I’ll jump right in. In 2017, I retired from music (for a second time) to focus on my game company and other art-related endeavors. While I love that work, and continue to run the two companies that grew out of those efforts, I just can’t walk away from music, no matter how hard I try.
I’ve kinda-sorta-halfheartedly tried to jump back in over the past few years, but it never felt right. Now, it does. I think being away and spending months completely immersed in other projects gave me a better perspective on what I want out of music, which is to record and release my original songs.
I realize that in the last years of playing before I shut it down, I was too focused on the wrong things – blogging, social media, trying to keep up with other artists out there on Insta, etc. So I’ve gone back to my roots of that music, rediscovering my love of guitar and practicing, listening to my influences again in a whole new light.
I’ve been going through all of my old 4-track tapes and sessions – dozens of melodic instrumental songs I’ve written over the years, picking out the best tracks and sorting them into album projects.
I keep going back to certain songs from all those tapes, and each time I revisit them, I realize something feels different this time. I know exactly which tracks need to be on which album, and which ones are the gems.
The music is also going in a more positive, upbeat direction than my dark ambient projects. The new songs are lighter, happier; they actually groove. This is a return to my style in the 80’s and 90’s, and it feels great to play this way again. What’s old is new again.
The projects…
First up is a 3-song instrumental EP, Stage Alpha. I just wrapped pre-production, and will start recording the final tracks next week.
This summer, I’m working on Visions, a project I was planning in 2017 just before I called it quits (here’s a video of one of the sessions on my YouTube channel). This is a 22-song beast of an album that contains what I feel are absolutely my best instrumental songs. If you like early Satriani and Frank Gambale, this is kinda the vibe I’m going for on these tracks.
Another item on the agenda is heading to Nashville later this year to record a single. Still in the planning stages, so I don’t really have any updates, other than it’s a hard rock song, I’ll be singing lead and playing co-lead guitar.
I do have more album projects planned, but this is a good start. Besides, I still have my other businesses to run, and they each have their own projects on the calendar.
You can follow the updates here, on my YouTube channel, and other socials.
Rock on,
Donnie
