Overcoming nerves to spread the gospel of metal

Filming how-to videos with Bodie Stroud.

In 2010 I was invited to be part of what has become an annual mainstay and popular attraction at the Detroit Autorama, the Artist’s Alley. A couple of gentlemen from the Singlefinger Speed Shop were familiar with my work via The Jalopy Journal’s message board and, luckily for me, enjoyed it enough to ask me to display in the show.

I’ve always struggled with nerves. Anxiety can be debilitating. It’s normal to be nervous every now and then, like before a first date or getting ready to take the podium for a speech. But for me, it’s something else. Anything new or different or out of the ordinary, if I have time to think about it, I get physically ill. Getting stuck in a crowd still gets to me occasionally. Something as simple as talking on the phone with someone I’ve never talked to before can literally make me sick.

It’s easy to say, “Don’t worry about it; there’s no need to,” but putting that into practice is another story. At one point I’d had enough and forced myself to sing and play guitar in front of crowds. I’m not really all that great at either, and instead of getting progressively easier, my nerves got me more and affected the performance. A handful of times on stage was enough for me.

When I first started Brown Dog Welding, there were no expectations to do interviews on radio or film how-to videos. I liked that I could create, market, and sell my art without ever leaving the house! But here I’d been invited to Autorama and decided it was smart to maybe get out and show my work in the flesh.

Every year the event officially starts on Friday at noon, but local high school kids are there early to listen to presentations about the hot rod industry. They then are allowed in before the rest of the public to check out the cars. It wasn’t something I expected, but so many of them wanted to talk welding with me. Once everyone else came in, there was more of the same; so many attendees were interested in welding. They’d watched what I had done online and wanted to pick my brain about either the trade or the art or both.

At the end of that first day, my wife Darla looked at me sideways and said, “Who are you, and where is my husband?” The passion for the craft trumped any uneasiness I’d brought in with me. If there’s anything I can talk confidently about it’s welding, and it’s become a favorite part of every show I go to.

Honestly, I still get nervous. In the weeks leading up to an event I tend to not eat much, even though I don’t consciously recognize the nerves like I once did. It’s a price I’m willing to pay to spread the gospel of metal.

All images courtesy of Brown Dog Welding.

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