Unless you've been reading this, or this, or this, or listening to this, I haven't been putting much out there lately.
It's been a weird year. Been a spate of those recently. But this year especially, articulating my life to myself has been difficult. Figuring out how to show it to others? Impossible. So any kind of writing of a...personal nature, let's call it?...gets locked down as soon as it's produced. To the average observer, I've been piping my diary into dev/null.
Every so often though, it's nice to fire up the skywriter and spell it out in long, graceful arcs. Given the weather lately, I figured I should take any clear day opportunities and make the most of them.
Most of my free time over the past six/seven months has been devoted to one of the following projects:
1) The Psychotronics.
A destructive instrumental surf band devised and birthed by documentarian Jeff Myers, he of past projects like The Christmas Belles and Desperado. We take our first real steps on September 30th, when we play live on Hollow Earth Radio's Blues & Bluster. Listen in at your own peril.
2) The Christmas Belles.
You may remember a Christmas party so epic that the Stranger covered it? We're coming back. This year, we're making some changes: new songs, new venues, new member(s). More information to come as we figure it out.
3) HONK! Fest West.
Man, one year ends and the next starts up, just like that. The pace can be punishing. Thankfully, the reward has (so far) always made up for the hours of work necessarily tied to any venture fully run by volunteers. We already know a fair bit about 2011's Fest: it will be May 20-22 in Georgetown, Fremont, and West Seattle. Still to come: bands, schedule, volunteers, food, general logistics. You know, the small stuff.
4) Strange Tales of Preston Stagger.
He's a magician who solves crimes. He's also the title character of Simon Astor's two-act play. I'm writing some of the music, and will be in the pit during performances. Later in October, most of you can look forward to an invite to the theater.
5) Slap & Tickle.
I am not actively propositioning you. (although you are rather darling in that outfit. The color is really good on you.) Slap & Tickle is me on washtub bass and vocals with my good friend Kate on ukulele and vox. At the moment we're doing covers of old lovely songs that some people vaguely remember. It's just like writing a new pop song, but much, much easier. And you can tell we're serious about it because we made some videos.
Tonight You Belong To Me
You're Sixteen
Five Foot Two
We play next at Trolloween, Sunday October 31st at 7pm. Invites sure to be issued at some point closer to the actual date.
On top of all that, there's everyday life and a full-time job. A loving and wonderful partner and an amazing circle of friends. There are time I am nearly swallowed by my schedule, but I wouldn't have it any other way. What I'm trying to say, I suppose, is to please not worry if you don't hear from me here that often. If I have a spare moment, I'm most likely sleeping.
