Todd Telford

I wear too many hats, but I'm not willing to give any of them up. I call my musical persona Improbable Todd, and that notion carries over throughout my other main creative pursuits.

I'm a political activist, a pragmatic progressive who is trying to counter right-wing messaging on the streets through something I call miniprotesting. It takes the "Burma Shave" approach to curbside activism, displaying running messages across three consecutive street corners. As a writer and a songwriter, my mind loves words that play off each other, and in the context of politics that means slogans that stick like "Speaker Boehner Thinks GOP = FFF: Freedom From Facts" and "Today's GOP Leaders Pious With a Corporate Bias."

A short story of mine, "A Fairy Tale for Lefties," set in a 2022 classroom, left me with plenty of ideas for improving America's future like the "1000 Families" top tax tier of 72% for those that make more than $35 million per year. Also from those origins came the concept of Socio-capitalism, where companies grossing over $400 million per year have their corporate tax rates from 38% to 14% depending on their SPI: Society Partner Index. These tax rates are inversely proportional to the level of benefit a large corporation has on their workers, the environment, and society at large. CEO and board member salaries are also subject to restrictions based on the SPI. This harnesses greed for good; the more benevolent the impact that a CEO oversees, the more money he can make.

In the frustrating world of the GOP going off the rails to stomp America's future for their perceived political gain, I've chosen to fling all my creativity at the wall of disinformation. From this came my song, "No CEO Left Behind," assorted animation videos, more short stories, and a political thriller based on the Bush years.

Musically, I've always been fond of progressive rock from the '70s. Bands like Genesis when Peter Gabriel was at the helm, ELP, Yes, and King Crimson have formed my musical sensibilities. My songs often are based on fingerpicking on a 12-string Ovation, so they have a different sound and feel than most. I also love the ambient side, a carryover from my delight in the delicate approach of Brian Eno and Robert Fripp.

I've been drawn to auto racing since is was 5. Over 30 years ago I started to write about it and shoot pictures. That continues today with features in the Marin Independent Journal.