TomFlannery.com

Well, the new record is gonna have to go on hold….at least for a while. I just can’t afford it right now. This recession is killing me, and the thought of having to stare at the clock and do financial math on my fingers while overdubbing guitar bits is too depressing to contemplate. It would appear I’m destined to make solo acoustic recordings from my basement until further notice. When cash and music mix, what generally follows is either shit music or bankruptcy. And I’m not willing to create the former or go through the latter.

At times like this you’re on razor’s edge, so you’re also more conscious of who your friends are and who you thought they were…..and more prone to be grateful and pissed off, respectively. Some will be there, some won’t. Some will follow through on promises, some won’t. Some will at least have the decency to pay your scheme’s lip service, while others will consider you unworthy to sup with. And so you move on, being helped along the dusty road by a few, and wanting to scream “fuck off” over your shoulder to the rest. But you don’t do that. Scream I mean. At least most of the time. It does feel good to obliterate a bridge every once in a while though. It keeps the fear up.

I’ve got confidence in my ability (most of the time anyway) because I work my ass off. I’ve not gotten far, but that doesn’t make me unique. What does is that I’ve never once considered not doing this. Not writing songs would be like saying I’m no longer going to sleep. Writing isn’t even a luxury anymore. It’s mandatory for good health.

It is a solitary business though. Trust others at your peril. You can assume that if you build it, they will come….but be prepared to get run over by a farming tractor in the process. Most likely, they will not come. You have to go to them, which is the part I’ve always been lousy at. I initially thought that the web and digital music might level the playing field….but instead it’s just made it too large to sensibly navigate at all without an unlimited supply of bandwidth, patience, and little red pills.

So now what? I have no clue really. I’ve got a few ideas but none I’m willing to stay up late for….which probably means they’re not very good ideas to start with. Maybe I’ll just scrap everything I have and write and record 10 pop songs. Maybe I’ll morph back into a Woody Guthrie wannabe. Maybe I’ll write a rock-opera about the Gallagher brothers. Maybe I’ll go join the circus. Who knows. Idleness is not an option though.

In a bit…

–tf