NEWS

Rewrite

In 2023, I took a sabbatical from my teaching duties. The goal was to start the process of rewriting my cult-survival story. After taking a course on memoir writing and making the initial changes, I shied away from the project.

The rewrite I envisioned then wasn’t the right fit for my story. My goal was to get rid of any fictionalized parts, change fictional names to real names, people, places, etc. In a meeting with a memoir expert I decided it was all too much for too little return. She recommended in-depth research, interviews with former cult members, and a total rewrite, years of work.

Now I understand something. That is not what this story needs. It doesn’t need to be added to. It needs to be stripped back, reduced from a short novel to a mid-length novella. From over 40,000 words to under 30,000. Bare bones. And so the rewrite has begun.

The original book, A Train Called Forgiveness, was my first attempt at writing and publishing a book. I self-published and sold a modest amount of copies. It gets good reviews at Amazon. But as time passed, something has gnawed at me. Two things. First, the writing could be tighter. Second, there needs to be a thematic change. I’m not telling yet.

I’ve always loved minimalist writers and gritty writers. Cormac McCarthy and Denis Johnson come to mind. I love writers who make the process as much about editing as writing. Writers who painstakingly get rid of every unnecessary word, and then craft what remains into pure art. That’s the goal for the rewrite.

The new book will remain creative non-fiction, but many real names will be used. The title will change to Cult Boy. If you’d like to see the first chapter in progress, you can check it out on my new website, glitcsh.com. Beware, because it’s a work in progress, it might change from week to week as I hone in on the minimalist vibe I’m seeking. – dse

Glitch of G_d

So, I know I said I was going to post less, and I am, but I just released another Anderhill track. It often happens after releasing an EP or an album that I try to do something opposite. This is my first pure noise release. It’s called Glitch of G_d.

At nearly 11-minutes long, the track feels like a 60-cycle hum with 50bpm industrial breath. If you listen closely, you may hear the sounds of cooing pigeons and bagpipes in the distance amongst the digital noise. It often feels like music is trying to break through, but it can’t quite find its way out of the glitch.

I used a lot of 8-bit digital sounds and sound effects and piled on the echo and reverb during mixdown, then I used some filter effects on the final mix. The end result: Glitch of G_d. – dse

Coalescence

New music from Anderhill, Coalescence has a vibe that is reminiscent of 2019’s Time & Texture and 2022’s Absence, with a new and unique vibe of its own.

The EP has a meditative quality. I make use of minimalist drum samples. The odd tracks have custom drum programming. For the even tracks I chose random drum loops. The sound is definitely darker than Time and Texture, but it also has a lightness about it. I invite you to take a listen.

Also, check out my new site, G L I T C . S H. You’ll find a combination or poetry, art, and music that uses both glitch and brutalism. – dse

Introducing G L I T C . S H

What is G L I T C . S H? It’s a brutalist, minimalist, and glitchy poetry and photography site. It’s a place where I’ll focus on poetic creativity. Here’s a short quote from the manifesto:

I believe that ERROR is the only honest data left in a manicured system. My lyrics are not typos but rather the intentional ruptures of a soul that refuses to be domesticated by the algorithm.

G L I T C . S H_ may have a simple and classic presentation, but don’t let that fool you. My poetry intentionally makes use of symbols, numbers, errors, stutters, and more. My photography editing blatantly erases the world as we see it.

The site will have both long-form writing series’ and a Machine Feed (blogroll) of individual poems and photographs.

The first long-form work is called Pentad.

PENTAD is a five-cycle journey consisting of 86 short poems. The first and third cycles have several chapters while the others stand alone. Instead of endlessly scrolling on social media, I invite you to come along on this journey of thought and reflection.

I encourage you to check out the new site. I’ll be updating the Machine Feed a couple times a week, and adding new long-form writing every month or two. – dse

G L I T C . S H

Big Life Update

Life is unpredictable. My move back to Maine is postponed.

I’m not happy about that but it is what it is. The lease is running out where we’re  currently living and we’ll have to move locally sometime in April. My daughter will rent a place in Nashville and now that I’m not working, if I must stay in Tennessee, that will be much better.

I’ll be closer to Vanderbilt for my blood cancer specialist. I’ll also be nearer to music venues for performing, (if I choose), and attending shows. Maybe, I’ll even look for part-time work.

That’s the gist on the “life” side of things but I also want to address some changes in my posting schedule here.

I am going to post less often.

Recently, I reduced how often I post on my YouTube Channel. I’ve discovered that I really like that freedom. I’m also developing a new poetry website that will be much more of a static site than a “blog.” And that’s the direction I want to move here as well.

I’ll primarily continue to post news, new releases, and occasional poetry. I’m going to move away from feeling the need to post something just because more than a few days have passed. This new schedule starts now, so don’t be surprised if it’s a couple weeks until the next post. – dse

The Gilded Embarrassment

it’s hard to look
at what our image has become,
withering compassion
and torn-up roses.
the world watches in shock and awe
at the gilded embarrassment.

it’s hard to hold a mirror
to our own shadow
and see the age lines and wrinkles
that show not wisdom
but rather folly.
instead of honest self-reflection,
we build a ballroom.

the emperor is already naked
and half the people cheer
as if it’s some kind of dignity.
i’ll never understand.