My next little project here will be to add some external links, gonna do that in the coming days. Anyway. IN THE MEANTIME…
I’m not exactly a young’un–I’m in my forties, actually. Old enough to look back on stuff I said and did in my twenties and think “what in the actual fukk, Luke. Seriously.” But that said. Pre-COVID I was inactive as a writer for a long time. In the last four years I’ve started probably six projects and actually finished two of them. A third is probably about two months from completion and when it is, I’m finally ready to hire an editor to polish those three up and then send them out into the real world. First time in my life I’ve honestly felt that maybe I have some material that’s good enough to do that with. Three fairly short stories that share a bit of a common theme. So that’s the first thing in the works here.
Next up is the collective. If you’re reading this I may have already talked to you about it. I’ve only drummed with one to three other people in the past, typical rock band stuff, besides ensembles I played in at UMass Lowell and Longy, and choral groups that I’ve sung in. A good friend that I thoroughly enjoyed rocking with back in the day has recently moved back to the NE from the left coast, but he’s all the way down in Hartford and I’m not going to allow myself to get too hopeful about how much time him and I and our third bandmate might have to actually get together. But a collective, well–it’s more people, and everybody contributes what they can in terms of time, and the finished products are highly collaborative and usually pretty decent.
It started as an idea for a nine-piece group: two vocalists, two drummers, two winds, two strings, and piano. Also, I’m not getting any younger, so why not try and find people that play my favorite instruments: namely cello, bari sax, and bass clarinet. Surprisingly I’ve already connected with people that play those three, and I found a singer who expressed interest. But then I realized that such a large group would probably need to be a collective, since everybody involved probably has other projects, so we all contribute what we can.
At this point in time, I’m still trying to find a piano (keyboard) player, that’s the main thing, so if you are one of those, hit me up (Rufus Deschain on the FB and the Messenger). If this group is at full strength I want to be the other vocalist, so I guess I’m definitely looking for a couple percussionists as well. Acoustic and electronic drum set, mallets/symphonic percussion, congas, djembe, tabla, two sticks and a bucket, whatever you got. My vibe and inspiration is stuff that is innovative and a little weird and kinda dark, so, Charles Mingus, Nine Inch Nails, PJ Harvey, Eric Dolphy, Baroness, All Them Witches…you get the idea.
Anyway. That’s enough from me for today, now that I’ve made an initial note of what exactly my plans and designs are here at the Squid. As always, thank you for giving a damn and taking the time to stop in.