Almost Spring news & musings

Funny how reluctant we are to change – the “hairdresser syndrome”. In fact, I’ve been pondering our resistance and fear of change quite a bit lately. Living on an island tends to bring out that element of human nature with gusto. And yet, I find it ironic that all around us – our homes, our neighbourhoods, our roads, our public areas, all came about through change. The Drawbridge Syndrome looms large on an island. We are unsettled by change, and yet, once it has happened, we adapt, embrace it, celebrate it and it and then guard it ferociously. Then there’s the change we should fight for – our bad habits, our wasteful ways, our road to ruin.

Okay – on to more shallow and self serving messages!

Dare I say, I have been enjoying the hell out of this chapter of life! A chapter marked most dramatically by an intoxicating freedom from looking after other creatures! I do miss the companionship of the dog but the sense liberation from the relentless responsibility is a gift that keeps on giving. However, let us celebrate for a moment the wonder of The Dog! Barney and Tom and I recently spent a week recording at Barney’s place with his two golden retrievers (sisters Haddie & Tilly) in residence, and their contribution to the “vibe” was undeniable. Julia and James were engineering the sessions, and Julia particularly misses having a dog around. So there were countless “awwwwww!!” moments inspired by truly the two sweetest dogs I have EVER known. If…I mean… WHEN you listen to the new record you can play "spot the “woof”. :-)
On a non-canine level, the recording sessions were an amazing adventure. Many of the songs were newly hatched and had never even been performed, so there was considerable development and arranging to be done. I haven't done much collaborating in my career, so for me, it was revelatory to find the experience of doing so with Barney and Tom to be so effortless and inspiring. There was a sense of such safety and freedom in our creative brainstorming. It was a sheer joy working with them. And the same can be said for working with Julia and James. They were flawlessly prepared, professional, fast, and so easy work with. Recording can be very intense, so to have such ease in the process made it all such a pleasure. We’re a ways away from the album being ready for consumption but I’ll certainly keep you posted!

In the meantime, Happy Trails,

Shari