Through the 90s I had several not artistic jobs that again, reinforced my need to push toward art. A move to PA at 23 with what would be my future wife was again another learning experience. Four years of near poverty level living forced us back to central NJ and for the next couple years, we worked multiple jobs and slept very little while living in my in-laws basement. Any free night we had was spent at music venues, knocking on band bus doors in hopes that my art would land me the work I desired. Finally in 1998 we went to our local venue to see Kid Rock. His new album was just about to go insane on MTV but this was a small NJ club. My wife and I met him at the back bar to see if he was ok with her shooting photos of the show and he was extremely cool about it. His next NJ show was in February of 99 where we showed him the photos and some art I had done. I finally had a freelance art job for a band that was growing out of control! That July we saw him again in NYC to show more tee shirt samples. We made are way through a wild, jam packed dressing room and in a back corner Kid Rock was hanging out with the one and only Lars Ulrich of Metallica.  My wife “strongly encouraged” me to  introduce myself. Lars loved the work I was doing and gave me his band managers phone number...mind blown! After getting my nerve together I reached out. In 1999, I ended up with three of the top selling tees on their tour and have been working non-stop for them ever since. That amazing, chance meeting opened the door for me to work with so many other amazing bands and share my work with the world.