Setbacks and Frustratrions

So I guess saying hello again is only slightly needed. I am hoping for most by the time you’ve seen this we have moved well past what I am writing about today. If not however, welcome back and thanks for sticking around.

2 week setback, and an even longer one for the live show. The actual Pilot itself is going to need to be rethought. Intro to the show, and current art is available to still be used as is. BUT everything else will be changing pending a Lawyers meeting tomorrow.

I would type out a sigh, but I am sure if you’ve known of me for a while. You know sighing is the polite version of what I really feel. But the core of the situation at this time, really has put me in a mess. And this is mostly what I am currently comfortable putting out to the world.

So, as I have posted before and elsewhere in the past. I created the name and show “The Vault of Metal” on August 1 2004, going live on August 2 in 2004 and remained live weekly until 2011. Outside of blown up computers, illnesses, or summer breaks. We ran straight for those first 7 years. During this time as well I was also a single father, a promoter around the Virginia area, had a classic rock show relayed on FM in Arizona, and eventually on The Real Radio Show on WGBB in New York. On top of that in 2009 I also took over running The Music Hotwire website and Radio Station. All of these had their runs during the ‘04 - ‘11 years.

Then everything ended overnight, my backers dropped the ball on a concert event. Then the station closed. Then I was sent a cease and return of equipment that was part of my main show. I was because of trust, and over worked - ruined in a day. Gone, over, poof.

During the years of 2010 and 2011 my personal life mirrored my failing career. Slowly dying and when one ended, so did the other. Lost my family, home, show, and identity. Overnight, but not unexpected. I knew the writing was on the wall at the time. My show was not lacking in the ability to continue. I was unable to continue to do the show because I lacked finances. No one bought shirts, or any other merch we had at that time. Most were given to guests of the show.

I ended up homeless living in a part of Richmond, Va that even a drug dealer wouldn’t come pick me up out of. Had no money, in a room the size of a twin bed. I went from a condo to a closet in a month. Skipping over the next few years for time and well, it isn’t hugely important to this post. Simply put however from 2011 until almost 2017, some things went well. Some did not. The importance of those stories and the rest, may be something I revisit later. Save to say that the homelessness never ended during those years. Just briefly interrupted by friends who did their best. But were ill equipped for what they were getting into.

Chronic pain, mis medications, homeless, angry at what I had lost. Those years were the hardest I had to endure. And I did survive, and eventually endure. I had to discover who I was. Those topics I have already covered some. So no dead horse beatings here.

Jump now to 2017 and the itch of missing the gig started. And boy did those first few videos I made are painful to watch. Some because, yea wow bad. And I can see the desperate attempt to hold onto my past. So I stopped and back I am now.

All of that because of what happened last week, I wanted to fill in new readers the story so far ……

I spoke about creating a LLC, one where I was not the owner. One where I could use all my past to rerelease interviews and offer value to members sections etc. But have it be a smaller piece of a larger pie. But within a few minutes the lawyer smashed it all to tiny pieces. My show “The Vault of Metal” is now used by someone who seems to be a legit icon singer in metal - though even before this “Icon” is used loosely, even if a fair comparison. No I can’t hold onto or protect a name that did not even exist before 2004, and willing to bet a good portion of the 793,000 web hits of the name, are not recent.

Not only that, I have to create a Media Company, change my dot com, rebrand everything. Start completely over. 5 years of planning and prepping. Gone.

I seriously almost gave up, no matter what anyone says to me. They do not know how personal that show is and was, to me. That show was the last piece of my daughter. I created it to desperately try to make money to provide for her. She would sit there in the studio for hours, answer the phone and chat away at rockstars like it was her distant uncle. My passion for what I done at that time, ended when I hit all my personal goals for the show. Then as above. Lost it all.

But I had always held out hope for a revival, in 2015 and 2016 we did try. New co host, new ideas, new guests and stations. New network as well. [I am leaving out The Ravens’ Edge Radio Show for now, but that ran 2014 to 2015.] This run hit my highest live single listeners per hour of over 3 MILLION people. Co host and I had issues that caused an irreparable rift between us. And then the radio version of the show went dark. Again.

I left homelessness in 2017 and began rebuilding my life, health, and passions. 2019 I saw what I was doing and left the internet to watch successful shows. Learn much of what I needed to learn to get my foot in the door. And that leads us to now.

The Lawyer did talk to me at times like a moron, and others with total understanding. Not a defense, but a reasoning perhaps. Ultimately I was crushed, couldn’t keep track of a single coherent thought. I took it out on myself, had my pity party for 2 weeks. Got fed up at being castrated.

So I did not pull the new show. I am still deeply gutted I lost the name of the show. And the only trademark I can take is on the name I am dropping anyways. So there is going to be a new front page soon. More features and dot com address.

My desired message is to live your best life and take chances. If I quit now I am a liar.