Bumping Into... is a series of mini-chats with a variety of peeps that you might run into in some of our local music communities. (There's a bit of an intro and my thoughts behind the series here.)
How are you? Where are you?
I am so so. I am currently in Peterborough, Ontario. As it has for most of us, this year has been a real roller coaster. My mood will probably change during the course of this interview multiple times.
I do want to say this - Really, how are you. We need to ask this more - To ourselves, to others. And keep asking. Because the answer, it can change
What have you been up to since March or so?
Well, I've been following quarantine & COVID protocol - As such, have been struggling a bit with financial issues and such. But that's just a monkey wrench in the spanner, as this is often true. In the good part of this answer, I've also been having a very prolific year - Played several virtual fests, Including Quarrentinefest, Colour out of Sound ( ! ) and have over 100 albums I've participated in including some cover art, which I really enjoy doing - So, lots really
Have you found any new ways to do old things? How are you feeling about the shifts in how music is being made/shared/listened to?
I think the new ways of doing old things that are emerging are awesome. One thing I feel gets lost in people kvetching about how bad 2020 is remains the fact that everyone was bitching about how much things needed to change just prior ~! I also want to say this - I think people are really lamenting some of the things that are going away, and while I'm well cognizant & possible about 23% Nostalgia myself, a lot of this is undergrowth that needs to be burned off for big changes to happen. Having said that, I've been a big fan - Both as participant & audience - of a lot of the ways the virtual festivals are being handled - I've been party to several chats where people were amazed at how fluid & dynamic these sort of seemingly antiseptic virtual conditions can be ! Well, I don't think we'll know how sustainable they are for a while, they're at least as good as much of what was out there, and in many ways I think better. And on that note - I have to add this. I think to me old ways of doing new things is kind of my path through this - Due, being candid, to my vintage & nature I think the straight up new is a bit beyond me. But old ways of being new ? Hell, I think I've been doing that the whole time
Any works of art that have been a light for you in these times? Anything that's just been a good diversion?
Honestly, Bandcamp Fridays. It's nice to have a corporation even give lip service that goes against the horrible PAY TO PLAY model, and since that's been so successful I think it's been a morale boost to people who use bandcamp ( As I do ) and sees slightly elevated results during these - But also, really gives me a chance to financially support projects I'm interested in - I'd have to specifically single out Poverty Electronics, Caroliner, Electronic Cottage & Ronald Shannon Jackson as either having re-emerged or released some amazing material this year
How are you feeling about 2021?
Like not taking any bets or predictions
Anything else we'd chat about if we bumped into each other?
I'd ask you you are keeping busy - I know you went to a over the top number of shows when you were able to - And I also know you spent a lot of time documenting these - The blog seems go be going at about the same pace - What are you doing in lieu of Joe ? Inquiring minds want to know ~! I'd also like to have a real chat with you one of these days about the music " Scene " and it's ups & downs - Specifics, boring stuff that might scare people a little bit if they overheard us - But I suspect we could go into depth on the subject
Editor's note: Neal didn't single anything out, but I'd be remiss if I didn't remind you to go visit his thriving Bandcamp page, sporting an inspiring range of solo and collaborative works.
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