The Ruins: Scavenger CD

Most people know me as a drummer, educator, and author. I’ve also held the drum throne for the Sam Morrison Band for the past 21 years. What a lot of people don’t know is that I’m also a songwriter.

Two years ago I made the decision to record and release an album of my own original material. Not because I’m unhappy with the music of The Sam Morrison Band or I’m thinking about leaving, it’s just that the music I was writing at the time didn’t fit with the band’s theme and direction.

In May of 2021, I was having coffee with a former bandmate and we started spit-balling ideas for new music. It turns out that we had a
lot of the same ideas and had gone through a lot of the same situations. As our ideas and collaboration progressed, we ended up becoming a fantastic songwriting team.

Then, in August of 2021, my wife Leah and I bought a new home in which I designed and built my own recording studio. The ground work had already been laid for the album so I immediately went to work cutting drum tracks.

While recording the album, I called upon some of the most talented people I know to help me make my vision a reality so I’d like to thank them here;

I would like to thank my songwriting partner, Blackthorne, who took my lyrics, rhythms and musical direction and helped me to
flesh out a unique soundscape for each song.

Stevie Dacanay (“Stevie D”) from the Grammy-nominated band Buckcherry recorded a BLAZING solo on the opening track “Bone Saw.” He also recorded guitars, bass and percussion on the song “Fade Away” while simultaneously co-producing.

Sam Morrison contributed harmony vocals on “Blood,” bringing depth and life to this very personal song.

Karl Sanger contributed fantastic harmony vocals to Sins of the Father and trumpet to Trouble.

Mandy Burke, formerly of The Sam Morrison Band added her soaring backing vocals to the songs, Fade Away and Blood..

Justin Juknelis contributed amazing guitar solos, bass guitar, backing vocals and song editing to “Sins of The Father,” “Razors Edge,” and “Fade Away.”

Mike Decker unleashed a series of groovy funk/acid guitar leads to the unconventional metal romp, “Drop The Rock.”

Isaac Sanchez contributed his outstanding latin percussion skills (many tracks worth) to the introspective “Sins Of The Father” and
“Blood.”

This collection of music covers many genres from metal to bluegrass/country to acoustic worship - while somehow remaining
thematically cohesive!

The project is very personal, filled with remnants of the many chapters of life that are built, destroyed and leave permanent scars.
That’s why we named it The Ruins. The title of this first album is “Scavenger” - alluding to the many influences that we gathered, stole
and bastardized to make this collection of songs.