Finally, spring is here; the sun’s getting stronger, the days are getting longer, and you can almost… feel the… anxiety in the air. Okay, yes - there’s no denying that, in addition to the welcome return of blossoms, warblers and warmth; there’s also much afoot that might call for some hand-wringing.  But I’m not here to talk about that, today - get thee behind me, Satan, while I ponder opportunity and fresh starts. No matter what, we’re all immersed in this fresh start. Even if at times, things feel like the same old Tom Thumb’s Blues (Dylan’s “take” on existential angst; for another, listen to the one-hit-wonder from Zager & Evans that inspired this post). The thing is, external change starts when it so chooses; we don’t have a choice about the when part. We do, however, have a choice about what and how: what to focus on during such pivotal moments, and how to respond.

For me, it’s high time to get back to the basics of creative expression. Last summer, Erin & I had the opportunity to see three great rock shows. These were artists who inspired and schooled me early on, about the wide range of rock’n’roll music, and the power of creative expression. According to Shaw, “Imagination is the beginning of creation. You imagine what you desire, you will what you imagine and at last you create what you will.” Music can help us imagine what’s possible, with both thought and emotion - the latter also serving to unite people and empower change. While doing this, music can still manage to be fun, energizing and often irreverent - providing the spoonful that helps the medicine go down.

Speaking of the basics, and fun, I feel there’s a lot of fun missing from this era of downloadable joy. In high school speech class, I chose a topic near & dear for my final project: how to repair an 8-track tape. Near because, with every play, there was a (50/50?) chance those skills would be put to the test. After enough plays, my brother’s hand-me-down Jefferson Airplane “Worst Of” comp became so chopped that there were whole bits of songs left on the cutting floor. Years later when I got the vinyl LP, those lost seconds sounded like apocryphal gems, reclaimed from the ether. Much like my most troubling, least reliable, and much beloved 1984 VW Vanagon (also a 50/50 shot for any given trip); some things and some people are more fun because of their quirks, not in spite of them.

In the days ahead, we’ll be bringing out tunes both new & old, also on some new (old) formats. To bring this all back home, I’m re-posting a video we made in the run-up to the 2020 election, that seems as apropos now as it did then. Intended as an encouragement to go out and vote, these days it encourages me to consider the “votes” I make every day.

With our purchases, the words we choose, the alliances we support, and the way we treat others; we can strive to create the reality we seek. We’re free to choose, and these choices are priceless. And much like rock & roll, misfit toys, and impractical works of beauty, they’re just plain good fun. Who doesn’t need a little more of that?

Keep your head up, keep on smiling, and keep the faith.
-Greg