Rich Maya

I started playing guitar at the age of seventeen, and began writing my first poems at the same time. All of this arose quite unexpectedly, because up to that point I was never brave enough to try to express myself and choose my own path. Still within the private education system, I was used to having a lot to live up to, and was not encouraged to believe that what I had to express could be as valid as the sources of my edification... what did I know? Those first, naive little poems of teenage angst were, however, the germination of a seed that has since grown into something of a journey towards a more authentic expression of who I am and what I believe. It has been a process of learning to choose more and more of my beliefs, behaviours and relationships in a way that is not diluted by the opinions and needs of others, but comes instead through an appreciation and valuing of the differences between myself and others. This has not only allowed me to express myself with more confidence and freedom, but has also allowed me to find ever deeper levels of empathy and connectedness with everyone else. By making other peoples' beliefs and choices acceptable and okay, I have found the key to accepting my own beliefs and choices and feeling okay with them.Since those first steps into artistic expression, I have journeyed through heavy metal bands and blues jams and a couple of years giving up altogether, to end up roughly where I started - just talking about what moves me with a simple guitar in my hands. Equally happy playing to one other interested listener as I am playing to a big audience. The only point is to be heard and acknowledged for what I am doing. Really, I just want to share what I've created... that's all I'm here on myspace for.I am currently recording an album to be called "If I had not", which will hopefully be completed before the end of this year. The recordings currently available are old demos, but will hopefully be replaced soon. I look forward to sharing the album with you.Peace,Rich I edited my profile with Thomas Myspace Editor V4.4 (www.strikefile.com/myspace)