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It鈥檚 been a tough slog for Ross Neilsen鈥攁 really tough slog, actually. But the way the blues rocker talks about his career鈥攚ith an almost jovial matter-of-factness鈥攊t鈥檚 easy to forget that.

It begins with his old band, Naked Days, poised to release its first EP.

In 2004, just as the Fredericton four-piece was gaining steam, lead singer and songwriter Randy Cable got cancer, 鈥渁nd got it in a real bad way,鈥� Neilsen explained.

Cable passed away shortly after his diagnosis, but Neilsen still needed an outlet, 鈥渂ecause music is my therapy, or whatever,鈥� he said.

Just as he can casually recall the lead singer of his band dying from cancer, so to can he downplay a dramatic statement about music as an outlet.

But that doesn鈥檛 mean Neilsen isn鈥檛 a guy with some deep feelings. When asked to elaborate about that 鈥渢herapy,鈥� he digs a little deeper.

鈥淚 think for a lot of people in the world music is a therapy and helps us through good and bad times. For me performing live is really what I live for. It kind of lets me get out some emotions that I would have a hard time getting out just in every day life.

鈥淚 always feel the best when I鈥檓 performing鈥攑laying the guitar live in front of people.鈥�

That is exactly what he did to cope while Cable underwent treatment. As his band mate was loosing his battle with cancer, Neilsen began playing solo blues shows, and in 2005 released his first record.

Two years later, he broke up with his girlfriend and moved out of his house, beginning an 18-month stint of sleeping on friends鈥� couches and a mattress in the back of his van.

鈥淚t was better than it sounded,鈥� he said with almost comical matter-of-factness. 鈥淏ecause you get a lot of pity; people are like 鈥榦h, you poor thing you don鈥檛 have anywhere to live.鈥� But I鈥檓 really lucky to have a lot of really wonderful friends throughout the country, so I always had a place to stay.鈥�

He even managed to shack up with the occasional girlfriend. Talking about his ability to find romantic success while homeless was one of the few times he broke out of his shell.

鈥淭he power of guitar,鈥� he said with a chuckle.

But that time living on the road was actually very important for him. He worked hard, and was willing to make sacrifices to establish himself in the music scene.

He even came close to losing a long-time friend, when his bass player quit the band and left on very bad terms. They鈥檝e reconciled now, and Neilsen, who said he鈥檚 had an amazing seven years since he lived out of his van, feels blessed to be considered a peer to many of the greats he once looked up to as a mere fan.

Since 2008 he鈥檚 been on 15 cross-country tours, and has been nominated for a slew of blues awards. He no longer lives in his van, but to hear him tell it, he鈥檚 working just as hard as when he did.

Trevor Nichols
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