We recently had the chance to connect with Jay Reiter and have shared our conversation below.
Jay, a huge thanks to you for investing the time to share your wisdom with those who are seeking it. We think it’s so important for us to share stories with our neighbors, friends and community because knowledge multiples when we share with each other. Let’s jump in: Have you stood up for someone when it cost you something?
Well, this is a difficult topic to discuss as it’s very personal and somewhat tragic. I was dating a lady named Pam. I let her move into my home in an attempt to both help her out, and cut a few bills down on my end. Things went rocky quickly as she started bringing drugs into my home and started acting erratically towards me. She would take things that didn’t belong to her, like my car for example, and just use things without asking. Pam was only living with me for a few months. It was a fresh relationship, not a well worn in “we really know each other” close one. I’ll admit me letting her move in with how fresh the relationship was probably was a dumb move on my part. I felt like Pam wasn’t respectful of me at all, especially when I specifically told her illegal drugs are a no-no in my home, yet she produced a bag of meth one day asking if I wanted any. I should have called the cops immediately looking back on it, but I’m not a “cop caller.” I’m of the opinion that police escalate problems, they rarely solve problems. Especially in Wisconsin. One day I woke up to my car being gone along with about $200 of mine. Again, I should have called the police at that point. Instead I waited for her to come home, hoping she’d have a good reason for taking my stuff. She did eventually come home. Her excuse was that she wanted to go shopping. To top things off, she was in a bad mood and started yelling at me for not immediately helping her to bring her shopping goods that she just bought with my money into the home. She started acting violent and erratic. In order to protect myself and my belongings, I escorted Pam out of my home immediately, and locked the door. About ten minutes later, Pam knocked at my door asking if she could come back into the home to grab a few personal items. She had apparently phoned a relative to pick her up and let her spend the night there at their home. I told her as long as she acted like a decent adult, then yes she could come into the home to grab a few items. I had a suspicion, however, about Pam’s motives, so I used the audio recording app on my phone to record whatever went on in the home while Pam was in it. While in the home, Pam and I discussed several things. Apparently Pam was drunk as well, adding to her erratic behavior earlier. After about twenty four minutes of Pam collecting a few items and talking to me, her relation came to pick her up. Pam left, and I thought everything was done and over with. Less than an hour later I was arrested by three local sheriffs and charged with Strangulation/Suffocation, Battery, and Disorderly Conduct. This was, of course, absurd. I told the sheriffs that I had proof that Pam was lying. They didn’t care. This case went on for over two years. The district attorney’s office was extremely difficult to deal with. No one seemed to care about the truth. This was a terribly frustrating experience. Finally, once we were getting closer to the trial date, the DA learned that I was planning on entering the audio recording into evidence. They made a motion to attempt to block this evidence from going to trial. Their excuse was ridiculous. The judge thought so too, as they allowed the evidence into the trial. Furthermore, the judge was frustrated that this whole ordeal was taking as long as it was. She (the judge) admonished the DA’s office telling them that if this case actually goes to trial and if they (the DA) drops the charges in the middle of trial, that they (the DA) would be responsible for paying the jury for a two day trial. This happened on the Thursday before Easter of this year. That following Monday my attorney contacted me letting me know that the DA had dropped all charges pertaining to this case. I’m now suing both the sheriff’s department and the district attorney’s office for malicious prosecution. I also wrote a song about it, which is due to be released August 9th of this year. The song is called “House of Strangulation.” I use samples from the audio recording that saved me in the song. My band Skull Fuckers Incorporated is releasing the song on the album of the same name from Satyrn Studios again on August 9th.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m a professional artist. I write, draw, color comics, I’m a film maker, and a musician. I run Satyrn Studios, an entertainment media company, which is how I distribute my work. I’m in two bands – Skull Fuckers Incorporated and Skrog. Both would be classified as “industrial metal.” I’m also putting the finishing touches on a new feature length motion picture called “The Telemarketer – Director’s Cut.” The film is a romantic comedy about friendship, love, loss, and heartache… And of course telemarketing. The film is set to premiere in Eau Claire, Wisconsin Halloween night of this year. I am also submitting the film into several film festivals, the biggest being the Sundance Film Festival in Utah. I’m looking at South By Southwest as well. After the film has made its festival circuit I’m hoping to bring the film to different cities and states and show it.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
I was fourteen years old and I got maliciously attacked and beaten by an older kid. My nose was broken and a tooth got damaged beyond repair. That was the moment I realized the world is a harsh and cruel place and the only person I can rely on to protect myself is me.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Sure. The two years of court nonsense in the strangulation case I mentioned earlier. During that two years my dad died, my grandmother died, my dog died, and a lot of other really bad shit was going on in my world. I didn’t see an end. Nothing seemed to matter. No matter how much good I put into the universe, everything I got back was shit. Fortunately, the case was eventually dropped, I’m now ready to release a new album and a new feature length film, and hopefully things will start to iron out in my favor. My dating life, however, is permanently damaged beyond repair. I think I’ll stay single the rest of my life. 🙂
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. Is the public version of you the real you?
I’m an open book. I don’t hide who I am, what I think, or how I do. I may wear some makeup and look a bit crazy in some of my music videos, but other than that I’m as genuine a person as it gets. Both in the public sphere and the private sector.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. If immortality were real, what would you build?
Dear God, no. I don’t want immortality to be real. I certainly don’t want to live forever on this horrible chunk of rock. I wouldn’t build anything. I’d look for an escape.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.satyrnstudios.com (currently under construction – should be complete in September)
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/satyrnstudios; www.facebook.com/sfincorporated
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@satyrnstudios
- Other: https://skullfuckersincorporated.bandcamp.com/album/first-penetration
Image Credits
All images by me. Jay Reiter.
