Kaj started playing guitar when he was 13 years old and was picked up by a punk band named, Social Immunity that same year. This turned out to be the "101" in music, Kaj needed to get a handle on playing and writing music in a band.

After 3 years of punk and metal bands he put down the guitar and didn't pick it up again until he was 20 years old when he met he met his then girlfriend's brother, aspiring drummer Graham Whyte. Along with long time friend and bassist, Jason Hilstob, they formed a three piece band, The Chrome Ensemble... which was later shortened to, Crome. This band went on to earn them a small but needed reputation, locally, for delivering a solid fun show with some good stuff to get the crowd going. It was time to record a demo. Crome was ready and they promptly booked time scraping their pockets and knowing that KD and Ichiban were most likely going to be prominent dinner choices. They recorded and "Demolisten" was created and remained Cromes demo all the way through to, Shifter.

After a few years, Crome was in desperate need of lead guitar to fill the void they craved. In steps Tyler a very talented guitarist that took, Crome, to the next level of writing. The new sound called for a new name and Shifter was born, or at least conceived.

When Graham took a year to get his trucking business off the ground the rest of the band slowly but surely fell apart after many failed attempts to fill the rhythm section.

Graham returned one year later with a fire that is yet to be extinguished. With only the two original members back in the game, Kaj and Graham, again a lead guitarist was needed along with bass. Ryan Cournoyer filled the much needed lead guitar gap and blew the band away with his playing. Ryan then called his cousin, Todd Hollett... a kickass rock bassist, and Shifter was back on track. After dozens of shows that seemed to go nowhere, Kaj decided he needed to recharge and moved to Taiwan for what was supposed to be six months.

There he met a group of very talented musicians in the Chinese classical circle. He met, Li at his guitar store and played a few heavier originals for him in his basement studio. Li sizzled some of his classical genius along with, Kaj. A musical love affair was born. Li, invited some of his friends and formed a seven piece acoustic band that played in clubs and pubs in the larger cities. After almost 4 years it was time to get back to Canada to try and rekindle the band.

Kaj, then met family friend, Greg "Joe" Kedward, who was in the middle of a documentary on the pot industry in BC... cleverly named: TRIP The BC Bud Chronicles. Kaj gave him the "Demolisten" CD...