(Abstracted moon scene) (My room) (Cyclops, R. Brosh album)
Hello All! Things have been quite interesting, wild, exciting, and turbulent recently- mostly due to Hurricane Irene's punishing rain that flooded my mother's house and the entire town of Denville. I went out to New Jersey for the weekend, and I got an eyeful of some wild scenes: dull fire alarms sounding off everywhere, army trucks plowing through water-ridden highways, and backstreets that became rogue rivers of fury. For those who were nonplussed about the effects of the Irene- it really WAS bad, just not so much in NYC. But everything is slowly returning back to normal, and her house will be fine. With the cool autumn air and dimming light will come some necessary repairs.
In brighter news, I should now inform you that I have a gig at The Waltz-Astoria on October 8th at 8PM. I have some things in the works for this- newer songs, newer (old) songs, and even a collaboration with a certain Libr(o) friend whose birthday will fall the date of the gig. I also played my show at Caffe Vivaldi last week, which was a relatively quiet affair. (Thanks to those who made it out!) Like The Waltz-Astoria, Caffe Vivaldi is a really great place to play because it feels so artist-oriented and not like a bar that incidentally has music going on. I also played an older-newer song of mine called "On the Vine," one my favorites that I've written. I remember it coming in a flash one Saturday afternoon. I have also been writing some new ones:
My notebook/songwriting journal has been rather active recently- and it also doubles as sketch pad- maybe I'll get the urge to do some drawing?!! (Hint: See Cyclops Man at top of post (the drawing to the right is a print by Seurat)). At this point, I want to get visual in terms of my music- in the future I want to have specific kinds of lighting, clothing, dressing, and visual effects to go along with my music. I can have rather theatrical imaginings sometimes, and I want to incorporate that into shows in the future. I've been reading, songwriting, and taking account of everything I've done so that I can progress from here.
In terms of the past decade (starting particularly with 9-11) it seems as though our threshold for shock and the surreal has been raised dramatically. I've become accustomed to the mysterious and disbelief. On the other side of that, I feel like this is also a time for new conceptions, new ideas, innovation, and new kinds of music/creativity. In short, it feels like anything is possible. What was before a far-fetched idea now seems possible. Words I think of now for current times: extreme, difficult, unpredictable, unprecedented, unique, transitional, revelatory, but ultimately extraordinary. So for now, I continue to write in my room, seeking to amass loose ends towards a purposeful vision. I'll contine to write songs and sing in the night and day, to an audience or to the lonely echo of my stair hall. Increasingly, as I think about the possibilities for music and communication under a spotlight, it feels so real, vivid, and close. And- don't count any idea or outcome out - it seems relevant to the times to say that anything is possible.
-Forever