Why I started releasing music again, after all these years.

Three main reasons I just started releasing a lot of my own, original music, again, after so much time has passed.

One, I went to the catalogue of music I had, and just started reworking them (and really loving how they turned out).

Two, I couldn’t find any real, rewarding work since I got let go from my last copywriting gig in May of 2023. So I was like, “fuck it. I’m not making any money, anyway, and might as well enjoy myself and stop wasting time trying to find work that I enjoy, that doesn’t to exist anymore. Or at least, can’t seem to get.”

Three. I needed something to do with my time, that took my attention away from riding motorcycles (since my accident in May).

I felt really inspired lately.

To be honest, with the onslaught of rejection I’ve received from any and every employer you can think of, I started listening to a lot of different music to get inspired and feel any sort of positivity that was slowly dwindling away.

Listening to artists like Billy Strings, The Red Clay Strays, Stephen Wilson Jr, LANY, and so many others their original music and songwriting brought me back to my roots in writing a well-crafted song.

So, after picking up my older Martin D-16 acoustic, I decided to trade it in and upgrade it to a Martin HD-28. And I just couldn’t put it down.

I need something to get me through the winter.

As some may or may not know, a number of years back, I was diagnosed with something called, “Generalized Anxiety Disorder.” Realizing I probably suffered from anxiety and depression from a really young age, this was the first time I got professional help and any sort of medication (something I’ve been off of almost a year already). And it was truly life-changing!

But, every time around December through February, here in Portland, the lack of sun really affects my mood. Not being able to ride my motorcycle anymore (at least for now), I’ve had to find something else to do and keep me sane until the nicer weather hits. Hopefully sooner, rather than later. ;)

And so, I revisited about a half-a-dozen or so older songs to pass time in the shitty, Portland weather and really loved how they were turning out. So much so, that a few days later, I started rewriting them, along with about another half a dozen or so completely new songs around all I was going through.

I was like a can of soda that burst open, after dropping it.

In short, it was the first time, in a long time, that I revisited a lot of these songs I haven’t played in decades. Not to mention writing anything new (and felt like it was worth capturing and recording).

And that’s where I’m at.

As I write this, I have 13 or so songs for the new album, appropriately titled, “Dire Consequences.” Seven or so of which are songs I wrote bits and pieces of almost 2-3 decades ago. Like, “Wings In Manhattan” that I think I wrote in and around 2003 (which is CRAZY) if you think about it.

And the other six or so, I wrote and recorded in about a two to three weeks in my home studio here in Portland, Oregon.

Now, that they’re all close to being done and a number of singles are about to get released over the coming weeks, I’m just curious to see what the reaction is going to be.

As someone who’s taken himself off of social media, completely, going back in limited capacity is pretty interesting.

Although I’m a fish out of water, when it comes to social media these days (and would rather focus on writing and playing music)… advertising and marketing isn’t new to me at all. The only difference is, back when I started playing music pre-Internet, you built a buzz by doing something really good and different. And it spread from there.

Now? I’m not sure I have it figured out, but hope that doing something really well, (and different), is still a good and valid way to get people to listen and share it with others. Without having to take off my clothes, do flips off of a piano, or get married to some high-profile record executive. ;)

At least that’s the hope.