It was at that very moment that I decided something needed to change. Within 3 weeks of that day I had quit my job. I had informed my landlord that I would move out at the end of the month. I had packed all my belongings into a storage unit. I had bought a one way ticket to Philadelphia and I had joined a band there that had a 23 date U.S. tour planned for the spring of 2006 backed with financial support. They had 2 Suburbans for the tour, free room and board, and a free rehearsal space. All I had to do was commit by moving out there. Easy for me since nothing was going for me in Seattle and I loved the band's music. I packed up a large backpack of clothes and shoes and secured my two 5-string basses in hardshell cases and boarded a plane to a city I had never been before.
I will give you a brief overview on what transpired in Philadelphia:
- By week one I had learned all of the bands material. We sounded good and was ready to hit the road but was puzzled as to why the singer never attended rehearsal
- By week two I had found out that the booking agent was not returning any phone calls nor had he booked any shows due to an alleged "massive car crash." I also found out our singer was fairly unstable
- By week three I found out that the singer had engaged in a argument with the financial supporter of the band (his Grandfather who was also floating his grandson lifestyle of pursuing his musical dream) and the free room, rehearsal space, and all financial support for the band was cut off
- By the middle of week 3 the singer had quit the band and forbade to use any of his songs or lyrics
- By week 4 I was boarding a bus in Philadelphia's "China Town District" bound for New York City to visit my friend who lived in Brooklyn for a couple weeks
Staying with my friend Gene in Greenpoint Brooklyn was a dream. I was auditioning for 3 bands a day. I was partying with new friends at night and meeting beautiful women. I was seeing the sights and experiencing the energy of New York City for the first time in my life. For the first time in a while my life was going great. Only problem was, I was almost out of money and I was essentially homeless. Patience was wearing thin at my crash pad in Greenpoint and it was about time to make a decision. Should I stay or should I go?
This was a very strange and exciting time in my life. In a way it was scary because I had less than $1,000 in my bank account, no job, no home and no idea of what I was gonna do next. In another way, the freedom of being completely free and scared shitless was liberating. I entertained ideas of going to Paris, selling one of my basses to buy a ticket to visit my Dad's family in Australia. I thought of Moving to L.A. to try my luck in the music industry out there. Ideas of running back to Seattle with my tail between my legs entered my brain on a regular basis as well.
During my first walk EVER through Central Park on a chilly afternoon in late February of 2006, I found myself staring out across the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis reservoir. I was deep in thought. It was in that moment that I decided I was already home. New York City had opened up it's arms to me and I wasn't going to refuse such a warm embrace. I was going to stay put.
I looked up my friend Parker, another buddy from highschool that had moved to the City right after graduation. Parker invited me to stay on his futon for "as long as you need to!" "Don't say that if you don't mean that" I believe was my reply. This took me away from a tense situation with Gene and his roommates back in Greenpoint. Since money was going fast I knew getting a job was imminent. My only lead was that the hotel I had worked for back in Seattle had a property in New York. I called my former manager on my dinosauric old flip phone and got the name of the Human Resources director at the New York property.
I showed up at the hotel and asked to speak with the contact I had received. After dropping my General Manager's name and title from their Seattle property, I was in the HR office in no time. It just so happened that they had an vacant Bellman/Doorman position they they had been trying to fill for a few weeks. I interviewed for the position, aced it, and started working 3 days later.
Being a bellman wasn't what I had moved to New York to do but everyone has to make a living. Besides, it was only temporary until I found a band to start touring with. That was five years ago.
