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Funny how time works. Last week was mostly spent at the Recital Studio from morning until late evening, Monday through Thursday, setting up, rehearsing, improving, changing, improvising, performing, tearing down and packing up. And now that this show is over, it somehow feels like the whole process was a long-forgotten dream, a distant memory. Maybe it’s the nature of the music and the visuals, maybe it’s because you invest a lot into a project for months and then it’s gone…
But it was a great experience, and working with Darren has been an eye-opener. I’ve always treasured the friendships I make through music, and I can only hope something else with him will crystallize in the future. Of course, there are things we wish we had had more time to work on, but you have to know when to let go at some point, and give something to the audience.

“Returning home” was the last piece we added to the show, literally one day before the premiere. Darren wanted something dark, with a sense of foreboding, but also a hint at new beginnings. The piece goes towards the end, and the visuals at that point take us through a quick montage of the boy’s previous experiences, dreams and nightmares. That sort of ‘life flashing before your eyes’ moment.
So I tried to work with that, and at a subconscious level I must have had NIN’s “beside you in time” at the back of my mind, because the way Reznor places that song just before “right where it belongs” seems to fit that hopeless/hopeful dichotomy.
Clearly, the visuals add a lot to the dynamics of the piece, and if you watched the show, I hope you enjoyed that part. I think that’s what I liked the most.

Still, that is over.

What now?

I owe the Lard Brothers a remix, which I hope to finish in the next 2 weeks. It’s going to be released later in the year, along with other remixes of their songs by other friends and musicians in the local scene. That should be fun.
We have 2 dates in Manila! I’ve heard a lot of good things about gigging in the Philippines, and I’m looking forward to meeting friends there.
And in the slightly longer term, I suppose I have started working on the second album. I really want it to sound different, and this seems to be the natural direction the new stuff is taking, so we’ll see where it goes…

So I guess 2010 hasn’t treated me too badly yet…

Don’t miss next week’s special “the boy who sees with stones” EP!! it’s all happening right here…