K-Mans Views

September 2009

"May you live in interesting times" Confucious supposedly said..
Well if this past spring/summer is any indication, I am surely living it large that way. It’s been many years since I had a break from touring/recording music for this length of time. I can honestly say I have enjoyed the hiatus immensely, however I was still writing and trying to pick away at some things I had yet to finish while at home..(hello surf fans!?..)
Furthermore I had resigned to the idea that I would probably not travel much into the following year so when I got a call from Jann Arden’s manager Bruce Allen to consider the idea of touring with her this fall I had to contemplate it at length..
Not only was I a fan, but the thought of touring with another group of musicians was quite compelling since I had only toured with the amazing Bryan et al for nearly 28 years.. Seems incredible but ‘tis the truth and well..why the heck not? Maybe some things happen for a reason..
My biggest challenge was to attempt to learn a whole new set of someone else’s songs of which I had absolutely nothing to do with in any creative way or of even being that familiar with, except for the obvious popular songs that made their way onto radio, mostly in Canada and the U.S.
So the story begins then.. I listened to and made notes of the songs that were short-listed for the upcoming tour, which also meant a whole CD of brand new songs that even the core of the original band was just barely knowledgeable about.. It’s always a great deal of work to restart and try to incorporate a whole new set of ideas into a batch of old ones..I have been subjected to this over the last 25 plus years but to be amongst a new gang of folks..so many questions lingered.. How would they accept me? "the outsider". So far the group of people involved have been so welcoming to me and helpful to the cause..
We have a few shows and promotional spots already under our belt and so far it’s cooking along nicely.. There are still a few jitters to work out but overall the results have been very pleasing.. The real touring starts this mid November, and will continue into 2010 possibly to March..
And until who knows? It’s up to Ms. Arden I suppose, but I sense that she is again motivated to get going in her life and get out play some tunes! It also goes without saying that the format is quite different from my "other" employer and my role is very different from a visual and musical point.
The idea of crashing big chords and raging solos would not work in this situation but a more atmospheric and spacey approach is suited here.. A challenge I look forward to.. After all, I have done it the other way for several years now..!
I will have a short break coming to reconfigure my road tools of trade ie: guitars, amps etc. and we will start rehearsals and our first shows in Nanaimo, British Colombia, Canada in mid-November of this year. Hope some of you will be nearby to take it in!

For more info on Jann Arden contact her website at jann arden@myspace.com.

Can’t wait!
Truly
K-Man.