March 13 2001, Hey everybody, hope you are well.
I am feeling amazing right now. I got back last night from Cliff's house at around 10pm and i was just exhausted. I am so amazed with this whole thing.
Upon meeting Cliff and talking with him and playing music, etc, my objective in this trip has shifted from these recordings of my simple songs to learning and experiencing music in all it's forms. We are still recording my songs however, and are focusing on 5. We got the basic acoustic guitar and vocals done yesterday, there's nothing special about the recordings yet. I mean my performances are good, but certainly not perfect, i.e. we didn't spend months on each song waiting for the magical take, it's just not where my interest lies and i'm sure Cliff would be bored.
I also met Cliff's younger brother Karl who is 18 like me! He is also a very super person and has agreed to play some drums with my songs. He has shown a surprising amount of interest in my music, as i would assume that my stuff must be immensely boring in comparison to the kool stuff he is used to. please check out some the music Karl and his friends have recorded at mp3.com/kpet thanks.

Ok, i think i made an understatement in an earlier entry when i said that Cliff was a musical genious. The man is amazing! He showed me some music he is presently writing and i'm just blown away. For instance, he has created his own guitar tuning to prevent him from being the same as everybody else, and the songs have musical purpose!! Like one he has that he's trying to make it sound so that the listener feels like they are being rocked back and forth, you know, like a baby. i am like 'uhh.... yeah, my songs are just songs....' and he's like 'yeah man, that's cool!' but i feel like i have been limiting myself thus far, and i aim to create more 'intellectual music' as Cliff calls it. mainly i just want something beautiful. that's what i discovered while writing in my physical journal for this trip last night. i wrote: "i realize this minute that all want in life is something beautiful. I want to create something beautiful with my life, music being a part of that. I want beautiful love, beautiful happiness, etc." i didn't really finish the thought because i was dead tired, and so many other things were rushing through my mind.
I think yesterday i changed so much, i think i am becominig a man, rather than a boy. Not in any kind of physical way, but in every emotional and intellectual way. The odd thing is that the feeling comes not from living in a house full of college guys forcing me to grow up, but it's all through music. Music has just matured for me yesterday, and i don't think these recordings are going to reflect that, but they will be a significant landmark when looking back on this change. hopefully today and tomorrow will be even more life changing musically, and it would be awesome to have some different elements on these songs than everything that i'm used to, and that you're used to (if you listen to my music at all. thanks by the way!).
We jammed a bit yesterday and threw around some ideas, but i think the Snyder's are being too careful. Cliff was playing some keyboard and thinking that we could put it in for a little part, and i was like 'play for the whole thing, man, figure something out' and he's like 'yeah but it's your song.' he doesn't want to take it over, you know? they are very considerate like that, and that's great, but i think today i will tell them to make it their own as well as mine. i listened to the tape we made yesterday and i realized how much the same it is as everything i have done before, even the new songs. the sound quality is much better, but that's not what i am most concerned about. i want to make this stand out more than sound quality can make it.
hmm... we'll see what we can do, i guess.
i must get some lunch, Cliff is picking me up around 1. Oh, Justin says "Hi!" although he's not here right now..
ok, peace and love, y'all.
d-boy.

i am listening to the Mir album 'Invisible Science' right now. go listen to the full album here. it's brilliant
have a good day
oh yes, i called Audrey but i didn't get a hold of her yet, she now has my # here and will phone me hopefully later tonight. it will be nice to see her.
previous main diary email Home please.