
It is deeply influenced by the 90's alternative music I listened to in graphic arts class. This EP is called 'The Stars are as Good as a Nightlight' (out Feb 23 on Nomad Union). It's for the ones who decide who they are for themselves, and not based on what others tell them. It's about honoring the weirdos that go on their own ride (or are about to) and light their own road. It's about taking risks and embracing those who take them. This has been stirring in my mind quite heavily and I've been venting it into a new EP. This makes me sad because it keeps so many brilliant minds at bay, too scared to put themselves out there.

Society looks down upon odd-balls, weirdos & people who don't follow what is "normal" or "status quo". It will make you feel guilty for being unique, or taking risks, or pushing boundaries. People can only go for so long on their own steam.Įvery time someone quits what they were born to do, the light gets a little dimmer for everyone. It's the songs or stories or paintings that never leave the basement studio because the people who make them receive little to no encouragement from a society that seems to value the arts less and less all the time. It gets me pretty bummed how it's often the most genius creative work that we never actually see. Recently, I've seen a few of my most talented friends quit music or other creative pursuits. I hope the prodigies in that class are still creating stuff.

It was incredible to see the "picked on" quiet kids come out of nowhere and blow people's minds with their talent in graphic arts class.
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I wasn't the most talented person in the class, not even close. Plus, the teacher let us listen to rad 90's alternative music while we worked (Pixies, Weezer, Wilco, Death Cab, Nada Surf).

It was the one safe class where I didn't feel judged. When I was a little kid in school, graphic arts class was basically the only course I got EXCITED to go to.ĭrawing and designing without hard guidelines was so liberating in a deeply rigid public school system where it was popular to look down on "arty" quiet kids as "losers" or "weirdos".
