My interests are so broad it's not funny. I recently walked up to the check-out counter at our local Barnes & Noble holding Barry Goldwater's book The Conscience Of A Conservative, The Druidry Handbook by John Michael Greer, and The Third Eye by T. Lobsang Rampa. A month before, I bought (at the same time, mind you) Ron Paul's book A Foreign Policy Of Freedom and The Tibetan Book of the Dead audio book narrated by Richard Gere. Let's see you top that!
I've been known to talk to anybody, anywhere, about any subject. I may not, at the moment, be into what you're into. But I listen well. And, chances are, if you're passionate about your interests, I'll likely be into them, too, by the time we part ways.
A few of my thousands of interests are: Tibet, movies, screenwriting, martinis (shaken not stirred, Plymouth Gin, two olives), cigars, iPods, literature, cooking (De Cecco pasta rocks!), live theatre, music, biking, photography, Woody Allen, Cary Grant, Errol Flynn, sushi, the environment, Zen, and enjoying life to the fullest.
Music
You're kidding, right?
Here's merely a partial list... Juno Soundtrack, Dark Quarterer, Battlelore, Seventh Wonder, Sabaton, Venturia, Power Quest, Amorphis, Rob Rock, Dionysus, Highland Glory, Symphony X, After Forever, Saint Deamon, Fairport Convention, Trees, Sandy Denny, Ensiferum, Turisas, Tyr, Eva Cassidy, Within Temptation, Nightwish, Grateful Dead, Eluveitie, Evil Masquerade, Marillion, Pink Floyd, Heart of Sun, brillig, Korpiklaani, Elvenking, Astral Doors, Andromeda, Pathosray, MASS, Dark Tranquility, Everwood, Firehouse, Delain, Into Eternity, Tarot, Robert Plant, Primal Fear, Dokken, Loreena McKennitt, Tristania, Manticora, Evergrey, Darrell Mansfield, Allies, Iron Maiden, Mostly Autumn, Shaman, In This Moment, Threshold, Bryan Duncan, Rez Band, Bloodgood, Communic, Suspyre, Vanden Plas, Robert Fripp, Alice Cooper, Pyramaze, Benedictum, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Kate Bush, Rush, Pagan's Mind, Riverside, Midnight Oil, Deep Purple, Spock's Beard, Epica, Wastefall, Iced Earth, Jethro Tull, Blind Guardian, Bach, Vivaldi, Circle II Circle, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Magenta, Fates Warning, Vision Divine, Savatage, King Crimson, Edguy, Dream Theater, Kamelot, Queensryche, Johnny Cash, Peter Gabriel, Umphreys McGee, Phish, Robin Trower, Particle, Secret Sphere, Fish, Aimee Mann, Porcupine Tree, Beatles, Eloy, The Runaways, King's X, Emerson Lake & Palmer, U2, R.E.M. -- virtually anything made with creativity and passion. (A killer guitar riff or a tricky time change never hurts, either.)
Movies
Juno (easily one of my Top-Five faves!), Serenity, Annie Hall, Grand Illusion, Bridge to Terabithia, Pan's Labyrinth, The Illusionist, Stranger Than Fiction, Casablanca, Princess Bride, Army of Darkness, Galaxy Quest, Office Space, Napoleon Dynamite, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Serendipity, Grosse Pointe Blank, High Fidelity (John Cusack is The Man), City Slickers, When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle, You've Got Mail, Half Light, The Godfather trilogy, The Maltese Falcon, Somewhere in Time, The Lord of the Rings trilogy, the Harry Potter series, The Spanish Prisoner, The Usual Suspects, An Affair to Remember, The Matrix, The Adventures of Robin Hood, Titanic, Match Point, Lost in Translation, A Love Song for Bobby Long, Girl With a Pearl Earring (Scarlett Johansson rocks!).
Television
These days, 98% of TV is 100% a waste of brain power.
There are very few contemporary shows I enjoy. All others, I watch on DVD. Examples from both categories: Arrested Development, Dexter, Californication, LOST, 24, Hawaii 5-O, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Twilight Zone, Carnivale, Angel, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Firefly, Kung Fu, The Simpsons, Wild Wild West, M*A*S*H, Lost in Space, Star Trek, Kolchak: The Night Stalker, The X-Files, Seinfeld, The Andy Griffith Show, American Gothic, Nowhere Man, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea.
Books
Favorite authors include J.K. Rowling, Fritz Leiber, Ray Bradbury, Charles de Lint, J.R.R. Tolkien, John D. MacDonald (Travis McGee ROCKS!), Hemingway, Dickens, and Lawrence Block. I just finished an amazing book called Replay by Ken Grimwood. If you haven't read it, I strongly encourage you to do so. I'm currently reading three books: Hyperion by Dan Simmons, Plant Seed, Pull Weed by Geri Larkin, and Ranger's Apprentice Book Three: The Icebound Land by John Flanagan. When they're finished, I have two or three dozen books waiting for me, including The Telling by Ursula K. Le Guin, The Time Travelers: Book One by Linda Buckley-Archer, and The Complete Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. I also highly recommend Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke, a masterful novel with such vivid language that I felt I was right there with the characters.
Heroes
Congressman Ron Paul (the greatest proponent of political freedom in the world today), the Dalai Lama (the greatest proponent of spiritual freedom in the world today), Errol Flynn, screenwriter/authors Diablo Cody, William Goldman and David Mamet, Woody Allen, Aimee Mann, Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff, Jerry Garcia, Cary Grant, Eva Cassidy, Peter Gabriel, Ray Bradbury, J.K. Rowling, and whomever invented Ramen noodles...Ben & Jerry's Peanut Butter Cup ice cream...and Scottish Fold cats.
I'm the quintessential Gemini: Eclectic. Creative. Passionate. Complex. Educated. Loyal. Compassionate. If I could only pick a handful of words to describe myself, those seven would be worthy choices. Of course, I'm probably equally riddled with just as many negative traits. After all, what is a Gemini but the anthropomorphic embodiment of the yin-yang symbol?
I'm a former advertising/marketing/PR guru with nearly 20 years of experience who now spends his time writing screenplays and books, promoting rock bands, and building web sites. I'm a true Renaissance Man, with more interests and hobbies than I have time to pursue. I'm a photographer with a keen eye for capturing the magic inherent in the moment. But my biggest passion is music. But I'm also a book lover. I read everything from Dickens to Tolkien, from Hemingway to Rowling, and from Advertising to Zen.
If you love prog/power metal music and would like to read exclusive interviews with some of the world's best bands, visit Notes From The Other Side. That site was built exclusively to present interviews with musicians who played at the world-famous ProgPower USA VII metal fest in Atlanta. Last year, for ProgPower USA VIII, I created a site called Dark Rhapsody. This year, for ProgPower USA IX, I created Metal-Zen. Half of each interview was posted there. The complete interview was printed in the official program given to attendees at the sold-out ProgPower USA IX festival.
The photo of the cat with no ears in my profile pictures is Bradbury. Brad is a Scottish Fold, a delightful (somewhat rare) breed that not only sits and looks funny, but can seem downright human at times. Oh, the stories I could tell about Brad! (He wouldn't like me to spill the beans, though. So mum's the word.)
I know how to solve the problems of (a) creeping socialism that entices people by preying on their inherent selfishness, and (b) illegal downloading problem that's decimating the music industry. It was simple as reading Ayn Rand's monumental books Atlas Shrugged.
Read it and you'll gain a tremendous appreciation for your labor (as well as that of others) and the effort/creativity/talent it took to create it. Intellectual and creative properties are worth every penny charged. The public (or the government) does not have a right to your labors -- or your wealth -- once you've earned it. Don't let the looters make you feel guilty for being wealthy and successful!
I have a soft spot in my heart for the people and country of Tibet -- a peaceful nation that was crushed in 1959 and has been occupied (and destroyed) by the totalitarian Chinese government since that day.
If you want to know what's really going on in Tibet, I strongly encourage you to visit the International Campaign for Tibet web site. ICT is a great place to start on your Mulder-like journey to discover the truth. It's out there, despite what the Chinese government says.
I thought television was dead. Turns out, it's alive and well -- on Showtime. Two of the best shows I've ever seen in my life -- both fantastic recent discoveries -- are Dexter and Californication. The former is chair-gripping, white-knuckle, edge-of-your-seat suspense, brilliantly acted, written, and directed. It's about a serial killer named Dexter Morgan who's a likable, even charming, forensic blood-spatter lab tech with the Miami Metro police department. The acting is absolutely mind-blowing. The latter is laugh-out-loud funny, but full of heart, crisp dialogue, and unforgettable scenes. David Duchovny rocks as writer Hank Moody who's on the skids and seems bent on self-destruction, but retains his wit, passion, and love for his ex, Karen, played to perfection by Natascha McElhone. Both of these shows feature very adult themes, language, and images. So watch at your own risk.
Who I'd like to meet: People with talent, intelligence, creativity and, of course, passion!
If I could go back in time, I'd love to meet Cary Grant, Bela Lugosi, or Errol Flynn. If I could meet anyone on earth today, I'd pick the Dalai Lama, Woody Allen, or Paul McCartney. (Mysticism, movies, and music. My life in a nutshell.) And, of course, Congressman Ron Paul...the man who should have been the President of the United States.
As our friend you are probably happy to know that we have started taken Pre-Orders on our new album "For Moments Never Done". Whenever you feel like it you can check www.cirrhaniva.nl.
Put together the first music video for one of the songs, that being for the song "Eel Marsh House", which is based on the movie "The Woman In Black". Wasn't sure to name it that instead of 'Eel Marsh..." ...Eel Marsh House being where the woman in black 'lived', and now haunts it. Though, she seems to haunt the general area of the village as well as the House. If anyone catches her gaze, looks into her eyes....a child will die, usually from the family of the person unfortunate to look at her. As you see what happens to the story's main character at the end.
Hope you like it, that's about all for now, Cheers! Rob
Wrath Of The Raven's Dance - "Eel Marsh House" - Video
The time is here! Our second single 'Beautiful Illusion' will be
released on July 1st! Make sure to get it, you won't want to miss
out. Also, don't forget to sign up for our mailing list so we can keep
you updated on all the news and releases!
If you love prog/power metal music and would like to read exclusive interviews with some of the world's best bands, visit 
The photo of the cat with no ears in my profile pictures is Bradbury. Brad is a Scottish Fold, a delightful (somewhat rare) breed that not only sits and looks funny, but can seem downright human at times. Oh, the stories I could tell about Brad! (He wouldn't like me to spill the beans, though. So mum's the word.)
