This is a picture of my band, The Static. We became that band that we are today on February 20th, 2014 with the addition of Nate Palmer to our lineup. These guys are great friends and its been a joy making music with them for the past year. These guys help me answer the question ‘Who am I?’ by constantly challenging me to redefine how I view success. When playing music, I might think that something sounds good, but more often than not, one of them proposes a change that is usually for the better.

Shahzeb’s answer to ‘Who am I?’ is that he is just a kid in a new place who is trying to live life to the fullest. I met Shahzeb back in December when I was looking for a drummer to join my band. Since this photo was taken, Shahzeb has left The Static, but he continues to remain a great friend of the group.

Nate’s answer to ‘Who am I?’ is, “A guy who likes to have fun and play guitar.” I met Nate in my AP Euro class last year. Out of all of these people, I usually end up making fun of Nate the most. I have a variety of nicknames for him such as, Napalm, Palmtree, Palmer, and Facepalm. His greatest influence on me is that he increased my love for Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin among other bands.

Ben deflected the question and started asking me existential questions after I asked him who he thought he was. This might clue you in to what kind of person he is. I met Ben on the football team during sophomore year. He is the most dedicated person I know, as well as the most childish. He is known for his very long hair. He often compares himself to the Green Bay Packers linebacker Clay Matthews.

This is James Bradley Guesman. He goes by the name Brad. His answer to ‘Who am I?’ would be, “A kid who loves rock and roll.” He is the lead guitarist and singer for a local band called 37th Parallel. His band was actually what motivated me to start my own band. He is a great influence on me because he encouraged me to pick up the guitar about a year ago and also mentored me through the process of learning. I think that his guidance allowed me to become a better guitarist than others with professional training. I like to call Brad many different things, the most interesting out of these, though, is Jimmy Bredly Gooseman (Bred for short).