A Splendid Indulgence

And so commences this most indulgent of endeavors, though it is endeavored with a pure heart and in earnest pursuit of concrete goals.

GOAL #1 - To create recordings of the compositions I've written over the last couple of years for A Hypocrite & Slanderer that can serve as acceptable final documents of those compositions.

GOAL #2 - To disseminate said recordings via the internet as they are finished.

GOAL #3 - To document the process, as well as some of my thoughts on music and recording, here on this blog.


A Brief History of the Recent Past

I began writing the songs that would lead to A Hypocrite & Slanderer approximately 2 years ago.  After waffling about musically for a few years prior, trying desperately to forge something edgy and complex and spurning accessibility in the process, I noticed (or perhaps "allowed") a reemergence of my proclivity towards power pop.  I did not, however, entirely abandon the edginess or complexity that I was cultivating previously, but instead sought to sprinkle it amidst the unabashed friendliness that my songwriting is prone to.

Early on I had decided firmly that I would get a band together and focus on live performance.  I had no desire to so much as entertain the idea of recording and the tedium I associated with it.  Moreover, I think I felt an intense desire to prove myself as a performer, something I could scarcely claim to be at all at that point.

Each time I went to a great show, I would walk away thinking about "the difference."  What is it that this performer is doing that makes their show so effective?  There was certainly a common thread amongst these great performances, unrelated as they may be stylistically.  Great songs certainly go a long way, but that's not the kind of "difference" I'm talking about.  There are a lot of very mediocre bands with great songs.

I came to realize that "the difference" is an unrestrained commitment to one's songs and message.  It's the ability to "go for it" without reservations.  It's a temporary confidence that borders on folly.  This was what I was most lacking in my music and what I sought to cultivate in myself as a performer while putting together a live band.

Though the live incarnation of A Hypocrite & Slanderer lasted only about 5 months and 3 shows, the experience yielded enduring rewards.  I was able to grow a bit as a performer and singer from show to show.  I worked to be more direct with the audience, more honest, and not to hide behind artifice (even though my songwriting could be said to employ a fair amount of it).  Most of all I was beginning to learn how to put my songs on the line and not worry about what anyone's going to think.  This gave me a new confidence that trickled beyond the stage and will be reflected in any forthcoming recordings.  It's also worth noting that this boost in confidence directly correlated with improvement in my singing ability.  While I don't know that my guitar playing has improved much over the last few years, I can say that my singing has improved measurably even in the last few months, and I continue to be astonished by how much of it, and perhaps all of it, is purely mental.

The second enduring reward from the experience of the live band is my continued collaboration with bassist Pat Schoultz, whose immense skill on the instrument is matched in importance by his valuable and unique musical perspectives, which force me to step outside of the closely guarded tunnel-view I have of my songs and reevaluate, often for the better.

More on my plans for recording in the next post.

-Terry