I have this thing I do where I want to find ways to get everyone I know involved in my music projects. Already, the new album involves sounds that my son and I recorded and some sounds my dog made. In the past, Ive gotten friends to dub vocals over tracks or to send me sounds from their environment (yes, L, your cat is going to be on my album). I have one track, though...the first that I've started writing since choosing my album's theme, which is giving me the urge to invite everyone to the party.

I started this one about a week go now. I think it's going to be the second song on the final release...it has that feel anyway. The intro is right for it. It's definitely not the starter, but something to follow it. Interestingly, I have words for this one which are half my own and half those of someone I recently met (call her J). I was inspired to write my half for someone I've known for a while (E). J read the words I posted to a forum I am a member of and replied in the comments with an extension of her own. It's an intersting situation to be sure. One of the reasons I posted in the first place was because of J's encouragement to continue my writing.

I've texted to J and asked if she would possibly read her piece and let me record it. I am considering reading my part and (for the first time ever) letting my voice appear on one of my recordings. I have a feeling Ill take one listen to my vox and find someone else to do them, but for this particular track, it will be important to have a strong male vox to contrast the female. I think J's voice will work well, though the voice someone speaks does not always translate well to recording even when care is taken. I think it would be OK. I'd like at least one of our voices to appear on the recording.

I am hoping to possibly get E involved as well. She has been present for some of my meditational performances, and I'd like to incorporate one of her meditation chants into my recording (perhaps not on this song, but certainly on this album).

And then also there is asking A to get involved by possibly doing some photography work. I have a cover in mind for the album and I am definitely not equipted to capture it properly. I'd also need 3 models, and another pair of friends immediately sprung to mind along with E. I don't know why, but for a guy who likes to make solo albums, I sure do seem to want to have a lot of collaboration.

Really, though, this goes with the theme of the album. All of these people, via some mechansim or other, have crossed paths into my life right at a time when I am starting to (finally) feel the urgency of creation in myself again. Through our interactions we have become entangled particles floating through this current moment.

I am not someone who believes that things happen for a reason. An 'reason' or 'fate' is simply that part of our brains that wants there to be patterns finding them. I will say, however, that I am grateful for the cast of people who have entered my life recently. With everything that's going on (and those that need to will know what I am talking about) I am damn lucky to have find that web of entanglements to help keep me afloat. Without them I'd be as dark matter - adrift and invisible.

Maybe my choice of title and theme should not seem so mysterious to me after all?