The Wolf I Knew: Born without Commissions

Image: Some artwork I liked from an unknown artist. Aren't we all.

Good morning, it’s Friday in July. A little progress update as I inch closer to my personal deadline and pack for a little pilgrimage.

Music: I’m working on the final song now. “Long is the Road” came out great BTW. Well… great enough for me… the mix goes by me and that’s really all that matters. When you have 50 things to do, you learn to not get caught up on the little things. The bigger picture allows for a little lee way and compromise. That track is now in a simmer mode where I just cruise around listening to it while life passes me by. I’m in the land of the Dead Rabbit now. In every way shape and form. From what I can tell, it takes about 3 to 4 weeks on average to go through a song and complete it. During that time I enter into some kind of dance with the song, surrounding myself with the key structures and scales and patterns of the track. Building bones for flesh. I’ve been in ‘Long is the road” mode for the last month so transitioning into the rabbit lyrics and melodies was a pleasant turn of events. The last track… wow… exciting. So why do I call it “The ballad of the Dead Rabbit”, well… because that is what the wolf called me. I saw a wolf one day driving through the canyon, it was a wolf like a cloud, and he was talking to me about the end of the life I was living. What else would a wolf call a little pesky human…. But a dead rabbit. That’s how he saw me. I was dead to him I suppose, of course I couldn’t see the future as he did.

“Tears they fall like winter leaves, call me the master of the weeds, tending the garden once a week, shame somethings we can never keep.”

I think even then I knew something was happening to me and there was an overall feeling that it was all out of my control. I held on as long as I could then. Anyway, I’m sure you’ll hear more about the dead rabbit over the next few weeks. You might even see some video from the Tyme Seer of what he looked like. Aside from all that, Ramsay material and Cover song material and field notes are all on Holiday while I zero in on the Rabbit melodies and bring this song to life once and for all. I am however very excited to get back to some of that other work. Tic toc.

Other little things: Yes, I caught a bad virus and was delirious for a few days wandering around in a sweaty dream. Ezra lay by my bed side shaking me once and a while just to make sure I was still coming back. I saw Zabble there, he was writing something and mumbling. I missed him. He didn't seem worried. Anywho... I survived. It’s been a few days now as I piece things back together and get back to work. The tower is a little dusty with wire clippings, dry flower pedals and moondust but it's back in order now.

Artwork: Most of the initial commissions for artwork have been completed, I finally have a nice rendition of Ezra and Skylark for the novel. This one came by accident as some fan art from Lord Dullahan. The best things in life come as a surprises indeed. Born without commissions, but simply brought to life by sitting still and listening to the wind. Thank you lord Dee. I have the final full spread for the record that is being painted soon by an amazing artist from Oregon, pretty excited about that. 2 page. Such a piece will take a month or so… and I also have a few other commissions that are due on the 10th of July. I’m still not sure of the cover, perhaps it will be the painting or perhaps it will be one of these other pieces I’ve had done… or something entirely different. For now I’m in music writing mode for one last push, I’ll worry about the cover when it’s time to worry about the cover.

Finally, a little pilgrimage is happening this week. I’ll take the rabbit mixes with me to the white peak. Maybe I’ll see a wolf out there again and ask him what's next. That’s all for now.

Be well.

-j

The Furious Road

Image: Some Diamonds Hadder artwork by the very talented artist Jack Dullahan. Check out his work @dracarysdrekkar7 Thank you Lord Dullahan.

Good morning, it’s Friday in June after a nice full moon. A little update on things as I approach the final bend of this record. It was good week for tracking and for hatching plans. The record is coming together on many fronts, it’s not just the orchestrations and mixes and final touches on the music… it’s the cover and the artwork and the rest of the picture. Lets start with the music.

Record Progress: So, let me take you back a little. I first thought about this endeavor, the morning I awoke after I had the dream about Mr Evermore, shortly before the fire that burned down my life… I completed the first half of it then…. "Evermore", "Master of Illusion", "Ballad of The Dead Rabbit" and "The Crying Game" all were written in that place that is now gone. Where I once sat creating the first brush strokes of this picture… well, it’s not even ashes anymore. It’s earth and spring flowers. At some point I joined a band called TOR and a new batch of ideas and songs came from that season of my life… “Rivers End”, “City of Fire” and “Long is the Road” as well as about 5 others that lie still in my towers of papers and poems. I mention all this because I’m currently solving the riddle of the last track for the record called “Long is the Road”.

It goes way back with me… after the fires I found myself in a place called 200 north, in the city of BOK. It was there I started penning the lyrics to the track… however, the chorus melody of this track was never felt right, not sure why… even then it took months to crack the vocal code on the original TOR demo recordings. When I started tracking the final version for the official TOR record a few months before we broke apart, again I found myself in the same dilemma regarding the chorus. Fitting melodies to words and syllables is no easy task for a song writer and it can leave you with some sleepless nights. After the TOR season passed, I was left with the decision of what to do with these songs…. And so rather than let that season of my life go unheard, I continued on under the “Diamonds Hadder” banner. I re-tracked all the music that came from the TOR season. It was a daunting task and I did my best to steer away from the original music when I could. I was somewhat locked into tempo and key as most of the vocals were already tracked. It was a backwards way of doing things but I did my best. Luckily I can play a few instruments and so it all worked out. For the most part I let the song just be the song in the end… most of the music under the vocals are based on simple traditional key structures and so I had some lee way to bend and shift things around on guitar. There were some parts that just needed to be close to the way they were. There is a magic in music, a sound in its conception, it’s almost like a spell and it conjures improved words and vocal patterns and sometimes the feeling and things it first invoked is unavoidable. As a vocalist… a song was imagined, written and performed to this first idea and so I had to stay on that road the best I could. So why mention all this now…

Well, because I think I finally cracked the code for my rendition for “long is the road” earlier this week. At least that’s what my ears are telling me today. I have a session tonight to go through the last little vocal details of it, but spirits are high and an immense sense of accomplishment is swirling in my heart. This was the largest bend left on the trip to Didion bay.. that place where I end this first season of the Hadder journey. A few small hills remain, the “Dead Rabbit”, which was actually the song I started just before the fire… and which will ultimately close out that part of my life. It’s rather fitting to it all that I revisit that track last, that wolf in the clouds… that changed my life. I still see it etched in my brain. Perhaps he will make an appearance on the back of the record cover.

Anyway, things are good on the music front. In 30 days or so all the tracks, in their various mix stages, will be available for download. While I then begin the task of Album design and layout for the First official Diamonds Hadder “record”… and of course rehearsal and some of the more fun stuff associated with a record release.

Artwork: I’m doing my best to hold back on releasing some of the artwork I’ve commissioned. Artwork is a lot like songs, you might commission 10 or 15 pieces till you find the 7 that are just right. And that’s exactly what I am doing. Let’s just say I have some cool ideas for the record and some great artists are involved in it. I think some of these new relationships could linger on for years, at least I hope so.

Field Notes: I thought I would mention today that I really miss my field notes, although the Diamonds Hadder novel is close at heart… I can’t return to it until I have closure on this 1st record. I do however dream about it a lot and so many new ideas and things and characters have crossed my mind and found their way to little sticky notes around my home. I’m really looking forward to diving back into this story and the events of Hadder and evermore…. Perhaps during my pilgrimage later this year, which is looking to be a new adventure in unfamiliar lands. For now, I think it best to focus on this book, between records. If your new here, feel free to read the first few pages of the “Diamonds Hadder’ tale… all signs are pointing to this novel turning into some strange opera or play of sorts in the future. Who knows, lets just get through today today.

That’s all for now. Hope your enjoying your “Stranger Things” in June.

-j

Video Info: The working solo for "Long is the Road" to some Furious footage from Mad Max..

The Death Cult Rising

Image Info: An album cover from an old friend: Hippie Death Cult

Good Morning, it’s a Hippie Friday. I was on a little week long pilgrimage away from the tower and so here’s a little update on hadder things and some other fun stuff.

It’s a full June here in Bok. Oh the hills are magical this time of year. So intoxicating in fact that the ghosts do pull me away from the daunting work and grind of Hadder things. But it’s ok, life is seasons… and hadder is no different.

Record Artwork: Well, the first round of artwork is in for the new hadder record. I’ve shared a few sketches and things so far. To date I have 4 pieces completed, 2 outstanding and another 4 yet to commit to, I also commissioned one larger piece for the cover of the record and I’m imagining a concept for that piece. That piece will take 2 to 3 months to complete. It’s a rather larger piece and it will most likely grace the cover of the Album. Unless some of these other commissions take center stage instead. I’ll wait till all the artwork is done before I choose a cover. A cover is important. It’s the door to forever.

Music: Well, I’ve been busy. The orchestration for “Long is the Road” has kept me very occupied… more so than some of the other songs for sure. I’m not sure exactly why, although I suspect it has to do with the chorus of the song, which has been quite the little puzzle filled with many odd little pieces that are slowly but surely coming together. It has not been easy connecting these dots. But, I will say… it’s quite a piece of work. Overall the record is nearing some final weeks of contemplation and tweaks… I hope it all finishes in time, but to be honest it doesn’t really really matter if it goes longer. Does it? No. Life is about the journey, not the destination… remember? And this record is forever now, hardly defined by a few days more if needed. I’m guessing it will be a soft release as I then have so much more to decide upon, labels, release, art, merch, rehearsals… there’s a lot behind the scenes to something like this, so we’ll see what shakes from the tree.

The Death Cult: Well, lets talk about something else. Recently a good friend of mine toured through Bok for a little earth shattering show downtown. I played music with him years ago in LA, so it was nice to catch up. A jolly young chap is he. I thought it would be nice to share some of his music today. He’s quite the guitarist, although really, he’s amazing at a lot of things. There’s a certain kind of beautiful insanity that comes with all the work involved with making music with a band, recording and writing records, touring, advertising, merch… the list goes on and on… and this guy is certainly sitting at his own throne of sorts…. Surveying the land and planning his assault. He’s always been that way and I admire that about him. His new band is called Hippie Death Cult. I’ve added some links to his music. Give them a good listen, I promise this music all comes from an amazingly positive and uplifting place in the universe, born with the most humble and honest intention. I mean, who doesn't wear shoes in the city, but the most grounded. I’ve had my share of run ins with characters in time, and this guy is certainly a lord his is own tower. Love you Ed. Stay the course brother.

Other things: A quick heartfelt thank you to some of the artists who took time to work of Hadder related things. Thank you so much for your talents and energy. I’ve had a great few months here in this new tower, it’s not quite as eventful as the magic space behind door 408, but it’s a different season for me. I’ve come to appreciate the many seasons we walk through on the quest of art, each has a purpose and each plays a part in the sculptures we create. There’s a peace in the tower that I haven’t felt in a while.. so many pages left to write… so many songs left to sing. So many ages said the night… so many wrongs turned to things.

Thank you for reading and for following along. See you soon.

-j