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It's been a hilarious, frustrating, and bumpy ride since 1988. The world changed and I matured. I was the kid from the wrong side of the tracks, but I managed to graduate from Grady High (after being pushed out of a 2-story window at a party) and to get into Georgia State University (which really isn't saying much).
Music was my way of coping and communicating so I embraced it at an early age. I got into punk/rock/Oi music and started sneaking out of the house to go to the Metroplex, or the 'Plex if you were really cool, and eventually started my own band.
I'd always wanted to be a lead guitarist, especially after hearing the Cockney Rejects, so I started a rock/bluesy/punk band, Brickwall United (yes, Wesley Moore, I can actually play guitar). We had a big non-racist Skinhead/punk following. I even got a 1994 appearance on Jerry Springer out of it (not bad for a kid from the wrong side of the tracks). The band were L5P faves, played Masquerade, and toured the US. Our last big gig was in Detroit.
After the band split, I turned my focus on getting my degree, acting, and moving to Europe. As a kid of the video age (damn, I'm old) I grew up watching video- when I should have been doing my homework. My love for video and film went hand in hand with music, so I changed my major from Archaeology (practical?) to Theater/Film & Video (logical).
The acting bug hit me hard. I'd interned at the Actor's Express under Chris Coleman, and performed at GSU for the Black Student's Theatrical Ensemble, under Dr. Shirlene Holmes. We perform both classical and modern pieces, and my highlight was a performance from "A Raisin in the Sun" which aired on PBS.
I got engaged to a European woman and moved to Europe (UK and Germany). It was one of the most eye-opening experiences of my life! It's funny how environment shapes perspective. The most minute things like playing football (soccer) by a lake with Germans can have such an impact. After living abroad life was a lot clearer to me because I had time to think and to step outside of the 'American Box'. Europe is an excellent experience!
I moved back to the States, rather reluctantly, and moved to NYC, via Philly. Not wanting to be the starving artist, I got a job working in the Telecommunications industry which was booming. Telecom was my way to pay for my video equipment and my student loans. When Telecom went belly up, I got into the Print industry. Again, this was/is just another way for me to fund my dreams as a Videographer/Video Editor.
I left NYC and moved out to sunny California to try my hand at the LA game. After being in LA I realized that I should have paid more attention in Ms. "Sleepy Floyd" Cantrell's Spanish class and that I should have never left Europe. I went to LA thinking that it was still in the 1980's! At any rate, I freelanced in Hollywood, Inglewood, and Echo Park as a Graphic Designer/Prepress Operator and as a Video Editor. I met some up and coming actors and some established A to B listers, but wasn't much of a brown noser so that went the LA acting career (smile). It was a learning experience though, and I made it out alive.
As of now, I am a freelance Final Cut Pro Video Editor/Videographer and Full-time Pre-press Operator in the Bay Area. I am re-locating to NYC/Europe soon and will continue to work at realizing my dreams! Not bad for a kid from the wrong side of the tracks, huh?
