SONG RELEASE STORY
August 26, 2022
I experienced a long writing block from the end of 2019 to the spring of 2021. Only one song came through during that stretch. The global pandemic certainly affected me. I lost my ambition and desire to create. I worried my writing stint for The Music Tarot had been a fluke and I would never again produce music with such fluidity. Those first songs came to me so effortlessly. But I'd become stalled, the well completely drained, and I didn't know how to replenish it or coax my muse to return.
The key was hidden in a detour, a break from The Music Tarot, that led to the most unexpected and unusual creation I had ever attempted. In early 2021, after discovering the story of Kirby Brown and two others who died in a sweat lodge at a self-help retreat, I was inspired to write Kirby's family a song using their own words and phrases from a memoir written by Kirby's mom and sister. I asked Kirby to "Help me write your song," and I believe she did. I titled it "This Sweet Life," after the book.
After I finished This Sweet Life, I wondered if maybe I could write the next tarot song. I decided to give it a try. On Saturday, April 10, 2021, I drew the Five of Wands and Ready, Aim rushed at me with fiery energy. Before I could even place my hands on the keyboard, the words "I think I can" started swirling through my brain. I imagined the little engine that could. It was the perfect metaphor to break my dry spell.
Ready, Aim / Five of Wands called for guitars mostly, the tune slightly dissonant in places. My producer, Brian Daly, took my tracks and co-wrote additional music, adding bass, synth, and multi-layered electric guitars. A complex canvas of sound provides an audible rendition of the Five of Wands' symbolism. Ready, Aim tells the story of conflict, opposition, and the battle for what you believe in. Sometimes you have to psych yourself up for the confusing maze of competitive conversations. If you believe you are fighting for a worthy cause, these healthy scuffles lead to inevitable growth and change.