"Ah. Well... I attended Juilliard... I'm a graduate of the Harvard business school. I travel quite extensively. I lived through the Black Plague and had a pretty good time during that. I've seen the Excorsist about a 167 times, and it keeps getting funnier every single time I see it..."

My name is Erik and I am not a douche bag. I know these dating sites can be full of such types, but I am a cocktail of deep character and integrity, shaken not stirred. I have no tolerance for those, who when given the choice still choose ignorance. Nor do I have patience for those who perpetuate dogmatic practices and are generally close-minded to the world outside their own. I will never claim to know everything, but I can tell you one thing that I do know for certain: keeping people dumb and poor is not the answer. I guess the best way to describe me is that I am one part rock n roll, another part New York City soul, and two parts 18-year single malt Scotch whiskey, shaken to the beat of an afro-Cuban jazz track, poured with care over 1 ice cube made from the dew drops off a California Redwood sprinkled with the ashes of the late Bill Hicks while cruising in a red '67 Chevy El Camino with my beach cruiser in the back and Zeppelin's "Black Dog" turned up on the radio. I also don't like nuts in my brownies.

See, "it started when we were little kids. Free spirits, but already tormented by our own hands given to us by our parents. We got together and wrote on desks and slept [under stars in the hills or mountains] and slipped through whatever cracks we could find, minds altered, we didn't falter in portraying hysterical and tragic characters in a smog filled universe. We loved the dirty city and the journeys away from it. We had not yet been or seen our friends, selves, chase tails round and round in downward spirals, leaving trail of irretrievable, vital life juice behind. Still, the brothersbloodcomradespartnerfamilycuzz was impenetrable and we lived inside it laughing with no clothes, and everything experimental 'till death was upon us. In our face, mortality. And lots of things seemed futile then, but love and music can save us, and did, while the giant gray monster grew more poisoned and volatile around us, jaws clamping down and spewing ugly sh*taround. Nothing is the same. So we keep moving. We keep moving.....

We went to [Burbank] High School Jumped off buildings into their pools. We'd sit down and grease at [Harry's]. Run like hell they can't catch us. [Just a] boy in L.A. proper. [Just a] boy in L.A. proper. Stealin' anything that we could. Gotta sneak into the [Mondrian]. Gotta peak into the deep good."

**Born and raised in LA listening to N.W.A.**

..."Now what do you think? You think I'm qualified?"

Ask to find out or follow me on Instagram or Tumblr where I offer my curated view into music, art, and fashion happening in Los Angeles at: ER1KN3LSON

I also invite you to check out my website, www.TheTicketStubDiaries.com, where I've set out to single handedily save the ticketing industry. Before I go on, ask yourself if you can look at an old ticket stub or event program or an item you had bought at the merch booth. Can that item bring back memories of the show? Your experience? Who you went with? etc. Well, the ticket stub is the only item that was free. Now let me ask you, have you ever saved the concert barcode print out they give you when you buy online? (This also holds true for other ticket stubs from plane to movie to theatre to comedy show tickets of course. It even holds true for those European Eurorail tickets you may have gotten v. having printed them out. I doubt you saved the paper print out.) So, I ask you, please support hard tickets by uploading photos of ticket stubs from your favorite concert or recent show. Share a story and what the ticket means to you. Stop the practice of print out ticketing. The practice destroys memories.
How else can you help? Well, next time you buy tickets online, request that they have hard tickets for you at Will Call (yes it is almost always an option if you look for it). I promise that the few minutes that you may have to spend in line at the venue is worth the tangible ticket that you can hold and crumble in your pocket. It'll be worth it, because when you get home and toss it in a drawer, you've actually hidden a treasure of memories for yourself to revisit one day later in life. Give it a try. Trust me. It'll add a smile to your life - and isn't that what life is all about?

Teaching people of all ages how to swim competitively and efficiently in the pool or in the ocean. I coached and was a lifeguard from 15-22. Coaching included the public summer teams in Burbank, the private club team in Santa Barbara, and a masters triathlon swim class in Santa Barbara. I really enjoyed it, too bad it really wasn't a feasible career choice for me, but if I could say what the #1 thing that I'm good at is, it would be this.

I'm also really good at talking my way through airport security and check in lines. Fly with me, I'll take care of it.

That I am a confident outgoing individual. Not everyone likes it, but that's just how I am.

Music: Muse, AFI, Jane's Addiction, Thievery Corporation, How to Destroy Angels, King Fantastic, Paradise Lost, UNKLE, Red Hot Chili Peppers, MIA, Mew, dredg, Skrillex, Beats Antique, Jill Scott, Atoms for Peace, Earth, Wind & Fire, The Orb, Tristesse Contemporaine, Sia, Led Zeppelin, Tool, Chain Swangaz, Hard Fi, LL Cool J, Justice, Pink Floyd, The Crystal Method, The Streets, James Brown, Tricky, Soundgarden, Bashy, One Day As A Lion, A Perfect Circle, Public Enemy, RATATAT, The Cure, Run DMC, Paul Oakenfold, Flying Lotus, Filter, Kool Keith, Dr. Octagon, The Roots, Puscifer, Mickey Avalon, The Glitch Mob, Kings of Leon, Judas Priest, Cisco Adler, Pitbull, Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack, Daft Punk, Mr. Muthafuckin' eXquire, Hanni El Kabib, Jack White, Criolo Doido, Danger Mouse, Bassnectar, Frank Fiasko, Maleco Collective, Julia Price, Basement Jaxx, The Toledo Show, Rahkim, Doug E. Fresh, Daft Punk, De La Soul, Does It Offend You Yeah?, The Doors, Ultraísta, Incubus, Radiohead, DJ Shadow, Justice, Hello Stranger, IAMX, Queen, Major Lazer, The Dirty Projectors, Beastie Boys, Deadmau5, Thieves Like Us, Rabbit in the Moon, Bjork, Lil Wayne, The Airborne Toxic Event, Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti, Pet Shop Boys, Necro, Nero, Beck, School of Seven Bells, Ozomatli, Holy F***, Photek, The Psycho Realm, Nightmares on Wax, Soul Kid 1, The Rolling Stones, Rock Kills Kid, MUTEMATH, DJ Dan, Kendrick Lamar, Black Hippy, Bob Schneider, Queens of the Stone Age, Pusha T, A$AP Rocky, Prince, Shwayze, The Nightwatchman, Edit, Prodigy, Plan B, GAYNGS, Tyler the Creator, Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All (OFWGKTA), Fair to Midland, Lana del Ray, Gang Gang Dance, B-Side Players, Massive Attack, BT, Alice in Chains, Chemical Brothers, The Bloody Beetroots, N.W.A, Ella Fitzgerald, White Stripes, MSTRKRFT, Johnny Cash, Joy Division, Nine Inch Nails, Kid Cudi, Cage, Orishas, The Police, Sam Sparro, Moby, Silversun Pickups, Gravediggaz, Rebelution, She Wants Revenge, Saul Williams, Kenna, Kool & the Gang, Mark Farina, mewithoutyou, Wlliam Orbit, Buena Vista Social Club, Sneaker Pimps, Kaiser Chiefs, Propellerheads, Sly and The Family Stone, Schoolboy Q, Kiss the Girl, Diplo, Sonic Youth, Tom Jones, Rage Against The Machine, Talib Kwali, Z-Trip, M83, Wolf Mother, Neon Neon, Knife Party, Machine Gun Kelly, Marilyn Manson, Pancho Sanchez, Kanye West, PJ Harvey, New Order, Atmosphere, System of a Down, The 87 Stick Up Kids, Tori Amos, Yelawolf, Boyz Noise, Linkin Park, Metallica, Terror Danjah, Lords of Acid, Amy Winehouse, Chevelle, arabMUZIK, Taxi Doll, KMFDM, Ambrose, Junkie XL, Cypress Hill, Depeche Mode, Feist, Bonde Do Role, Mötley Crüe, Bloc Party, Bob Marley, Cold War Kids, The Kills, Big Chocolate, Mindless Self Indulgence, Darker My Love, Barrington Levy, Mellowhype, Frank Ocean, Guns N' Roses, The Knife, David Bowie, VHS or Beta, Dido, Kasabian, Lorem Ipsum, Arctic Monkeys, Ben Harper, Cage the Elephant, Girl Talk, Jamiroquai, Audioslave, Morcheeba, Solid Gold, Mos Def, The Rapture, Dub Syndicate, Deftones, Elton John, Skinny Puppy, Lady Sovereign, The Presets, The Black Keys, Blackstar, Notorious B.I.G, Common, Stone Temple Pilots, Bob Dylan, Ladytron, Peaches, Fischerspooner, Benzos, Das Racist, Tinie Tempah, MGMT, Dirt Nasty, Cold Cave, The Used, Eagles of Death Metal, Pink Floyd, Ministry, Black Mountain, Velvet Revolver, The Velvet Underground, The Ohio Players, Tupac, 30 Seconds to Mars, Bela Fleck, Nirvana, Bad Brains, Blind Melon, Spank Rock, Crookers, Shiny Toy Guns, Lisa D'Amato, Iggy Azalea, Orbital, Kano, Dawn Of Ashes, DJ Spider, The Raveonettes, Kidkanevil, Sola Rosa, Thenewno2, Sublime, Stereolab, A-Trak, DJ Krush, Afrojack, The Boxer Rebellion, Foreign Beggars, Wu-Tang Clan, Chromeo, The War Artists, Kill The Noise, Jethro Tull, Phoenix, Death Cab for Cutie, Cut Copy, Foster the People, Duran Duran, Get Busy Committee, Lady of Rage, Groove Armada, Interpol, Iron and Wine, Jay-Z, Miike Snow, Beck, Nicki Minaj, Raphael Saadiq, The New Pornographers, RJD2, Omar Rodriguez Lopez, Sandra Collins, Freestyle Fellowship, Modeselektor, The Radio Dept., Santigold, Poolside, Hodgy Beats, Scissor Sisters, Swizz Beats, A Tribe Called Quest, Warpaint, The xx, Air, and Zero 7... to name just a few off the top of my head.

Pour one out for my homies: Shannon Hoon, Layne Staley, Kurt Cobain, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Jimmy Hendrix, Michael Jackson, Bradley Nowell, Keith Moon, James Honeyman-Scott and Pete Farndon of the Pretenders, Jim Morrison, Jon Bonham, Sid Vicious, Howie Epstein, Tim Buckley, Dee Dee Ramone, Dwayne Goettel, Paul Gray, Janis Joplin, Michael Hutchence, Amy Winehouse, Zac Foley, and a friend and colleague to many of us, Adam Goldstein (DJ AM).

Art: Salvador Dalí, Andy Warhol, Dave Kinsey, Daniel Maltzman, James Roper, Jillian Kogan, Emek Ecks, Brin Levinson, Rembrandt, Todd Slater, Bill Callahan, Jermaine Rogers, K3N, Derek Hess, Sarah Joncas, Ralph Steadman, Justin Kamerer, Alex Grey, Dan Stiles, Mimi Yoon, David Askill. [Graffiti]: Banksy, Louis Carreon, Mr. Brainwash, Shepard Fairey, RETNA, Roadsworth, ROA. Mat Benote. [Photography]: Tim Bret-Day, Peter Eaton Gurnz, Rob Sheridan, Adam Jones (of Tool), Patrick Bentley (Denmark), Rob Sheridan, Fiona Garden, Ben Cope, Norman Seeff, Dirk Mai, Tyler Shields. [Tattoo]: Derrek Everette, Mark Mahoney, John Hart. [Design]: Phillipe Starck, Ian Schraeger, Damian Hirst. [Short Form Music Video and Feature Film Directors]: Spike Jonze, Darren Aronsofsky, Mark Romanek, Michel Gondry, kRob Zombie, Aggressive (Alex Topaller and Daniel Shapiro), Spike Lee, Nicholaus Goossen, Paris Barclay, Matt Alonzo, Tim Burton, Martin Scorsese, Chris Cunningham, Gus Van Sant, Stanley Kubrick, Anton Corbijn, Jason Goldwatch, Kathryn Bigelow, James Cameron, Woody Allen, Guy Richie, Paul Thomas Anderson, Daniel Garcia, Sam Mendes, Lasse Hallström, David Fincher, Stéphane Sednaoui, Jonathan Glazer, Hype Williams, Sofia Coppola, Shawn Foster, Antoine Fuqua, Keith Schofield, Kevin Kerslake, Ruben Fleischer, Romain Gavras

Food: I am a guy. I eat food.

I Rock This Fashion: Alexander McQueen, Diesel, Mark Nason, ksubi, John Varvatos, Tevin Vincent, Chrome Hearts, Dior Homme, Skin.Graft, Paul Smith, Civil, Genetic Denim, Yohji Yamamoto, ALLSAINTS, Future Heretics, Yves Saint Laurent, Fendi, Ermenegildo Zegna, Neuw, Robert Anthony Designs, Lacoste, Salvatore Ferragamo, Rock & Republic, Louis Vuitton, Sabre, Richard X, Surface to Air, U.N.I.F., Thiery Mugler by Nicola Formichetti

You Rock That Fashion: Nicholas Kirkwood, Aida Bergsen, Dimepiece, Agent Provocateur, Alexander Wang, Bordelle, Hudson Jeans, Fleur of England, Rock Angel, Amir Slama, Paper Denim, Mandy Coon, Christopher Kane, Rebecca Minkoff, U.N.I.F., American Gold, Christian Louboutin, Sideshow by the Sea, modekungen, Jenna Leigh, KIDVISKOUS, Jonathan Aston, Mark Fast, Alexandra Jefford, Elaine Kim, Isabelle Marant, Victoria's Secret, Versace, Rag and Bone, Fantasie, Chanel, Araks, True Religion Denim, Freya, American Apparel, Yotam Solomon, Damaris, A(R)MOR, Citizens of Humanity, Rodarte, Blank Denim, Hanky Panky, Borgioni, Golden Rule LA, Young Inspired & Proper, Arik Kastan, Raquel Allegra, I.D. Sarrieri, martinMARTIN, Oscar de la Renta, Chip and Pepper, Carine Gilson, Suicide Girls, Valentino, Princesse Tam.Tam, Chaser LA, Wacoal, Jean Yu, La Perla, Leviticus, Tavik Swimwear, Toxic Vision, INTIMISSIMI, c.r.a.f.t. denim, Crumpet, Valisere, Enza Costa

Books: Presidential Biographies and Other Political Non-Fiction, Dr. Seuss

Movies (a rare opportunity): Requiem for a Dream, Casino, 54, Mighty Aphrodite, Boondock Saints, Shrek, Finding Neverland, Point Break, The Departed, City of God, Crash, Tommy Boy, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Blow, Pulp Fiction, The Basketball Diaries, Goodfellas, Taxi Driver, Almost Famous, Snatch, Scarface, Reservoir Dogs, Trainspotting, Any Given Sunday, 25th Hour, Dazed and Confused, Mulholland Drive, Old School, Y Tu Mama Tambien, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Wayne's World, Spun, Up in Smoke, A Clockwork Orange, Lock Stock and 2 Smoking Barrels, Sexy Beast, Boogie Nights, Amores Perros, Pirates of the Caribbean, Inception, Valley of the Dolls, The French Connection, A Prophet, Let the Right One In, Walk the Line, Drugstore Cowboy, Oldboy, Traffic, New Jack City, Apocalypse Now, From Paris with Love, The Godfather II, Kids, Liquid Sky, Magnolia, Boyz in da Hood, Natural Born Killers, Rush, Training Day, Wonderland

(Kill your) TV: Breaking Bad, Californication, Dexter, AC 360, Daily Show w/ Jon Stewart

Dog.

Jumping out of perfectly good airplanes.

"The world is like a ride in an amusement park. And when you choose to go on it you think it's real because that's how powerful our minds are. And the ride goes up and down and round and round. It has thrills and chills and it's very brightly coloured and it's very loud and it's fun, for a while. Some people have been on the ride for a long time and they begin to question: "Is this real, or is this just a ride?" And other people have remembered, and they come back to us, they say, "Hey, don't worry, don't be afraid, ever, because this is just a ride." And we kill those people." - R.I.P. Bill Hicks

Avoiding the Bridge and Tunnel kids.

I come from outer space. Just waiting to go back home.

I know where Tupac is.

You're looking for mental, physical, and emotional stimulation about 3-4 times a week.

Or if you don't know what to say, send me a list of the Top 5-10 tracks, albums, or artists that you just couldn't live without.