So, I sit here in my little recording room, going over the lyrics for 2024's release THE MORE THINGS CHANGE and I realized that I need to be on top of the DISTILLATE release…which is creeping up ever so slowly. September 29th, to be exact. 

Things have been good. A little travel. A lot of preparing for next year and hopes of actually performing overseas for the first time. I've put myself into quite the workout mindspace for the next year and we'll see what happens. I don't like that part of my personality that leans into the vanity of it all, but I could stand to lose a few pounds and start feeling better physically. 

One thing I've not mentioned much is what went down six years ago, this July. I was diagnosed with Orbital Lymphoma. There was/is a tumor, about 3.5", behind my right eye; running along the optic nerve. I went through several doctors (seven) and a few MRI scans before it was determined to be cancer. At that point in my life, I had made the decision to travel abroad to perform. I was in the best shape of my adult life - seriously good shape; both physically and EMOTIONALLY - and when the diagnosis came through everything stopped on a dime. I believe very strongly that the work I put into myself form 2016 to July of ‘17 got me through the biopsy surgery (which was awful) and the radiation treatments (all 20 of ’em). The Lipson Cancer Center was absolutely the best place for me to be during this time. 

Cut to six years later…

I will no longer need to have an MRI twice a year. The MRIs are, after six long years, in the rearview. Now, it's four more years of oncologist visits - twice a year - to make sure no other symptoms arise. What I didn't really pay attention to was just how much this event had gotten into my psyche. It did and I let myself slide a bit. Always busy (in six years there were four moves, job changes, house building, getting shit done), but not fully taking the best care of myself. And now, well, I have to and I'm back in it. BIG TIME. I'm growing the hair (I still have the hair). I'm in a positive frame of mind. I'm absolutely loving my work (and very happy to be back in Rochester, NY) and really looking forward to things for the first time in quite a while. However, I am going to be 55 years old this September and believe me - there are days I feel every fucking year of that 55 years. 

Stay tuned…