Happy New Year
Welcome to the beginning of another orbit around the sun. Allow me a few observations about the one we just finished.
Bring Me A Club
After ten thousand years of civilization, in 2023, the human race was far from civil, with one brutal war held over and another beginning. In contrast to humanity’s brilliant advances in medicine, communication, and travel, the issues of tolerance, diversity, and nationalism are still settled by who has the bigger stick.
Pants On Fire
I won’t get into the politics of 2023 other than to say there was, and still is, an ex-president vying for another chance to bully and defraud the American public. Under the current administration, jobs are way up, inflation (a global problem not restricted to the US) is down, wages have risen, the Dow is booming, and yet a significant part of the electorate is still drinking the orange man’s Kool-Aid.
Woof
After a successful battle against what may have turned into a modern-day black plague, there was a massive COVID-19 hangover. To mangle a trendy expression, a group of social media fabulists were tail wagging the public dog. Their lies included the claims that masks were unnecessary and vaccines were either useless, dangerous or a plot to control us.
End Of An Era
Closer to home, for me, was the passing of Gordon Lightfoot on May 1. I played in his band and performed on his recordings for over forty-two years. He was a brilliant songwriter and musician. He was also, to be fair, a tough man to work with. But he was a good friend, and we miss him.
Millions of people world-wide, including us, loved his music. We toured constantly and could have gone on indefinitely, a real anomaly in a business that favours the new and novel.
The Start Of A New One
It was with a reluctance to let it all go that Rick Haynes, Barry Keane, Carter Lancaster, and I met in a Mississauga restaurant late last summer to discuss keeping the band together. Nobody needed to be sold on the idea; not only was there unanimous agreement, but also an enthusiasm that reminded me of some of my early bands who, with stars in their eyes, dreamed of adoring fans and fat bank accounts.….except that this time it was about the chance of just continuing doing what we love.
In November we hired a fifth member, Andy Mauck, who is as passionate as we are about the music.
We entered into this project with cautious optimism. It was a pleasant surprise to us how quickly it built momentum.
Coda
The dissonance of a world at odds with itself won’t find resolution anytime soon, but all the same, I’m looking forward to 2024.