When reading The Outlaw Ocean, the chapter “Jail Without Bars'' undoubtedly hooked me the most. This chapter truly captures the duality of the sea. How it can be a get away from a reality — “an escape from landlocked life” — but also a prison of suffering and loneliness for others. I think a lot of my interest in this chapter stems from how many of us have been feeling and living right now. How many of us feel lonely and separated from reality. Despite the dramatically different situations, I think that heightened empathy inspired my songwriting. 

Ian has a knack for capturing a reader’s attention through a form of storytelling that breaks away from conventional forms of journalism. This is the first time I’ve ever seen a project explore topics such as these through music, pictures and the written word. I hope that, once people listen to the music composed for this project, their intrigue for Ian’s book grows. It’s a new opportunity to learn and raise awareness about what’s happening to our oceans in an exciting way. 

Zerb