The nip in the air and the suspiciously early time that the Sun sets can only mean one thing: the end of the year and the exploding of yule logs everywhere. While this time can be filled with the love of family and friends, the stress of your year-in-summary explanation can be quite daunting. To help organize my thoughts, let's take a magical journey through this past year-in-the-life of grey ghost.
songs to wake up to cassette
The year started off with excitement; PlusTapes had been in contact about releasing a grey ghost and l'éternèbre cassette, both of which were finished and scheduled to drop the first quarter of the year and they did. Songs to Wake Up to was the grey ghost release and, while short, was a pleasure to have pressed on slick cassette. It featured a clear tape shell with image imprint and was limited to a release of 100. To celebrate the release Sarah Zucker produced a stunning visual feast for the track "Hot Mess."
The self-titled released from l'éternèbre was released later on in the month and was greeted with welcome and led to many shows. One in particular in Ohio at an event called Cinesthetica, where several groups participated in a live film scoring event. From a bank of 8 or so experimental films of the 20's and 30's, the groups had to choose a film to add their own, unique twist to, via sound. Just before that fantastic event, I went to SXSW with my other, more pop-oriented group, Very Truly Yours. We played a series of character-building show on our way to Austin in St. Louis, Tulsa and Dallas. It was an experience that prepared us for the glory of IndieTracks in the Summer.
I had a couple of really great reviews for the grey ghost cassette here & here. I was also privileged to have my Chicago work space photographed by the wonderfully talented Billie Howard. Intermixed with playing lots and lots of shows leading up to July, when I would leave for Europe.
Through out this whole time I was working at art+science salon and helping them find their new face; help to re-energize them for this new millennium that has a focus and emphasis on sustainability and classic design. The process is still going on and I am less involved (as I am in LA), but from time-to-time I still feel compelled to add my $0.02.
Indietracks was the highlight of my year and right now, just 4 short months later, it feels like a dream. Perhaps it is the endless hyping I did in my head and having everything live up to expectation. It was truly magical to travel and play in Glasgow, Manchester, London, Nottingham and at the actual Indietracks Festival.
After returning from a trip like that, the feeling is incomparable. Sheer and utter fulfillment that can only come from life as a nomad: traveling a creating, selling your ideas and meeting wonderful people. However, back in Chicago life is getting stale, potential is there, but grander things are what i seek and so I decided, after some deliberation, that I would move to LA and so I did. September was spent in flux and stressed with the burden of a life's turning point. Business plans, long-term creative endeavors and planning for life as a musician/creative entrepreneur is exciting and thrilling, but certainly not without its fair share of tribulations. In the end though, it will all be worth it.
As I slip into the alcohol-and-food-induced coma prematurely, in anticipation for what is to come and the hootenanny that is sure to be my family at the holidays, I am pleased with how things are going but not complacent; excited but not delusional- well, maybe a little bit.
2012 is going to be great. Perhaps a few more cassettes from myself and l'éternèbre. Ideally several scored short films. Definitely an amazing Freak Folk February party.
