recorded at Flying Blanket Recording in Mesa, Arizona, and engineered + produced by my friend, Bob Hoag (The Format, Dear and the Headlights, The Technicolors). Bob also just worked as a consulting producer and is credited for the original score on the musically focused indie film, Teenage Badass. Joining me on this track are Alex Kyhn (Macy Gray), Brian Champ (Coyote Tango, Bears Of Manitou, Greely Estates), Jon Rauhouss (Neko Case, Old 97's), and Jen Mayer. You can go here now to save the song to your Spotify.

In the meantime, here’s a preview of the song performed live In The Sanctuary at The Society Hotel In Bingen Washington.

I am shedding my skin
So I can be
Myself again

While you are filling me up
So calm and clear
So full of love

I’ll be walking this road
Leading me to
The wild unknown

We’ll be taking our time
Find the right path
Find the right lines

I found you underwater
Where the lights they flash and bang
And the thunder in my heart is
Only silenced by this rain

I am letting you in
To my broken arms
My broken spirit

It calls out to the sea
Searching for land
Somewhere to be

Safe, safe from the storm
Away from the howling
Tempest each morn

And I watch you shedding your skin
Onto the floor
To welcome me in

I found you underwater
Where the lights they flash and bang
And the thunder in my heart is
Only silenced by this rain

And soon you were my shelter
My compass my refrain
You shook the world around me
And you raised those seas again

I am shedding my skin
So I can be
Myself again

While you are filling me up
So calm and clear
So full of love