Yeah, its a retrospective blog. Imagine my audacity after months of no blogging. But that was one of the conditions under which I started this blog–which, incidentally, is one of the things I made this year–no guilt about not blogging for a while. If there’s one HUGE thing I’ve learned this year is that my creativity is self-contained regardless of output or circumstances that validate or do not validate my creative efforts. So there it is, you’ve had to stare at my “America’s Got Talent” entry from like a zillion years ago and now this. Deal.
2008 has felt like 4 years put together with all of the monumental changes in my life. I survived an entire year without a day-job, (barely) earning my share of money from my music only. That was a huge and liberating transition for me and something that I’m very, very proud of. It cost me alot to do and the attending changes in my lifestyle caught more flack from people in my life than I care to convey. This in turn led to huge shifts in my many of my friendships and was very difficult, challenging but ultimately helped me become more of my own person.
Pursuing my music took me to some great places around the country, even if I was ingloriously received when I got there. New York and Chicago were obvious highlights. Traveling alone for my music was yet another journey of self-discovery and I realized that I have alot more to give as a working musician and as an artist.
My songwriting in 2008 is of course indispensable in my progression as an artist and I wrote alot this year. The morning after my CD release show for my first record I started writing and didn’t look back. I would estimate about 80 songs were actually written and fleshed out this past year. Much less of them saw the stage or were demoed out, but looking in my iTunes library, I have 54 tracks under my name+demos. Writing and tracking not only the guitar and vocals, but also the bass, drums (machine), keys and additional guitars has helped me tremendously in looking at the whole picture. Its helped me accept my limitations when I’m not playing with a band, yet helped me to understand that good parts layered on top of a chord progression and vocals shouldn’t necessarily be avoided just because you can’t play with a band.
I did play with a few bands this year, however, and they all rocked hard. I had the pleasure of jamming with John Baldus, Greg Lamb, Chris Bosslet, Chris Hughes, Mark Shizler, Scott Swartz, Eric Grossman, Dan Clark, Jimmy Griffin and Joe Meyer at various intervals this year, some of which actually comprised the original recorded band for the record known as Big City Lights. We won best Alt. Country Band in 2007 but didn’t stay together as the original line-up for long after that, but we kicked ass and made a serious impression in St. Louis and that’s something I’ll always be proud of. I continued playing with Scott and I got to do a little demoing/editing with Jimmy Griffin, who have both shown me so much about writing and recording a good song. I am indeed looking forward to future collaborations.
I enjoyed getting to know musicians who I admire like the aforementioned Jimmy Griffin, Scott Swartz, Joe Meyer, Dave Grelle and Kevin Bowers of the Feed and many more. It’s been great hanging out with them during and after shows and chatting about life, music and doing what we love. We’ll be staying in touch through 09 and hopefully slinging out a kick-ass new record…
2008 also brought an amazing blessing to me that I will continue to be awed by. On December 11, my wife and I had our first child, Liam Everly Travers. He is beautiful, perfect and brings us so much joy. Loving someone so much is indescribable and sometimes utterly overwhelming but always always always worth whatever may come. He is and will always be the most profound expression of all my aspirations and desires. Liam, I love you so deeply and in your eyes I see all that is good and all that is intended for this world. Your light will shine around you as you grow and search for your place:
“Follow your star, what’s in your heart and everything that you want will be yours.”
With that I will leave you with the list of things I did, got and made in 2008. Best to all who read and may you have a bright new year with many laughs, songs and joy.
Did:
Started and broke from my first band
Released my first record, Blue Weathered Dreams
Lots of Radio and Print Interviews/spots
Didn’t work a day-job
Hung out and jammed with some of the best players in STL
Saw/Played NYC
Traveled to lots of midwest cities
Read Some Books about the 60’s and Greenwhich Village
Got rid of for a while but broke down and bought another TV…
Lost some friends
Grew my Hair
Decided to not let circumstances validate me as an artist or a person
Got:
Some New Records
New Ink
My Tele
My Gibson
Some sweet boots
Made:
My Son, Liam Everly Travers
About 80 Songs
54 Demos
About 17 Notebooks full of words and drawings
This Blog
