Daniel Carson was one of the first two in Velvet Butterfly. he along with Russell started the band in Feburary/March 1999. He met Russell at the Oz Rock Music Academy earlier that year. He was placed as a rythmn guitarist in the academy in the comprised band along Russell as the singer. They were relegated to playing solid Pearl Jam songs until they were instructed to write originals.

From here Dan and Russ wrote a couple of tunes that were destroyed by the teachers. The guitarist and singer went their own way and wrote In Shadows, Alone, Cold Innocence and Unspoken as the two of them.