I have now been writing for Tuned Up since February of 2013. In that time I have had the opportunity to do something I have always wanted to. And I will always be grateful to Ryan Getz for giving me that chance. For as long as I can remember I have loved music and writing. I have constantly kept a journal since I was twelve. I would write about my day, I would write poems and short stories. So you can imagine I have enjoyed my time with Tuned Up, it really has been a dream for me.

The other aspect of writing that I have liked is the people I have met. Be it national touring acts or locals. I have been able to make some really amazing people and some have even become friends. Because of this, I have become part of a scene here in Columbus, a scene that I love dearly, a scene that I would do anything for. So with have said that this is how this all ties in,  with my writing I know there is room for improvement, there will always be room for that, one area that I feel I struggle with is my interviews. I’m not a fan of them, mainly having to do with the fact that I’m an introvert. So that can make interviews a little rough at times. This something I want to work at, so, for now, I decided I would start small, I would do something a little different. And this is that. Here is what I’m going to do. I’m going to have musicians pick five albums that mean the most to them and then talk about them. Why this? Well, I’ve learned that musicians enjoy talking about music that they love. The bands, the albums that shaped them.

For the first installment, I decided to go with Mike Houck from Bear Your Cross. Mike is the vocalists of this Mt. Vernon metal unit that has steadily been growing. He and his band have also been long time supporters of Tuned Up. They actually have played at least four Tuned Up shows in the past few years, so they are part of our little Tuned Up family. If you have never listened to this band, I would highly recommend them to any metal head.

This is something I would like to do often and right now I want to focus on local musicians. So if you would like to participate, hit me up. As always, see you at the rock show!!!

Weezer-Raditude

My first show ever was Weezer at the Ohio State Fair in 2010. I had been listening to them for a while. It seems anything after the first two albums were dubbed controversial. One of the best things about this album is I always find something I like. They give me the comfort to try different things that may sound weird to others.

Dir En Grey-Uroboros

This was a big staple in High School for me. I was into a lot of different cultures, mainly the music aspect. So my cousin recommended Dir En Grey to me. The thing that sticks out about this release is the use of traditional Japanese instruments. It’s not straight brutality, it’s quite melodic at times. I think I really appreciated that. Their singer, Kyo, did a great job of conveying raw emotions. It taught me that you did not have to be 100% heavy all the time.

Gorillaz-Plastic Beach

This album came out when I was in High School. Damon never conforms to any particular genre, so with every album, you are in for something different. I’ve always had respect for his laid back vocals. Actually, my first time I was ever on stage was a high school talent show and I did a Gorillaz song.

The Ghost Inside-Get What You Give

Before Bear Your Cross was a thing I was in another band, Kokosing Down. We recorded with Chris Davis in 2013, who was a member of Texas In July at the time. On the ride home, we stopped at a mall and everyone in the band picked up a CD. On a whelm, I picked up this one. Four years later Chris Davis is a member of The Ghost Inside.

Counterparts-Tragedy Will Find Us

I know a lot of people will say this is a cliché pick. I can credit the Columbus hXc scene with getting me into bands like this. This is one of those albums I have shown my band. It has now become an influence on our sound. Writing together now have been different and better. We are more coherent. We are constantly growing as a band.