Monday, January 3, 2011

Foolish Journies

Beginnings. So intimidating for an artist of any sort, I think. Exciting, but intimidating, to look at the blank page, to pick up a guitar and realize it's time to create NEW THINGS where NO THINGS exist. I'm starting off with a song in a familiar territory for me---The Fool. Yes, I know I've written one song about the subject already, but some of us are just more foolish than others, yes? I have always been a fool, and a public one at that, mostly. If nothing else, it keeps me humble. And maybe qualifies/entitles me to having TWO songs in my catalog about the subject!

I always like to begin my artistic processes with loads of procrastination. (Well, maybe I don't like it, but that's just how it goes down!)
So, after I've made as many cups of tea as I can justify, after I've sharpened my pencils, organized my markers, and suddenly remembered to fold all the laundry that is suddenly so pressingly in need of folding, (and after, in this case, I've made a batch of mini scandinavian pancakes I suddenly realized I could NOT write songs without ingesting), after all that, I am often ready to begin to think about writing!
Just kidding! I did do all those things, but also I've been writing, and although I won't tell you what the theme of the new album is yet (because I want to keep you guessing as you hear the subjects emerge) I will say it IS kind of a concept album, which is a first for me. And I'm writing from my attic art/music studio in the new house my husband and I just purchased in Lexington---how cool to have a room of my own!
I do have one thing going for me in this writing project---a deadline! Deadlines make my artistic world go 'round, and this deadline is in my belly in the form of a sweet baby boy, due around May Day. So, I need to get some material cranked out before my hands are kept busy in other ways for a while. Plus, I've always just written songs haphazardly, and stuck them on albums here and there. THIS TIME, I get to write them all in one big swoop. I think (gulp) I'm up for the challenge!