Album Lockdown - Day 5

It's time like these I begin to recall and recite popular internet memes:

Nothing worth having comes easy.

It's not about the destination. It's about the journey.

Keep calm and carry on.

Don't feed the bears.

Ok, maybe not the last one. But, I am in California - it's on the state flag for cryin' out loud.

Alright, anyway, construction is well underway. The first week brought its share of ups and downs. Sometimes THE PROCESS just flows - little diamonds just show up at your feet without you even taking the time to look around. Other times, (and more often then not), it's less of a flow and more of an absolute grind. The gem has to be polished, cleaned, sanded, buffed, cut, formed, shaped, and then polished, cleaned, sanded, and buffed again. Being that as it may, I think it's safe to say that I'm excited about the results so far.

And it's important for everyone out there on the Interwebs to understand: Joey Barba practically lives in Beast Mode while he's engineering a track. Getting to collaborate with both his and Tyler's creative instincts and to contribute, in even a minute way, to this project has been quite the ride so far. Certainly part of the joy of this whole adventure is simply being in the room when someone else does something truly great. It's no small thing to be a fan of the people with whom you work.

And, there's nothing like the shared excitement of coming across something great - the looks we all give each other once it's put down to track & played back, the laughter, high five's, back slaps, and general state of riotous mirth when we realize that it's going to work, and the surreal reflection (on my part, anyway) that some of this stuff could be listened to and enjoyed a decade from now. Here's hoping, anyway.

One of the curve balls for me this week has been finding out that my hometown has been, for the second summer in a row, besieged by out-of-control wildfires. Several hundred homes were destroyed, thousands of people affected, and even the family of some of my friends lost just about every material thing in their lives. To say things are forced into perspective at a time like this is appropriate - music & art are important and vital to who we are as people, but the stress of making a record is nothing, NOTHING, like how I imagine losing my home would be. At the end of the day, rock 'n' roll is cool because it's not the most important thing in my life. If it was, this entire experience would inevitably be a colossal letdown. I can't help but conclude that keeping your mind & heart focused on what's most important and remembering those priorities are vital to truly appreciating the good things in life.

Much more to come. Keep the good vibes flowin', people. I promise we'll try our hardest to get you a great collection of tunes! Until then, maybe you should try this, this, or this.