One of the neat things about being an artist of any kind is that work you do affects people in one way or another. Reactions can run the gamut from “love it” to “what was he thinking?”  John Lennon’s primal scream therapy on his first solo album for example. Like it? Lift the needle (remember those) and go to the next song? Start screaming along? Or how about Coltrane with his sheets of sound. Listen to his Giant Steps album today and it still initiates a reaction.

I don’t even pretend to put myself in the same category as Lennon or Coltrane. One thing I do know is that they had to make the music they were making. There was no other way for them. Coltrane meant every one of those notes. Lennon put his soul into every one of those screams. The intent is a similarity I can share with them. As we’ve made recordings over the last decade, it has turned into something that I feel like I have to do. Usually one song or another will trigger the need to take the seemingly endless steps that feed the overreaction of making a record you can be proud of. It really is like building a house with all the decisions and choices. Once it’s done, a record is thoroughly unique and people will like it or they won’t.

Which brings me to the title of this piece, I Get Stuff. I’m thrilled to see the work I do affects people so positively. We play for families! I get stuff from kids! One of the best things about kids is that they’re not going to be nice and say they like something to make you feel good. If a kid says she likes your music and sends you a picture or a note, SHE LIKES YOUR MUSIC! I have to make the music. People like the music. This is working out.

Here is some of the stuff I’ve gotten recently.