What a wonderful opportunity for me to introduce myself. My name is Chad Hamlin, I created Fur Roach Music while incarcerated at the Oregon State Penitentiary. It was through this company that I released my two recording projects, element66 and LooNurGooSe.

Thanks to friends and family, I’m able to get these projects out to the world for you to experience. Releasing all of this music wouldn’t have been possible without my family’s loving support. My cousin has generously devoted hundreds of hours helping me create this website, and he is continuously updating it with new material from Fur Roach Music.

Below is a little about me and what life behind these prison walls has been like. I’ve achieved many things over the years by striving to live as ambitiously as possible, all while being trapped behind these prison walls.

I was allowed by the Prison Administration to buy music production equipment to write and record music from my cell. Everything released by element66 and LooNurGooSe was recorded and produced at the Oregon State Penitentiary. Under these circumstances, I feel very fortunate and I’m extremely thankful for this amazing opportunity.

I came to prison when I was 25 years old. I have a life sentence, but I do have an opportunity to see the parole board after 25 years. With any luck I’ll be granted parole in 2025. The Oregon State Penitentiary has been my home for over two decades. I’ve been incarcerated since June of 2000. Despite these drab 30-foot concrete walls that surround me, I still continue to contribute to the world that I once knew. All thanks to music.

I had no criminal history until June 11th of 2000, that’s when I selfishly took the life of my best friend. On that tragic day I made the worst choice imaginable. As a consequence of my poor decision, I’ll forever be branded as a murderer. As long as I live I’ll be haunted by what I did. Every waking moment filled with memories that I wish I could wash away from my mind. I’m screaming inside, “WHAT DID I DO!” The hurt ate away at the core of my being and caused a void that I thought I would never be able to repair. There is so much regret and remorse within me and I’m ashamed of the suffering I’ve inflicted. This nightmare has suffocated me for all the pain that I’ve caused others. No matter how many times I say “I’m sorry”, it won’t change what I did. However, this story is not about my mistakes or regrets, the focus here is about seeking redemption and healing through the power of music.

I’ve been a devoted musician from the age of 18 when I was playing in alternative rock bands, back in Paris, Texas. From 1998-2000 I lived in Eugene, Oregon and I stayed as saturated as I could in as many recording projects as possible. I had pieced together my own recording studio and had put myself to work as a sound engineer/producer.

While attending Lane Community College, I developed my own creative style and techniques in audio production as I learned to dial in the skills required to become a sound engineer. I craved the knowledge needed to go further in the music industry. Although I was on the right path, things have a funny way of working out.

Those who know me say I’m artsy. Some even say eccentric. Maybe that’s because people find it peculiar that I can see sound as color in my mind. As an artist, I consider myself an audio painter. And for as long as I can remember I’ve loved experimenting with extremely bizarre and abstract sounds. I’m continuously looking for new ways to fill my canvas with unique audio textures. Emotions also create color, and the trick is to layer all the colors together into a song.

While working with bands, I always seem to take on the role of producer and bass player. I truly enjoy the energy I get while engineering and producing. Low resonating bass tones and hypnotic melodies have always spoken to me, and that’s why bass guitar has always been my instrument of choice. Writing music is only the first phase of my creative process, followed by experimental studio production. Traversing deep into the mix is my way of relaxation, a type of meditation that smoothes out the edges of this distorted existence.

It seems a life as a recording artist as well as a producer was to be my destined profession after all, but it was going to have to happen from within the Oregon Prison System at the Oregon State Penitentiary.

25 to life in prison. It gives me plenty of time to reflect and think about all the, ‘what ifs’ and ‘should have beens.’

Without goals to occupy your time in prison the mind can weaken, breeding negative thoughts, allowing questions to seep in from that unwanted voice that echoes: “Why even bother going on with life.” The thoughts of ending myself have crept in and plagued me from time to time, I’ll admit that, but that type of cowardly thinking of taking the easy way out is never the answer. Facing the guilt of what’s been done is extremely devastating. It’s been very difficult to come to terms with my actions and how horribly they have affected so many people that I love so dearly. My wife, she was my high school sweetheart and the best friend I ever had. She was the love of my world and now she’s gone and it’s my fault. Taking a life is something that I thought I was incapable of, and to my horror I found out otherwise. I think about the tragedy I caused and it sickens me. That sadness creates a focus in me that burns brighter than the sun; I direct that energy into composing music, songwriting, and audio production. I’m grateful to have the abilities to tap into music and use it as an outlet to express myself.

I had to find a way to emotionally cope with what I did by finding a healthy mechanism to let go of the punishment that I continued to torture myself with on a day-to-day basis. If I couldn’t even forgive myself, then how could I hope that anyone would be able to forgive me? It is this kind of deep thinking that I often meditate upon while composing.

Rediscovering who I was before my life had fallen apart wasn’t an easy task, but my purpose came back to me while picking up a bass guitar a year after being locked up. It didn’t take long before I was writing music again. My creative muse has been extremely bountiful, with an overflowing amount of ideas that never seem to end.

In 2003 I found myself working in the prison music program as the Roadie School Music Program Director. I was the youngest inmate ever appointed to this position. My background in audio production had landed me an interesting career in the music program of the prison. Teaching guys how to setup and stage all the equipment for live bands to perform was a great experience. The knowledge taught through the Roadie School program was sound reinforcement and audio engineering for live outdoor events. This program was made up of 34 other inmates and myself. One of the responsibilities of my job was to book local bands from here in Oregon, although I also brought in a few bands from Washington, Idaho, and California. The O.S.P. Roadie Crew organized and set up these concerts for the outdoor stage on the main yard. These performances provided entertainment for the entire institution. Approximately 2000 inmates could go out and enjoy these events. This program was an opportunity for me to teach the art of live sound application and hone in my skills as an educator.

Currently, I’m teaching a music theory class that has expanded and developed into a fulltime job. With each student I teach, I try to impart a lasting impression of the power of music. Getting to know each student and their skill set, whether they be brand new to music or someone that just wants to learn how to sight read the Grand Staff for piano, I always find myself intrigued as I watch them have their light bulb moments. The Introduction to Music Theory Course I teach is 20 weeks long. Most of the students graduate to the Advanced Music Theory Course, which is another 20 weeks long. Making a difference in the lives of others continues to give me satisfaction and hope. Sometimes I need that reassurance to keep me grounded.

Witnessing the change in the students as they develop their newly discovered skills always has me astounded. I’m constantly reminded of the importance of music and the impact it makes as it affects everyone involved.

How many other prisoners have suffered by the tortures of their crimes? Continually looping over and over again in their minds, the ever-present reminders of the horrible choices they have made in their lives. But now thanks to music many of them have finally discovered a creative outlet to help cope with the intense stresses of prison life. The calmness produced from being in the present, while formulating and writing music has a positive result on the mind. I know composing has helped me by keeping my mind filled with thoughts of bringing something new to life to share with others. This productive focus can bring about a change in one’s demeanor and attitude.

Developing new skills while incarcerated is vital to the rehabilitation process. When life goes stale with no new information cycling into the brain it can become dark and depressing. Learning to tap into the creative juices as a musician and songwriter opens up a whole new world of possibilities. Guys getting out can take what they’ve learned and create a truly unique positive story. The knowledge expressed as emotional information through songwriting is a craft that will last forever. Something good can come from this prison experience, and it can be shared with family and friends.

I’ve received letters from some of the graduate students that have been released thanking me for my patience and the opportunity for the experience of the Music Theory courses. It’s rewarding to know how much the music seminars meant to them, and a few even confessed that they never thought they had what it took or the talent to play an instrument, but they stayed devoted to learning, and it paid off. Some of them have told me how they are now sharing the skills and knowledge with their children. It gives me great pride each time I hear a story like that and I can’t help but to smile thinking about the impact of this program.

The Seminars and Programs I teach include:

The Introduction to Music Theory, which consists of: Site reading, chord building on guitar and piano, formulating the Major and minor scales, building triads, understanding intervals, transposing key signatures, relating to the circle of fifths and translating sharps and flats to the relative Major and minor scales.

The Advanced Music Theory and Audio Production Seminars consists of: Song writing techniques and arranging, composing symphony music, digital MIDI sequencing, composing techniques in musical scoring for film, multi-tracking, and complex and exotic scales and modes.

The students are afforded the opportunity within the curriculum to receive Guitar and Bass guitar lessons to accompany the book studies. When teaching guitar and bass lessons as a one on one private session, it gives me an opportunity to help strengthen each student’s individual needs.

Witnessing the level of confidence gained as the students acquire the power of innovative skills through music has been absolutely rewarding. With this newfound dedication comes an intense focus that carries an optimistic and positive impact on the attitude. This devotion can be applied to all walks of life.

I strongly believe recording music to send home to family and friends is important because in doing so the human connection can be maintained and guys don’t just get viewed as stagnant lost souls behind concrete walls. I helped develop a proposal that led to the approval for recording sessions, allowing audio and video performances to be sent out to family and friends. This is something that many men here at OSP take advantage of as a way to maintain and strengthen family bonds.

I would have to say my biggest accomplishment within the prison system to date was the 6-year battle to get the electric guitars sold statewide as a canteen item. This task almost broke my spirit trying to get the approval. The challenge was getting every prison in the State of Oregon to agree to sell electric instruments. It had felt like an uphill battle the entire way with security roadblocks around ever corner. After writing way to many letters to count and revising the proposal for what seemed like 100 different versions, finally in late 2009 we achieved what we set out to do, we received the approval for electric guitars, bass guitars, and portable keyboards to be sold in every prison in Oregon. Since then the electronic guitars have sold really well and have become a hugely successful item. It is truly important for guys to own personal instruments, so that they can work on practicing their musical craft in their cells and, just as importantly, to be able to have jam sessions with their friends on the yard.

Sometimes with good deeds you get great rewards. I was afforded a wonderful privilege when I was approved to purchase at my own expense some music equipment and recording gear to keep in my cell as a way of positive reinforcement for the productive programs I had helped create and develop. These opportunities led to the creation of my two recording projects, ‘LooNurGooSe’ (pronounced Lunar Goose), and ‘element66.’ Both recording projects have grown into something much bigger than I could have ever expected all thanks to the help of family and friends promoting the music through the social media.

Incarceration; I thought it would be the death of me as a recording artist, but truly it was only just the beginning of a twist of fate that has led to other opportunities. And now I’m not only making an impact on others here in the prison, but I’m also drawing the attention of others all around the world as well. Music has a powerful influence on bringing people together.

This has truly been a long strange journey behind these walls, but I feel that I’ve helped create a constructive environment that has made a real difference for so many other fellow prisoners looking for a way to find something good out of a bad, self inflicted situation. In fact, music is a wonderful way for people to expand outside themselves and grow as a Human Being.

Even in the world behind prison walls one can find a smile hiding in the form of a simple musical melody.

Chad Hamlin #13797689
2605 State Street
Salem, OR. 97310