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4 minute read
Toby Morse Positive Impact
from 5to9zine issue 2
by 5to9zine
Interview by ChrisRWK (Robots Will Kill) Photos courtesy of One Life One Chance
Toby Morse is a founding member and the lead vocalist for the band H2O. In addtion to touring the world with his band, Toby also founded the nonprofit organization One Life One Chance to visit schools at which he speaks to students in order to inspire youth to make healthy life choices, maintain a Positive Mental Attidute (PMA), be themselves, and to avoid peer pressure. He also runs an online merch store with positive merch related to the One Life One Chance message. We caught up with Toby and this is what he had to say.
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How did you get into doing your day job? Just started making merch around my OLOC Movement. My merchandise business has grown tremdously in the past nine years, I’m very lucky. One limited release per month all year round.
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Can you tell me a little about what your day job is? Online merch store owner, designer and distributor!
What’s your side project? I do my band H2O and I speak at schools both of together them equal a full-time job.
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Can you explain the One Life One Chance program? Inspiring the youth to make smart healthy life choices! Be leaders not followers.
How much of your day job crosses over into your side project? OLOC, h2omerch and H2O are all blended together and balance everything.
Your side project has a lot of passion behind it and an extremely positive message. Your talks at schools look like a great way to reach the youth. Is this something you had when you were a kid or is that one of the reasons you started it? I had D.A.R.E. and it was so different. I’m not speaking from drug experience at all. People usually have been through hell and back on drugs that talk at schools. My approach is prevention not intervention. Breaking stereotypes of tattooed musicians, etc.
You’ve toured all over the world with H2O, have you done any talks in some of the countries you’ve toured in? If so which and what was one that you felt made a big impact. If not is that something
you would like to do in the future? I wish! I get offers all the time but nothing ever pans out because of financing to get me there. Love to do it anytime I can though. Touring in the summers and speaking during the year at schools around the U.S.
Your music has a very strong positive message also. One Life One Chance is even the name of one of your songs. Do you feel like your music is the equivalent
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photo by Carl Fleischer
Its real. It’s just me. No smoke and mirrors, no judgment or preachiness. Just telling my story to them honestly. Just like H2O sings about for over 20 years.
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for adults to the talks you do in schools? Yes. I feel like my story along with my powerpoint connects perfectly. It’s a different approach. Its real. It’s just me. No smoke and mirrors, no judgment or preachiness. Just telling my story to them honestly. Just like H2O sings about for over 20 years.
How can people contact you for either your day job or your side project? info@onelifeonechance.com or www.h2omerch.com
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