What shocked me most about the stories in The Outlaw Ocean is the enormity of destruction of the abundance of ocean species and of the ocean itself by our garbage. I was shocked by  the destruction of human life by way of enslavement, torture and death. For such a beautiful, wonderful and amazing geography there’s a real counterpoint of sadness. How can you not grieve within your own being when you learn of these things?

Almost right away I knew how I wanted to arrange the composition and the specific sounds and prose I wanted to include in my music for this project. I knew this project would reach audiences all over the world. Music is borderless; it doesn’t know nations, countries, states, or cities. No matter who you are, where you are, a song can reach deep within you and inspire. A song can breathe into you a caring, a compassion, an action. The Internet has made it possible for a person to be exposed to genres from other places and cultures. I, myself, have become aware of new music I greatly enjoy from a variety of places and it can get into my soul and speak to me.

I once had a gentleman tell me the reason he enjoyed my music was because he could imagine his own story rather than someone’s lyrics telling him what the story should be. I do feel my music has accomplished this and I know each composition was inspired.

Michael Mucklow