Please forgive the incredibly long stretch of time between contacts. My studio went completely down (as in virus ravaged). Lost three computers completely (blue wall of death); one was left fairly non-functional and one recuperated. The killer was all the software that got lost!

I was very close to finishing up my next CD (15 Souls In My Pocket) when the Computer Storm hit. Now, I am very slowly replacing everything.

With regard to your questions, I think it is funny how location effects perception. Your vision of smoky bars and blondes in tight jeans was absolutely the correct one for a number of years.. But, that was primarily back in the 80’s when I still played covers and was gigging at a lot of biker bars and Pig Roasts.

In the 90’s, when I went primarily solo doing nothing but politically oriented originals my following changed dramatically. It was a very vibrant mix of street people and college students. Made for a very interesting mix.

Ironically, you see me as sounding distinctly American. I played a gig this summer at the Pataconkin Chester, CT. A vacation boating town and I was hired to play the reception at a wedding of this British couple who thought that I reminded then of the old working class British Bands that would play working class pubs all night. So, I guess the perception is really shaped by the experiences of the listener.

The last album I released, Something Special (which you made reference to in your questions) was a real eye-opener for me. The CD did very well. What surprised me the most was the diversity of the listening audience. Where as my music is primarily looked on as the political rantings of a Socialist frustrated by the excesses of neo-capitalism. I found a lot of non-political fans were more than willing to take the message with the beat without a problem.. Also, in the 1990’s I was writing songs on the excesses of Capitalism, Homelessness, World Hunger, a distribution system of necessary goods that are crucial to the obtainment of any form of quality life standard – and people would say I was a “naysayer”; a” communist”; another negative socialist whacko who should move out of the U.S. These same people, today, I believe now see the hidden agenda of hypocrisy behind the U.S. right wing and supposed “centrist” message of the 80’s and 90’s. Actually, 5 songs from my first CD, Frost & Sherman Live @ the Stony Creek Puppet House, which was released in 2000, went to the Top of the Charts this year. The two that drew the most attention were Democracy and Homeless Joe. I think that these songs rebounded so strongly because the problems they deal with have gotten worse – not better. The world just chose to ride out the latter generation of the 20th Century with blinders on.

Your next two questions are, in my mind kind of married to one another. Do I play a lot live? The answer is “not really”. Your next question has to do with the impact of the Internet on my music? And, a large part of my choosing to not play live has to do with the Internet. I can reach 20 times the amount of people for a fraction of the cost of playing live by using the Internet.

For an artist such as myself, who gives close to 85% of all my profits to charity this is a tremendous plus. It’s an even bigger plus for all the extra children that get fed by savings of that amount. It fills me with a real sense of joy to know that I can feed 1000 people as opposed to putting the money in the pocket of some overweight greedy promoter. The feedback has been wonderful. People want to live in a world that is kind, fair, equitable in its distribution. The filthy rich have always and still do make up a very small part of the global population. The Internet has been a Godsend in terms of exposing these creeps for what and who they really are. I think people feel so much more empowered than ever before!

Your final question, “What’s next?” Well, Peter, honestly more of the same on a larger and grander scale. I believe artists, musicians and the intelligent masses are going to use the Internet to educate and then redistribute needed resources to a degree never imagined. I think we are presented with the opportunity to prove our real self-worth with regards to how we treat our fellow human beings over the next 20 years and I’m very optimistic.