"Garageband" –a term that reeks of beer, adolescence, motor oil and cigarette butts– has become my new best friend. Who knew, after all the years of my life I spent slaving away in my basement studio learning Logic and techy skills I never really needed, that I could simply sit down and record ideas and demos as easily as writing an e-mail. I thought it was just for kids - but it's surprisingly sophisticated! Such a clever man that Steve.
Since I craftily bred my own personal engineer (which unfortunately I now have to share with the rest of the world) I have pretty much abandoned my studio, so when I launched into writing in the spring and needed to demo the songs for the band, I thought…okay, I’ll humour my Mac and try out this toy.
I know - I shouldn't open with this - it goes against my Pollyanna nature. And don't worry - we're not going to talk about the 'T' word - an agreement made at so many gatherings of friends these days. It's just too toxic and frustrating. But just to say, when the Paris Accord news hit, like millions around the world, I felt sick, scared, and hopeless. Not an uncommon state of mind over the past 4 months, at least when I take my fingers out of my ears and stop singing la-la-la-la. But by the end of the day the fact that cities and states were picking up the gauntlet and claiming their right to continue to participate in the Accord and embrace the goals and agreements made by the dedicated and intelligent humans from around the world in Paris....my sense of hope did a 180. The fact that the dire state of environmental affairs could indeed finally trigger the mother bear in us to rear up to protect sanity and science gave me the first hope I've felt in a long time. And it inspired other countries to renew their dedication to reaching their goals. Finally...a glimmer.
Read MoreHOW THE &%#@ DID THAT HAPPEN??
Okay - just this ONE little reference. Though it goes without saying (and even Ms. Verbose here doesn't want to talk about it anymore) that we're all continuing to reel about the state of the union down south. The disturbing effect on the hearts and spirits of millions is unprecedented. Of course, the most often uttered question is "How did this happen?".
Pete Heitzman, one of the most probing and curious minds I know, sent me this link to a truly fascinating interview with George Lakoff - linguist and cognitive scientist and director of the Center for the Neural Mind and Society at UC Berkeley. Check it out. It's fascinating. Somehow understanding helps - a tiny bit anyway.
Happy belated New Year to you!
Ah….a new start; a new chapter in uncertainty; renewed resolutions! Okay - Exercise more; eat less; do yoga; read more books - (no…..read ALL the books on my bookshelves!); write more songs - (no… write an album full of the best songs I’ve ever written!); get my year end done in January instead of August; write a book; record a new album; record a Christmas album; be more productive; write you more frequently; find an assistant or manager or SOMEONE who can help me achieve all these things; oh, and help create world peace.
I’ve been off the road and home for a couple of weeks now, and pretty much will be for a few months. Being home is heaven for me. But to have a long stretch is a rare and wonderful treat. The main thing it signifies is time to write. And it IS time to write a new album, there’s no escaping that. It also means time to deal with all the wear and tear a 20 year old house has weathered – culling the extra crap, cleaning the icky parts and fixing things. Like the shower door that has leaked for those 20 years because it was hung incorrectly. (Months and years go by when I give up on it, and then I throw myself at it one more time in a determined, but ultimately futile effort to stop it from leaking. THIS time, I think I’ve done it, thanks to the therapist at Home Depot who took the time to listen to my problems.)
Read MoreIt's been the summer of adventures in music - from the 40th reunion shows with Valdy & the Hometown Band (SO fun.... SO loud!), to the new High Bar Gang album (with a show at our all time favourite concert stage in the world at Butchart Gardens), to lots of solo shows, festivals, and travels. Even fitting in a family reunion with siblings and cousins in Boulder Colorado - (LOVE the prairie dogs! ....AND the family!)
Julia and Kirby Barber and I did our first trio show together at the Mission Folk Festival and at the very first rehearsal, hearing Kirby's exceptional bass playing and the 3 part gal vocals, that was IT - I was done! I'm now ruined for ever wanting to play solo again!