A Perpetual State Of Preparation

Bex — Wed, 12 Apr 2017 15:49:29 +0000

Despite a lack of performances over the past twelve months, there hasn’t been a day that I haven’t written something – most commonly a snippet of some song idea, an instrumental piece of guitar music (a glorified riff), a poem, or a blog post. I write music reviews and articles daily, but these don’t generally allow me to get the creative confusion out of my system the way writing songs does. This has been true for the past 8 years now, during which time I’m fairly certain I’ve written close to a thousand songs – many of which have been forgotten about, or the serviette upon which I scribbled the lyrics has long since dampened and disintegrated in some lowly, abandoned pocket. However, that still leaves me with hundreds of songs – complete, playable (acoustically at least) songs, that I have never laid down or put out.

Having recently suffered from a pretty harsh chest infection and losing my voice almost entirely, and this, combined with the constant pressure of do it, do it while you can from inspiring videos and entrepreneurs and creatives that I seek out daily online, gave me the fear. I’ve known what needed to be done for quite some time – in order to satisfy my creative needs, and in order to finally put these songs somewhere behind me and make room in my mind for new things, new endeavors, new ideas – I know what the job is, and I have the tools with which to do it. But, as I’m sure we all can relate, knowing what needs to be done and actually doing it are all too often miles and miles apart. The fact is, there are only so many weeks in a life. And I’ve used a big bunch of them already.

I hereby vow to record (or make a video of) as many songs as possible that I have written (or, occasionally, arranged covers of) over the past 8 years, and I will do this as the coming months (April 2017 onward) unfold. I will, at some undeclared moment in 2017, be releasing an album and/or collection of EPs, the primary of which will be called A Perpetual State Of Preparation. The songs are there and the drafts are ready. Whether it’s a live acoustic collection, or a fully polished, mixed and mastered indulgence, I’m not too sure just yet. But by putting all of this in writing, I’m baring the truth of my intention.

If I don’t do these things I’ve promised myself I’ll do, disappointment will no doubt suffocate me much more than any fear of rejection might. When I’m much older, if the world allows it, I’ll be glad I have these things on record. Regardless of external factors. It’s always interesting to look back at things that I wrote when I was at school, photographs that were taken, things that were achieved or even things that didn’t quite go to plan. We live and we learn, perspectives evolve. Change is good. It’s important to remember though, that we all come from somewhere. There’s a trail behind everyone. Not so that we can find our way back, perhaps even the opposite, but at the very least it’s so that we appreciate that there was a beginning.

These are the facts. I think about them often, and now they’re here. Written. Published. A real-life, public to-do list. A promise.

Here goes something.

Europe Bound

Bex — Sun, 18 Oct 2015 18:52:41 +0000

I thought it might be a good idea to document the current plan – as a means of either remembering it, or having record of it when it turns out we didn’t actually do it. Having said that, we absolutely are definitely doing this, as we have handed in our notice on the house, and started selling the masses of ‘stuff’ we’ve collected over the past nine months. Also, there lies the answer, for those of you who made bets – we lasted 9 months in a proper house, and are now moving into a more boat like, though hopefully less hazardous, more open-roadious (add to dictionary), mode of home. We’re getting a van, and we’re heading to mainland Europe. We’ve done it before, but it was more of a holiday – we wild camped, occasional B+B, we cycled much of it, from Holland, down the Rhine through Germany, to Basel (Switzerland), and then back. This time we don’t have to be back for a certain date (We were both due to start University Courses last time) And this time – we’re both self employed; freelance, laptop lovers, wifi huggers, persistent jammers, van-dwelling land-roaming noise-making quiet types. We’re actually planning it properly this time. Not like with the boat. We’ve set a date a couple of months away, so as to finalise housey things, and prepare to the best of our abilities for living on the road and away from family again. Which will be hard, I can’t deny that, and wouldn’t want to – but technology lets you see your loved ones from pretty much anywhere these days, and we’re not going so far that a quick flight back isn’t an option. (Snippet from ‘Conversations with Myself’, by Rebecca)

We have a quality camera in hand; lots of photography and videos will be coming. I hope to street perform as much as possible, and meet some other musicians doing their thing in the wild, wild woods of European Cities. I will be writing, a lot. It might look like I haven’t written for a while, but I write everyday; I write freelance articles and regular features for a Music Blog. I also write a hell of a lot of songs, as it keeps me vaguely sane; it’s like keeping a diary, only way more fun – you can add all sorts of noises to your thoughts when you express them with music. Bloody good medicine.

Anyway, over the next month or so, as our mountains of things slowly decrease – we’ll take last advantage of the gorgeous place in which we have lived for the biggest part of this year. Obvious photo opportunity.

It’s not been what you’d call an easy year; thus is life, and everything that comes with it. But, count your blessings and darkness makes a bit more sense for a while. Sort of. It has been quite possibly the most productive year though, which was what we intended when we moved from the boat to somewhere with a more consistent source of power. We did what we set out to do, and now it’s on to the next chapter. A huge thank you while I’m here as well – to everyone who’s shown support this year, in music and otherwise. A lot of you really helped make the EP feel worth while and I’ve had some great musical experiences while we’ve been up North. Thanks to everyone who’s played the tracks on their radio shows, and at full volume from their cars. You guys are the best. (If you haven’t done this yet, don’t panic – Some Build Castles).

I’ve got a fair bit of work and new releases to get done before we move out, so this isn’t the end until January; I just wanted to get this down, dusted, set in stone, I guess. I’m so, so excited about this adventure. Keep an eye out for us in various fields and cafe’s around Belgium and Germany in the next six months. Or maybe France. Or possibly just Cornwall.* Who knows!? Follow me on Twitter if you don’t already – I don’t have Facebook on my phone as it eats up all of my memory, so.. Twitter is the best place to catch updates.

Big hugs to all of you.

Bex xx

*When I say ‘just’ Cornwall, that’s not to downplay Cornwall – we very much love Cornwall. Adam half grew up there (I’m not sure he ever did the other half. Bahaha.) I just mean it’s not that far away, and is still, well.. England. So, yeah. Disclaimer.

“Goodbye, Dovestone! *Irrelevant Arnie voice* We’ll Be Back.”

Blog – Rebecca Cullen

A Perpetual State Of Preparation

Europe Bound