It used to confuse me when, as people talked about relationships, romantic or otherwise, they would refer to the relationship as, like a third entity, there was the person and a person, or a few people. And then there was the relationship that they’re in like it was this other thing. You, me, and then … Read More
My social landscape does not look the way I expected it to a few years ago. Some of that comes on the heels of religious difference or political disagreement. And as sad as that stuff can be, it’s also a bit cliche and predictable. If I’m being honest, what’s been harder, is recognizing that the … Read More
When I first started playing music professionally, it wasn’t the beginning of a dream. It wasn’t the culmination of a wish from my youth, not really. I thought of playing music. I thought it would be cool. But it’s probably most true to say about that moment, the moment in which I decided to see … Read More
For a number of years, my favorite event in the country was The Festival of Faith and Music in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The festival host, a gentleman named Ken Hefner would stand up in front of headlining artists’ audiences and challenge those audiences to be as prepared for the show, as the band that we … Read More
Whether you are a kid or you have kids, or you like kids, or you were a kid, or whatever, I think you’re gonna like this project and the songs on it and you can pick it up from us directly at www.thedudeandthebird.bandcamp.com or beginning February 22, you can listen to it and all your favorite streaming … Read More
I remember sitting on the edge of a hotel bed, sorting through line after line of a ledger to figure out if the tour manager had missed paying me, two weeks prior, the $55 per night I was promised. At that point, Frank Tate, who owned the label I was on and whose band was … Read More
During studio sessions with younger or inexperienced musicians, my dear friend and music producer Masaki Liu would often be asked questions like “What do you think about our chances?” Or “Do you think we can make it?” And, more often than not, he’d consistently respond with an intentionally cryptic piece of encouragement that went pretty … Read More
The ways we move into and out of one another’s lives… the modality of relationship, is a matter of art. In fact, I resonate with Seth Godin’s definition of art as anything that facilitates human connection… including, in my own iteration of the definition, a relationship with one’s self. For nearly two decades Sandra McCracken … Read More
I’ve been enjoying “The Wilderness,” the newest Explosions In The Sky project. I’ve liked a lot of what they’ve done in the past but, to be honest, always found bands like This Will Destroy You or Hammock more interesting. Until now, that is. If you’re a fan of ambient music at all, “Wilderness” is definitely worth … Read More
