Category: News

Cancer

Having cancer sucks, but it has done a couple of things for me. First, it’s made me think differently about life, death, and how I want to live out the rest of my time. Second, it’s made me more creative.

Here’s the deal. When we understand that our time is limited, we begin to take more chances. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not jumping off cliffs and racing drag cars, but I’m willing to do some things I’d have thought twice about in the past.

I’m not being foolish with my life or my money, but I might decide to buy that new car or take that long trip. And why wouldn’t I? Time is of the essence. I have blood cancer. People can live with polycythemia vera for 20-30 years or longer, but that’s not a guarantee.

Taking chances and doing things without second thoughts also pours into my creative work. Although I’d started experimenting with electronic music shortly before I was diagnosed with cancer, I’ve taken it way further than I’d have ever thought.

At first, there were certain styles of electronic music I thought I’d never produce. Most recently, I’ve started creating a heavier and darker sound under the alias, A Cult of Lies. I used to draw the line at creating music that felt too noisy or too dark, but why? Because I was conditioned to think dark and noisy music is bad, even evil.

Since being diagnosed with cancer, I have rethought that stance. Music is music. It’s a combination of notes and sounds, nothing more or less. My cancer diagnosis has led me to understand that we shouldn’t fear evil, but rather we should embrace life. That includes a willingness to take more chances, including creative ones.

You don’t become more creative by following rules and living in fear. You become more creative by going deeper. Cancer has given me a little push. – dse

Cool Find

Yesterday, I went to a local vintage shop that has all sorts of cool old stuff, including a crapload of vinyl. I’d come to see if they had any Tom Waits or Nick Cave on vinyl. (Yes, I’ve been fixated on Waits and Cave lately.) Nothing. But I did find a copy of Bruce Springsteen’s, The River. I bought it and that was okay, but it wasn’t the cool find.

There was a record crate on the floor marked Spoken Word and Sound Effects. The records were cheap, just a few bucks each. I found poetry, sound effects, the sounds howling wolves, race cars, and a bunch of other oddities. I bought a handful of these weird records including spoken word from poets and authors such as Mark Twain, Edgar Allan Poe, and Dylan Thomas.

Here’s why this is such a cool find for me. Sure, I’ll listen to these records, but that’s not why I bought them. I’ve been composing experimental music as Anderhill for the past few years. Sampling a variety of sounds, words, and voices has become part of the Anderhill sound. You probably know where I’m going with this.

Look for some new Anderhill music in the near future; music that incorporates the sounds and voices of some cool finds from a vintage record store. – dse

Five Birds on a Wire

Five Birds on a Wire is out now and available at BandCamp. Check it out today.

This five-track experimental album uses elements of chance in the composition and production. This is also known a aleatoric music. A 12-sided die was used to pick five notes for each track. Then the die was used again to pick five sounds or samples for each track. The die was also rolled to determine the tempo and the approximate length of each track.

The live samples used were also done in simple spontaneous recordings and then weaved into the music.

The result is unique. The album would not be what it is without these purposeful limitations and restrictions. I did take some creative license at times, but mostly stayed within the parameters of chance. – dse

Five Birds

I’ve started an experimental album using aleatoric methods of determining certain components of the compositions. Many of the parameters of the music are chosen by chance. I rolled a 12-sided die to dictate five notes and five sounds to be used on each track. The die is also used to determine the tempo and the length of each track.

I still allow myself the creative freedom to work within those parameters. It creates limitations that one must work around which can lead to interesting results. I’m happy with the initial recording.

Five Birds is the first of five compositions for the forthcoming album, Five Birds on a Wire. Look for the complete album in the near future.

Listen to Five Birds. – dse

On Minimalism

If you’ve followed my writing journey, you know I like the idea of minimalism. But I want to set the record straight concerning what minimalism is.

First, minimalism is not a lifestyle. Period. You might live simply, perhaps economically and environmentally-friendly. But that’s not minimalism. Minimalism is a specific form used in architecture, art, photography, music, and writing. A sparsely-decorated home is quite possibly a form of minimalism, but it’s the aesthetic of it that makes it minimalist, not your lifestyle.

Do I prefer to live small and with less stuff than the average Joe? Yes. Does that make me a minimalist. No. It just means I understand the value of living with fewer things.

Creating music with a repetitive beat and very little melodic structure, however, is a practice in minimalism. Writing poetry that uses the fewest words possible to relate meaning is minimalism in writing. Photography that focuses on a single subject could be considered minimalist.

Simple living is a lifestyle. Minimalism is an art form.

I attempt both, however, I’m much more interested in the art of the matter. – dse

Spoken Word

Almost a decade ago, I experimented with audio posts and podcasting on my original website. At the time, I decided it was too much effort for such a small audience. I’m reconsidering the idea of adding spoken word to my work.

Actually, if you’ve been paying attention, I’ve already been experimenting with spoken word. I’ve posted a few sound clips of poetry reading mixed with simple music beds. I like the concept. Could that lead to more? Extended audio posts? Podcasting? Videos? YouTube? Whoa, Bessie, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Time will tell. For now, you might expect a few more simple audio clips of poetry reading. That’s a good start.

One thing’s for certain. I’ll need to make some minor audio upgrades to my recording studio. One reason I tend to stick to music (no vocals) with Anderhill is that my audio setup is not the best. I purposefully try to keep things as simple as possible.

To get better audio quality, a few items are needed: a digital interface, a small audio mixer, and a higher-quality mic will be the ticket to start producing more spoken word and adding more vocals into my music.

I’d ask for your financial support, but I’m not a blogger or a beggar. I’m a proud artist. I’ll starve. Don’t take my (spoken) word for it, but this could definitely be the start of a cool thing. – dse