“I’ve accomplished a lot through air guitar. I was the first person to win with a country song and the first person to start an actual mosh pit in competition. And this year, I became the first person to play a hip-hop song at the national level. It’s a fun gig. It’s given me a chance to do things that I wouldn’t normally have done in my life. Outside of the competitions, I’ve rocked The Woodlands Children’s Museum a couple times for events with kids. We also played at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Tennessee. There must have been 200 kids and their parents in the audience, and everyone had a really great time. 

“I’m 36 now, and we have a 5-year-old daughter and 2-month-old son. So I’m not as active as I used to be. But I still have a burning desire to win nationals and represent America at the world championships in Finland. I would love to represent the entire country. I’m never going to run for president or for local office or anything. And I’m too fat for the Olympics. So doing something like that, representing our country on such a large stage, continues to be a dream.

“Actually, there are three things I’d like to do before hanging up my axe. One is to get into the U.S. Air Guitar Hall of Fame. The second is to get one of my air guitar videos played on the International Space Station. And the third thing is to have my air guitar in the Smithsonian. You know, like a display with just a two-prong guitar holder and nothing in it. Just a plaque that says, ‘This is Brock McRock’s air guitar.’ That would be awesome.”

— Taylor Fullbright

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“This is my ninth year doing the competitions. I’ve been best in Texas six or seven times, and I’ve been to the national finals three times. I’ve performed as several different characters throughout my career. I started as Brock McRock. I’ve also been SlashSquatch, Thrustin Beaver, Anthony Scaramooch Scaramooch Will You Do the Fandango? and Matthew McConaugHeyHeyHey. Most recently, I was Dad Bod Jovi. I try to have fun with it. I’ve put together some pretty cool costumes. I make them out of whatever I can find at Goodwill or on the cheap. I use a lot of hot glue, velcro, papier-mache and stuff like that. I probably have five or six different Brock suits that I’ve made over the years.

“It’s funny. Not that many people know my real name. They know me mostly as Brock McRock. When I was getting married, even my mother-in-law thought that was my name. She asked my wife, ‘Are you ready to be Aimey McRock?’ And my wife said, ‘What are you talking about?’ That’s how she found out. She was like, ‘Oh, that’s not his real name?’”

— Taylor Fullbright

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The post Alter egos hit great heights on air guitar circuit appeared first on The Baytown Project.

“College was the place I began songwriting. I dreamed of moving to Nashville, and I worked toward that goal. One day, in 2002, I was offered a contract with a record label and seriously considered making the leap. But the next day, we discovered that my wife was pregnant. I chose not to pursue a career in music so that we could focus on our family.

The post Song tells story of what it’s like to move on in life appeared first on The Baytown Project.

“I put in 10 years in the military and eight years in civilian service. If you had told me that one day I’d be homeless, I would have said that you’re full of crap. But after coming back here and having trouble finding steady work, I did end up on the street for a few years.

“That was when we were having a real cold spell back in 2011 and 2012. I remember one time it got down to 14 degrees. That was rough. Real rough. I would find places where activities were always going on, so people would leave stuff behind on benches, picnic tables and bleachers. If they didn’t come back to get it, I’d find shirts and other clothes lying around every now and then. And I managed to stay above water with food.

“Then I started working again, and I’ve been able to hold on to a few different jobs. But it’s kind of hard to make a five- or a 10- or a 20-year plan when I’m just trying to survive right now.

“Almost 70 percent of my salary is going to my son. I get it. He’s my son. I need to help take care of him. But it’s tough in Texas when you’re a non-custodial parent. I’ve been making payments. Since I went back to work in 2012, I’ve made every single month. And before I was homeless, when I had a job, I made all my payments. All my gaps were from when I didn’t have a job. I’m not some jerk who’s running around, trying to hide.

“And soon my son will be going to college. We got divorced in Hawaii, and it’s like Texas. If he goes to college, I pay child support until he’s 26. Which is fine. I love my son. I want to support him. But with all the money I’m paying in child support, I can’t save anything to fly him out here. That’s why I haven’t seen him in a couple years. He wants to come visit. I want to go up there. We can’t. It’s pretty frustrating.

“I mean, I’m just trying to survive. I’m just trying to stay above water. That’s my five-year goal, not to drown.”

— Robert Ortiz, 43

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“He loves playing his guitar, so I figured he’d be a rock star someday. But, you know, he broke two TVs in my house. He threw his toys into two of those big flat screens. With that arm, now everybody’s saying he’s going to be a baseball player.”

The post This guy already has two good career options appeared first on The Baytown Project.