How would you describe your creative process?

 I work with a practiced level of concentration while at 

 the same time I'm relaxed and ready to respond honestly 

 to what I discover when I'm playing the guitar. 

​

So the music comes first? 

 Almost always, what I hear is what I feel and it's my 

 emotional response that sets things in motion.  I'm playing   and concentrating but I'm not thinking, I'm being honest and   expressive and letting the music come through from wherever   it's coming. 

​

Any ideas on where it all comes from?

 Well, I believe in the intelligence of life and within that fabric 

 I ended up with an aptitude for processing then writing about 

 the human experience part of which is expressing ourselves 

 and connecting with others. 

​

Music and all art then is the universal language. 

 Definitely, authenticity inspires and unites us because its 

 relatable to our deeper selves and it triggers that 'knowing   within' we all share. I'm familiar in small ways with the most ​

 famous paintings but that didn't stop me from appreciating   Rembrandt's Storm on the Sea of Galilee. The faces of the 

 men in the painting are small compared to the size of the   work but their thoughts are clear and the viewer can't help 

 but relate and empathize with their situation. 

​

How do the lyrics come about? 

 With each song it's so different. Some come 

 right away others need more time and 

 attention. Either way I enjoy the process 

 and using my imagination. 

​

What decides how the song will be produced?

​​​​ It begins with establishing the tempo then creating a click 

 track with a kick and snare sound that best describes the 

 energy level of the story. The voice and tone of the bass is 

 selected by its punch and how it blends in with the kick. 

 Once the rhythm section is established and the arrangement 

 is working it becomes easier and more intuitive to add other   instrumentation. 

​

When do you know the song is finished?

 I don't go forward unless I'm happy that all parts of the 

 recording are my best. By the time the rhythm guitar part 

 is recorded I know if the arrangement is working so from   there I commit to the story and follow it to it's logical end. 

​

How is your creativity and the fire department similiar?

 An emergency doesn't offer time to think so you need to 

 respond immediately and act with purpose. Being creative 

 isn't an emergency but like a fire scene ideas are immediate,   hot and fast so it requires a level of spontaneity and 

 confidence to be successful. 

​

What keeps an emergency scene together? 

 When you train with intent and accurately identify the   priorities at the scene then you'll see what opportunities 

 are available and how best to deploy resources and   people. Once that's in play you then have actions to 

 focus on. 

​

How do you avoid being overwhelmed?

 Being familiar with certain fire behaviours gives you the   edge because you're able to quickly identify threats and   decide on being either offensive or defensive. Also, having 

 the support of well trained people helps. 

​

What does it mean to be a professional? 

 Every decision I made was peer reviewed and each year 

 there was a list of re-certifications so I was expected to   consistently perform at the highest levels. The little success   I've had with my art is because I understood how to apply   these fundamentals to being creative. As a result I was  

 taken seriously. 

​

What are some of your musical influences?

 I graduated in 1972 so that's where I'm coming from 

 but I enjoy any music that has relatable emotional 

 content. 

​

What's your biggest achievement with your art?

 Raising over 35K for the White Helmets in 

 Syria in 2015. 

​

How did you get involved?

 Caught the news clip, got angry and responded. 

​

What's the biggest take away from the fire department?

 There were a lot of personal moments with all kinds of 

 people suffering and in need of help. I didn't always want to   see what was in front of me but someone has to step up and   this real connection with strangers stays with me. 

​

What's the take away from adventuring?

 The climbing partnerships and experiencing the highest   levels of trust that we had in each other. It was this shared   experience I wanted. 

​

You have each other's lives in your hands.

 Indeed, the insecurity in climbing comes from those   conditions that can't be anticipated but the security 

 comes from those unspoken words like whatever 

 happens we'll act together. 

​

How do you manage fear?

 With climbing I knew what my limits were so I knew 

 I could find a way up or down if I stayed focused. 

 Fire fighting is different and gives you the extra 

 challenge of an immediate decision which is either 

 going be the right one or the wrong one. The fear 

 part of this is the fact your decision is going to 

 keep people safe or put them in harms way. In response 

 to this responsibility I was hyper vigilante in my training and   preparation. Over the years acquired skills and experience   helps as well. 

​

​​​What's the take away from Outward Bound?

 As a student their 3 principals, to serve, 

 to strive and not to yield vibrated the threads 

 of my soul to say the least. Especially to strive 

 which emphasized the importance of trying. As an instructor   it was satisfying to help people overcome a challenge they   believed wasn't possible. The spontaneous joy at achieving   the milestone also reveals what I called the 'deeper you'. 

​

What's life like in a fire hall?

 It has a lot of dynamic tension to it, you need 

 to be relaxed but also ready to perform at your 

 best in the time it takes to arrive on scene. 

 

Saving a life must demand the most from you.

 It does and it's intense for everyone. Often it isn't just 

 what you see but what you hear and smell meaning these 

 bigger events can stay with you longer. I made a point 

 of giving people the best chance of rescue and recovery 

 which helped me deal with the outcomes, good or not. 

​

People look up to fire fighters and see them as heroes.

 We're not heroes but well trained people. To me the heroes   are the ones who witness an emergency and act without   waiting for us to arrive. That impresses me, they're great   human beings. 

​

You still go towards danger lights and siren.

 True, but even that is calculated. As soon as I hear 

 the address I begin thinking of what I know of the area 

 in ​terms of where is the closest water source and what 

 kind of water pressure can I expect. Also, what are the 

 options in terms of access and are there restrictions for 

 the ladder truck? We do a lot of pre planning and property   inspections so we end up with meaningful first hand   knowledge of our area which also helps. 

​

Driving a fire truck is not something everyone gets to do. 

 There's a saying around the hall that nothing good comes 

 from driving. These trucks are big and don't stop as easily 

 as a car. In every aspect of the job you're held accountable 

 and no role is more important than driving.  I knew what was   expected of me and I delivered so all went well. I'm a 

 truck guy anyway so I was right where I wanted to be. 

​

Did you dream as a kid of driving a fire truck? 

 I grew up watching rescue shows like the 'Whirly Birds' 

 and Rescue 8 and I felt a connection to the role of helping   people. I worked in the world of mountain rescue and 

 wilderness first aid, although I didn't know it then, but this   experience was going to lead to being a fire fighter. 

​

How old were you when you were hired? 

 31, and like each decade it brings with it a moment when 

 you reassess your place and decide if where you're headed 

 is really where you want to go. I didn't really want to leave 

 my climbing partnerships behind but I felt there were other   opportunities out there and I wanted to know what they were. ​

​

Any regrets?

 No, the fire department gave me more than I bargained for 

 in terms of another real connection with people, a community   and the opportunity of working with another great group of   men and women. 

​

More than you bargained for, like what? 

 I witnessed many scenes of bravery by people seriously 

 hurt yet they kept their composure and were patient as we 

 worked out their rescue. It was their trust in us that I found 

 so humbling. 

​

How controversial was it when women were hired?

 For some it was a problem but I learned to climb in the 

 mid seventies from women as well as men so I had no 

 gender issues. What they lack in physical strength is 

 easily made up by a dependable and consistent team effort. 

 

What about carrying somebody out of a fire? 

 Well to begin with that's a myth, this idea of lifting 

 an unconscious person and slinging them over your 

 shoulder doesn't work because it's extremely awkward. 

 Adrenalin helps but it has limitations. Dragging someone 

 is still hard but if you're going to make the rescue it's the 

 only way. ​

​

Was retirement a difficult decision? 

 A little, the crew in my last years of being a Captain 

 were self motivated people and believed in my system. 

 I treated them as adults and they responded. Also, on the

 fire ground they knew that their safety was always on my 

 mind.  I made decisions that made sense and that's really   what it comes down to, so yes, it was difficult to leave   that behind but it was time and I left on my terms. 

​

Do you miss it?

 Honestly I don't. It was a relief in a way to finally remove 

 the burden of responsibility. Just like at age 31 there came 

 that moment of reflection when I realized that after having 

 all my professional decisions peer reviewed and all the   concerns for the safety of the crew I had achieved a level 

 of credibility. That was always important to me so leaving on   my terms was a smart play. Once I made the decision some   folks began expressing things like, "hate to see you go" or, 

 "you were one of the good ones" that I realized they still 

 liked me and what better time is there to go. 

​

Where were you when the attacks happened on 9/11? 

 Having breakfast at friend's restaurant enjoying the company ​

 of half a dozen regulars. A small tv was on in the background 

 and from this benign setting we were, along with the rest of   the world, pulled into the darkest shadows of humanity. 

​

What were your first thoughts? 

 Same as everyone else's, how can this be? Then as events 

 unfolded and we watched the dangers escalating everyone 

 in the restaurant shared, again what the world was   experiencing, a deep distress and sadness. 

​

You must have felt a fellowship with the FDNY. 

 It was hard not to, no one prepares for or can even imagine a   scene so destructive especially one that involves so many   people in need of rescue. Their training and experience could   only take them so far. I watched as they arranged themselves 

 within the structure of incident command and did their best 

 to respond to those people who were within their reach and   those who had the best chance of being rescued. 

​

So they knew people were going to be left behind? 

 Unfortunately, yes. As I watched it was obvious those above   the fire floors wouldn't be going home. We have a 15 floor   apartment building in Delta and we drilled regularly in moving   equipment and ourselves up the stairwells. It takes time   especially in full gear, the twin towers had 110 floors, that's   over 1300' with many paths of egress destroyed and over   20,000 people in both towers filling the escape routes. 

 It took responding fire fighters an hour to reach the 30th floor.   By that time they would've understood how bleak the scene   was and the longer it went on the responders would've known   that because they were so committed that they weren't going   home either. 

​

Isn't there a heroism in that? 

 Without question but most fire fighters never experience that 

 higher level call to duty. We're ready to respond to it and that 

 is the essence of fire fighting however 911 was so far from 

 people's minds. 

​

Did 9/11 change the way you look at the job?

 No, in fact it strengthened my resolve and commitment to give 

 those in need the best chance of rescue. When emergencies   happen someone has to help and that means being all in. 
I can live with that. 

​

Being 'all in' is a common theme with you. 

 It's the experience I wanted in life. The calculated risk is 

 the one worth taking and the thrill often overcame the fear.  

​

What are your thoughts on these record setting wild fires? 

 I've been advocating for the enhancement of public 

 education with emphasis on the best defence being 

 early and voluntary evacuation. Residents need to take 

 some responsibility and pay attention to fires that have 

 strong winds and high temperatures accompanying them. 

 This is especially true of areas experiencing drought 

 conditions. 

​

Is your home town of Whistler vulnerable to a large fire? 

 Yes, it has the advantage of a lake large enough to support 

 air tankers and there are the other necessary resources 

 close by. However, as I pointed out to some whom I thought 

 were over confident and ready to 'draw a line in the sand', 

 that we've already experienced heavy smoke conditions that   reduced visibility to the point that no air craft are flying. When   this happens the fire will go where it wants. That's when the   shit storm happens. In those heavy smoke conditions I'm 

 ready to act by following through with an early and voluntary   evacuation. 

​

Any songs come about from these large fires? 

 Yes, during the 2003 fire in Kelowna a song 

 called, 'Running'.  I was on holidays and 

 across the lake when the fire started. For 

 the next 10 days I watched as it grew in 

 size and intensity. At its peak I wrote the song and recorded   the reporting and live phone in conversations on the radio.   What you hear in the song are those sound bites. 

 

What's aspects of being an artist do you enjoy?

 My mission statement for my art is, be honest be expressive.   Staying true to this has become a meaningful experience   regardless of commercial success. 

​

What are you thoughts on AI and art?

 I'm in a race with AI to get my original art and thoughts in ​​

 the public domain before it does. Luckily I had a head start.  

​

How do you define 'flow'?

 Concentrating without thinking. 

​

And this the same place your ideas come from? 

 Yes, there's times when I get this feeling that we all get when   someone out of view is looking at us. It's hard to ignore and   I'll make an effort to concentrate on that feeling and see 

 where it leads. 

​

That sounds exciting.

 For sure, the challenge is these moments are fleeting and   they can quickly disappear, it's a lot like watching fireworks,   they're suddenly there but they're gone just as fast as they   came. You've got to be present and alert. 

​

Being present and alert sounds familiar.

 Exactly, many attitudes and disciplines cross over between 

 the professions. 

 

How do you know which way to go with an idea? 

 I trust the first expressions, that being mood and tempo, 

 then I allow myself to settle into that characterization. In 

 a lot of songs I'm drawing on personal experiences and in 

 others it's more observational. With both methods scenes 

 and their emotional content guide the way forward. 

​​

Describe what a 'practiced level of concentration' means?

 I keep my mind from getting lazy by making an effort to 

 keep it active. For example, as soon as I stepped into the 

 fire hall I was switched on. Once I walked out door then I   turned it off.  With all the responsibility and the many tasks 

 you're required to perform there's no shortage of subjects 

 to keep your mind active and ready. 

​

Coming up with original lyrics must be challenging.

 For me it begins with be honest be expressive. After that 

 I work at it. ​

​

It sounds like it's something you really enjoy. 

 This really is an empowering time for independent artists. 

 I'm ​lucky to be born in a time when the opportunities to record 

 at home and film independently became available. 

​

Have you ever had writers block?

 What's that? 

​​

How much did the challenges of life contribute to your art?

 A lot. I started writing in my mid thirties and quickly 

 discovered that I had secrets I didn't know I had. It also   became apparent that adversity reveals rather than builds   character and if your character isn't coming through it means 

 it's time to grow up. 

​

Originality is hard to come by these days.

 Bringing anything original or innovative into the world is   exciting and having it be relatable is an unexpected but   welcome reward. 

​

Some artists refer to their songs as their children. 

 I get that because of all the layers of care you give them 

 but for me the songs are more like souvenirs. There's a lot 

 of nostalgia attached to the 4 track recordings because   they're so raw and expressive. The time in L.A. was so 

 unexpected and energizing that its unforgettable. 

 

What do you mean by Analog Love, Techno Mind?

 The first video camera I used was a rental from 7eleven and 

 as technology led us to digital I embraced it. The same is 

 true with the music, I started out recording on a boom box. 

​

How did Outdoor Living come about?

 The need was there as the one film I found on Hypothermia   consisted of do's & don't's which educates but doesn't inspire   learning. Dramatic action does this really well. 

​

What are the challenges of this method of teaching?

 Writing natural sounding dialogue and the believability 

 of the actors is what makes it work. 

​

Everyone is so authentic and the out takes are hilarious.

 The guys would goof off right up to 'action' then 

 they would drop instantly into character like 

 Clooney and Pitt. Being yourself makes 

 everything easier. 

​

The fact no one had any acting experience is notable.

 Things like speaking on the radio were second nature for   Brian & Bob and being themselves was real easy for Tyler 

 and Doug. 

​

Education through entertainment was a success.

 It was, signing broadcast agreements with 2 PBS stations   was gratifying. They were genuinely excited about being part   of the innovation and everyone involved was proud of the 

 team effort. 

​

And all the money is on the screen.

 That's right, fortunately during a lift evacuation on Whistler 

 I met the Patagonia rep, he asked what I was filming, I told 

 him about Outdoor Living and on the spot he committed 

 to sending full sets of gear for everyone. Good things can 

 come from good intentions. Not always but this time it did. 

​

What were the years at 'Outward Bound' like?

 It began in 1973 and went to1985 and I didn't want to be 

 anywhere else. Taking on the responsibility of people's 

 lives was the level of professionalism I was seeking. It's   meant a lifetime of equal parts humility and equal parts 

 confidence. 

​

Those years also led to an invitation to climb Mt. Everest.

 It did and they're also what got me the job with the Delta 

 Fire Department which meant giving up the Everest climb. 

​

Was that a hard decision?

 It was because I would be helping a long time friend 

 achieve his goal of making the first handicap ascent 

 of Everest but by the time it came around I had already   decided to change direction. 

​

Climbing Everest has become a crowded affair.

 I never thought I would read a headline that called Everest 

 a tourist trap but sadly that's the way it's gone. When you 

 consider traditional climbing is about self sufficiency and 

 unwavering commitment its also predicated on sound   judgement under duress at altitude. That takes time and 

 its importance shouldn't be underestimated. 

​

Any professional mountain misadventures?

 No, all my decisions stood up and everyone went home. 

​

Any personal mountain misadventures?

 Nothing serious until age 62 when I did a head jib off a 

 cliff while skiing and ended up fracturing my pelvis. 

​

How scary was that? 

 After I hit my head I ended up falling head first with my back   facing the cliff. I was in the air long enough to think that   tomorrow is ​probably going to start without me. 

​

Was it scarier than falling in love?

 Nothing is more frightening than when you fall in love. 

​

Was that the end of skiing?

 No, it was a closed fracture and didn't require surgery making   it easier to recover. I was on my skis in 8 weeks.  ​

​

What are your thoughts on streaming?

 Streaming makes access to music really easy which is a   great thing. mp3's are higher quality from when they first   came out so with a good set of headphones the listening   experience is enjoyable. This generation will sacrifice 

 sound quality to have access to their music on their phones 

 which is understandable. What I find not so pleasing is how 

 artist's and their music are not fairly compensated by the 

 listener or streaming services. 

​

What other successes have you had with your art? 

 I've signed agreements with a publisher in L.A. who 

 has placed songs in film and T.V. 

​

How exciting is that? 

 It's an unexpected but welcome reward for sure. It's funny   because the song in the film is playing in the background, so   far in the background if you weren't listening for it you'd never   know it was there. 

​

Any words for others pursuing their creativity?

 Be honest be expressive and give yourself time to grow 

 into your process and your art. I can say from experience 

 that putting in a strong effort and achieving long term goals   has a charm all its own. 

​

Are you a religious or spiritual person?

 Spiritual in the sense that I have a conscience and don't   need religion or a god. Ultimately I believe in the intelligence   of life and helping others. 

​

Is this where the slogan, helping don't hurt comes from?

 Yes, however you can't be naive about the world and I'm 

 very discretionary about who I support. I spent a lot of time   finding out about the White Helmets and the videos on 

 YouTube were more than convincing so I knew this was a   group I could and wanted to help. 

​

What do you mean the 'intelligence of life'?

 To me it means the interconnectivity of nature of which 

 we're part of and the importance of sustainability and   biodiversity. It refers to how changes in temperature 

 ventilate a termite hill or how a desert flower collects 

 water or how a lioness learns to hunt with her sisters. 

 Life has been around a long time over coming the odds 

 by expressing itself through plants, insects, animals and   humans. Genetics, instincts and intuition are cornerstones 

 to our continued existence. 

​

Striving for a high standard is a common theme with you.

 Getting it right when it counts is important and there's 

 always room for personal growth along with that. The less   important flaws I have seem to win out more often than not   but fortunately they mostly only hurt me. 

​

Care to share any of them?

 I'm the king of faux pas and I should never be around 

 people without underarm protection. 

​

Are you a control freak? 

 I've been called that by people who haven't worked with 

 me and those who don't know me. People closer to me know   I'm secure in my abilities so I'm not threatened by anyone and   as a result I can listen to others and act for the greater 

 good. Also, I know I don't have all the answers and as   Incident Command if I didn't have an answer then I had a   radio to find someone who did. With the art I put my trust in   my vision so I knew where I wanted to go. Quite the opposite   of someone who is fixed and a 'hard ass'. 

​

Questions of mental health come up often with artists. 

 Legitimately so, creativity is a lot like the effort required to   climb a serious mountain, you need to be all in but you also   need to come back. I don't abuse any substance, I don't drink   and best of all I'm not moody. The professional standards I've 

 been held to helped me to become emotionally grounded and   reliable which also works not just in the art realm but in life. 

​

How did you make out during COVID?

 I was 4 years into my recording project and experiencing 

 the most productive and creative time of my life so I was 

 already spending every day in the studio. The lock down 

 was restrictive but because I lived in a low density area I 

 was also outside as much as I wanted to be. 

​

What do you think of the way the lockdown was handled? 

 Canada was in a position to act ahead of it arrving but 

 they waited until it showed up in the community. That was 

 too late. In 24 hours we went from being busy with who ​

 and what we loved to uncertainty and it didn't need to 

 go down like that. 

​

What would've been a better response?  

 We have something called the Canadian 

 Pandemic Influenza Preparedness. It's a 

 comprehensive document written after 

 MERS and SARS which provides operational ​

 advice and technical guidance for the Health 

 Sector. It identifies the triggers points for a response and 

 this supports why I'm saying their response was too slow, 

 they weren't taking the advancement of the virus   seriously. Canadians deserved the benefit of this document   and the level of protection and care its designed to provide. 

​

Do you have any home truths you want to share?

 I staked my 'claim', which means I was fortunate to know 

 what I wanted in life. I watched my side of the street and 

 got it right when it counted. That continues to work for me. 

​

How did you deal with grief? 

 The first time around I slowly realized that it's ok in the first 

 3 months to both hang on to and feel the pain but after 3   months I needed to let it go. I still carried the pain but I 

 understood that I had to learn to live with it. 

 

Is there a secret to life? 

 Sure, the secret is, there is no secret, secrets are for selling   books. You know, some questions don't have answers, they're   just part of life and we have to learn to live with them. 

​

Is age just a number?

 Only if you're healthy, living with age related struggles can   quickly wear you down. I'm really grateful because I'm going 

 into my 70's healthy and energized which gives me the 

 opportunity to still take risks, the only difference is if I get 

 it wrong no one gets hurt. 

​

What are the cornerstones to your success?

 Professionally I focused on due diligence while having a deep   appreciation of what my responsibilities were which was the 

 safety of other people's lives. I developed a very practiced   level of concentration which enhanced my performance and   led to consistency which then builds confidence. Also, I had 

 a holistic approach to the high expectations of guiding,   forecasting and fire fighting. 

​

Can you comment further on what music means to you? 

 I think it's a fundamental need for all of us to feel like we're 

 being understood so experiencing this through music and 

 with others is vital. If I'm listening on my own then the music 

 is like having another person in the room. Either way, I'm   finding that place where I'm most comfortable and secure. 

​

Is it like that when your writing or recording?

 Yes, I enjoy getting lost in the moment where I'm responding   honestly without thinking. It's the flow thing again which is a  

 condition of living that I want to experience. A lot comes 

 out of a session with a great effort and this appeals to me on 

 every ​level, physically, mentally and emotionally. Laying 

 down layers and layers of care has a charm all its own, it's

 very fulfilling. 

​

​Not everyone gets that opportunity.​

 Thats true, I believe we all have our name on something 

 out there but will we be lucky enough to find it? I was and 

 my life is a success because of it. Becoming a climbing and   ski touring guide one of my goals was to provide opportunities

 to overcome perceived limits revealing the 'deeper you' 

 which is that spontaneous joy released when we breakdown 

 a wall. Through this apogee I saw lots of people at least 

 have a better sense of who they were. 

​

Your passion for your life is obvious.

 I feel grateful and lucky to have these skills that give me 

 an opportunity to experience life in a very personal and 

 meaningful way. The fact that others find the music relatable 

 has a charm all it's own as well. 

​

You had some higher profile mentors, how much did that help? 

 Immensely, the fact that they invited me into their world was   enough to motivate and inspire me to consistently deliver my 

 best effort. Striving for and achieving the highest standards   revealed my character and potential. I was lucky to have this   level of support and I made it work for me. 

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Did you design and build your website?

 Yes and I own all the all the rights to the music and most  

 of the images and video. With the stock video I paid a fee to   license the media or made a donation to the artist. 

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Do have advice for those trying to discover their sound? 

 I think you first have to understand what your influences 

 are then you need to break them down and see what it is 

 that you find relatable and what skills you have naturally. 

 From there it could be about finding kindred souls who 

 are ready to commit to a partnership. This connection can be 

 difficult to come across but it's worth taking risks to find it. 

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You've pursued your art for over 32 years, that's a long time. 

 I knew I had something original so it was easy to stay with it   which led to being energized by small but notable successes.   And what at time to be writing and recording original music,   it's such a flukey thing that found itself along side the 

 randomness of genetics and luck. This is a trip I'm enjoying 

 immensely. 

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Do you have a favourite song that you've written?

 No, they hit me all the same. In my process I see how my ​

 character reveals the songs and the songs then reveal more ​

 of my character. I'm going after my best effort when I write and   record so I'm attached to whole experience. 

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