(guitar music) - Music for me kinda started at a young age, just like singing in church.

I got my first guitar around when I was 12 or 13, and that was right around when like the garage rock revival of like the early 2000s, late 90s like, White Stripes, the Strokes, stuff like that were coming out.

So that's what I was really kinda getting into at that time, when I first started playing in bands.

(guitar music) After college, I moved to Nashville for a couple years and did the singer/songwriter thing.

It's kinda hard to get to know people, 'cause you feel like you go out to an open mic and it's new people every time, and it was hard to kinda find a community.

And then coming back to Milwaukee, it was like, more immediate.

I was able to kinda meet people and make friends, and feel more like I was part of a close knit community, than I was when I was down in a big place like Nashville, so.

♪ And you can live how you want ♪ ♪ But I really don't need to know ♪ ♪ I don't know why I'm like this ♪ ♪ Why I put up walls around me ♪ I think just slowly over time, you start mimicking other people and then eventually you kinda find your own personality and your own voice and kinda build on that.

I really love being in a studio and recording.

That's really like my comfort zone, my happy place, where I'm in my studio and writing and recording.

♪ For a moment, I'm fine ♪ ♪ I get along with my mind ♪ ♪ And you can live how you want ♪ ♪ But I really don't need to know ♪ ♪ I don't know why I'm like this ♪ ♪ Why I put up walls around me ♪ I really love really hooky melodies, so I hope people can be inspired to kinda sing along.

I also, it's great when you look out in the audience and people are dancing and moving, so you want 'em to have kind of a physical, visceral response to the music, and hopefully they leave, you know, whistling the song.

(guitar music) ♪ Now if you're ready, willing, able ♪ ♪ Lay around ♪ ♪ They sold us on a fable ♪ ♪ There's no land to be found ♪