Today's guest on the Small World is singer/songwriter Michael Hayes. I met Michael back when we both worked in the design team producing presentations for an investment company. Looking back, that team was the best group of people I've ever worked with. We were a tight knit group not only because each person's strengths made up for another person's weaknesses but because we all really liked each other and hung out with each other outside of work. As you might imagine, because we were the design team we were all very creative people. Some of us were DJs, some of us were actors and some of us, like Michael, were musicians. Since then we've gone different directions with our lives and careers and moved to different locations around the country and around the globe. Michael has been in several bands such as the Vinyl Skyway and Lemonpeeler and released several albums and recently put out a 22 song retrospective album called Diamonds Down the Drain. When I found out about Michael's retrospective album I wanted to have him on the show not just as an excuse to catch up with him but also because the idea of a retrospective album intrigued me. A retrospective album by its very nature means looking back on his career as a musician and acts as a kind of summation of who he is as an artist today. And, of course, Michael's past is going to inform his future in many different ways. Like most musicians Michael has a day job. He's also a husband and a father of two children. How does that influence how he sees the world and by extension, the songs he writes? And on a personal note I wanted to talk to Michael about his experiences because as I get older I can't help but reflect on my own life. What have I done? Where am I going? What is the meaning of my life? These are universal questions we all ask ourselves at various points in our lives. Neither of us have any answers but it's good to talk about these things. It was great to talk with Michael and I know you will enjoy his music. See you in two weeks! Songs featured on today's show are: "Hangin' On" "Rich Blood" "Symphony"