Welcome to my Microcosm

writing songs has always been just an extension of my diary, a vehicle to process and lay shit on the table. The concept of performing them or making a living with them seemed unnecessary and unlikely respectively. Anyway, they were private always a safe kinda inna sanctuary, that had dick to do with anyone else. I would write them, reasoning my way though my own psychology, get joy out of playing them the first 20 times, then be over the situation, water under the bridge like, there's a good number got forgotten. I guess I really started to think hard about what the hell I was doing at 23 or so. The day jobs I was getting sucked and all I had to show for myself were songs but how could I have the audacity to think anyone would want to hear. Well it took me another year or so to get over that one, you know fear is so self indulgent sometimes. My first major kick in the ass was from this friend of mine, Dan Bern, who helped me get my first demo together. Another major encouragement came from Ani DiFranco's music.

See I've been watching Ani for years now, I first got into her when she was "out of range" and proceeded to buy up everything else she'd done that same week. Its so rare to find an artist that stimulates and inspires so hard that you can't get bored. I still think no one can touch her and probably never will; though in my eyes competition is so not the point unless you wish to be a victim of all the wars that have gone before you. Instead camaraderie and community is where it's at. Although it took me a while to admit that I'm a musician too, when Hollywood records first approached my -nothing to show for myself yet- ass, I laughed at them and quoted Ani, something like this...

Well I went back to my pad and pondered. She is a great model for me but I am not her and there are infinite paths. Having witnessed a good amount of sycophantic behavior amongst some Ani fans it seems only respectful to walk my own. Does it have to be true that the closer to a major label you are the more tepid your art becomes? Well that would seem to be the general rule. But does it have to be true?. If the record industry knows what's good for it (which it rarely does) it would encourage artists who spout controversy, and therefore promote healthy conversation and discussion therefore move the species forward and out of denial.. Music is at heart (amongst many things) a forum, not a commodity. Having said that in an ideal world, I step back into this one where packaged realities rule, where everything is product. I no longer spend too much time being angry at capitalism as its seems unproductive, although I continue to know that it has many hideous ramifications if one really wishes to take responsibility for the oneness of it all... (if you're British try hard not to get embarrassed here) the knowledge that if one is in pain then we are all in pain. Instead I recognize that it's the state of the world. One can try and retreat, say for instance join a women's commune in Oregon and live as self sufficiently as possible (a righteous choice) or one can dive in aware but unafraid of how it can effect and dilute you which is on some level completely stupid as no one can stay unaffected, but the same can be said for the chicks in Oregon who are bound to consume something in their lifetime that unintentionally makes a fat white man richer and/or a sweatshop employee poorer And with complete and total respect for Ms Ani what she has created is still a capitalist venture, her own island by design but of the same animal. Its not the money that's evil (well possibly) its what you do with it.

So here begins the story of Essex girl records, when I was living in my bus in Philly ( these days a prerequisite for any chick singer) I remember a man saying - god, you're so lucky to have your bus to live in - and i was I wasn't homeless i had a decked out vee dub, point being money is relative. So I signed and certainly not to go into any detail you should be able to tell by this rant that I asked for things that are not exactly boiler plate. Not that I have massive funds but I certainly have more than I've ever had in my life. Essex Girl is my vehicle and yours, it is a money laundering operation. It is a coop, it is a union, that signs artists who understand and further these principals. It is an independent label that builds community not hierarchy, and comes from the artists perspective. Essex Girl is actively searching for artists who not only write bomb original music but take responsibility within their lyrical content to commune not preach. Right now Essex Girl has two signed acts, myself and La Paz. Watch this space.