First off, it's worth saying that you've self-released all of your work and, in the process, garnered
stellar reviews from NPR, Magnet, and CityBeat, among others. Did finding an audience and
critical acclaim surprise you?
It was a very gradual process. While I'd love to tell you that The Spiral Eyes was my very first set of
recordings and that the critical praise was always expected, the truth is a little different. I began making
recordings of my songs towards the end of high school, first with friends and a 4-track and later completely
solo with a software sequencer. I vividly remember calling my parents up to my room after my first
successful attempt at making a passable song by playing all the parts myself. I even released an album of
songs while still in high-school and sold them to my friends. Compared to what I do now, though, those
early recordings were pretty bad. I think to some extent a big part of growing as an artist is to be unaware
of how lacking your creations are so as not to lose heart and give up. When I did the recordings for The
Spiral Eyes and started getting positive reviews from people who had never met me, it was a real
confidence boost.

Do you prefer releasing your music directly to your fans?
Given the fact that I've never experienced any other method of distribution, I can't really answer. My
initial reaction to the thought of traditional big-label distribution is pretty negative though. I'm used to
almost total creative control over not only what my music sounds like, but how it is presented and
consumed. Giving up any of that would be a bitter pill to swallow.

You've embraced the "In Rainbows method" of having listeners pay what they want for your
music. How has this worked out for you?
Very well. If nothing else, I've proved to myself beyond a shadow of a doubt that people will pay what
they think is an honest value for music even if presented with an option to get it for free (or in my case, 1
cent, as that's the lowest amount PayPal allows). On the page where people can download my albums, I
make it clear that the donation they choose has real consequences, that 100% of it goes to the artist and
literally supports my ability to do what I do. When presented with those facts, people give around $5-6 on
average. Certainly it's less than the $8.99 I charge for a CD, but with the ease of "pay what you want" I'm
likely gathering more than enough new listeners to offset the difference in profit.

Has your opinion of the recording industry changed since you've adopted this DIY approach to
getting your music "out there"?
Yes. After The Spiral Eyes came out, I figured what needed to happen was for a label somewhere to hear
the CD and sign me to a contract. I didn't know exactly what a record contract would look like, or what it
would entail, but I still had the idea that in order to "make it" you have to be on a traditional label. But
over the next year or so as I worked on what would become I Woke With Planets In My Face, I came to the
realization that I already had almost everything a label could offer, albeit on a smaller scale. I wrote the
music. I performed it. I recorded. I mixed and mastered it. I arranged and laid out the artwork that a friend
had produced. I used a private CD duplication company. I had worldwide distribution from my website
and in stores like iTunes and Amazon. The only thing I was really missing was a presence in traditional
brick and mortar record shops (aside those in Cincinnati which I could hand-deliver copies to) and a big
budget to do marketing campaigns.

What is your personal creative process for crafting a song? How long does it take for a textured
song like "Shoot the Moon" to come together?
I start with a rough idea of the song by coming up with a verse and chorus on my guitar. Then in most
cases I dive right into recording even before the song is complete. As I lay down parts, new ideas emerge,
and those get worked in. Oftentimes I'll restart a recording four or five times before I hit upon the right
arrangement and structure. In this way the recording process is actually integral to the writing process
itself. Maybe its my own weakness as a composer, but I need to physically hear what something sounds
like to understand if it works or not. There are some occasions where the ghost version I hear in my head
turns out to be just what the recording needs, but in most cases things need to be tweaked.

How long have you been writing music?
In the way I write currently, I started around my senior year of high school. Earlier when I took piano
lessons I would write silly little one-page pieces that I would play for my teacher.

How does the experiencing of performing live compare to the experience of recording in your
studio?
They really couldn't be more different. When I'm in my studio, I'm working in complete solitude and more
or less lost in my own thoughts. I have a vague idea that sometime in the future an anonymous listener will
hear what I'm doing, but during the recording it's just me by myself. When I perform, I'm playing music
with other musicians and also get the thrill of having a live audience react to the songs as they're
performed.

How prepared were you to start traveling across the country after the success of your first album?
Remarkably, you've released a limited number of double-vinyl editions of I Woke With Planets In
My Face. Many audiophiles prefer the sound of vinyl. Are you one of them, and do you still listen
to music on vinyl?
I wish I was cool enough to say I was, but I don't really listen to vinyl. I like the idea of it, of having a big
physical object that's more meaningful than an invisible collection of MP3s or a cheap little plastic jewel
case, but I've never had the time or resources to really get into collecting records.

Are you involved with every step of the recording process? Do you ever collaborate with others
and/or allow others in on the process?
Yes, I'm the only one playing on the recordings. Things might change in the future, but for now I do
everything myself.

Much of the press about you has likened you to Jeff Buckley, Radiohead, and The Flaming Lips,
among others. What bands, musicians, or artists inspire you?
Certainly Radiohead, The Flaming Lips (specifically The Soft Bulletin) and Neutral Milk Hotel (along with
the other Elephant 6 bands) are big influences. Curiously though I've never really been a huge Jeff Buckley
fan. I listen to a lot of modern/contemporary classical music. John Adams is a big influence, as are others
in the Minimalist "big tent" like Philip Glass, Steve Reich and Terry Riley. I look to their compositions for
inspiration on arrangements. Bartok's string quartets are also a great well of inspiration for my string parts,
even if I never approach anything on that level of complexity or musicianship. Bjork and Sigur Ros are
always models to follow when searching for a wide, expansive soundscape, and in a similar way I look to
certain Led Zeppelin recordings.

What are you currently working on?
I'm always busy writing and recording songs for the next release. I've toyed around with several ideas, like
having a huge sprawling song that runs for an entire album, or releasing little "modules" of songs on my
website before the entire album is done. I'm also busy playing shows with my band as we try to make it out
of the Cincinnati area more frequently.

Are there any other creative avenues you'd like to explore?
I'd love to try my hand at film scoring down the line. I'm actually doing the music for a friend's student
film later in the spring, which I'm quite looking forward to. It will be a nice challenge to write strictly
instrumental music. I really enjoyed writing the companion book for I Woke With Planets In My Face that
comes in the Lunaphonic Omnibox, and I think I'll do similar writing for all future releases. I'm also trying
to get in the habit of writing on my website about things I'm interested in besides music, like philosophy,
politics, and science.