Sometimes a song develops over a long period of time. Other times a complete idea manifests all at once.
I often experience a kind of insanity when I am writing. It seems like the faster the song comes; a larger degree of madness precedes it. I see it as a shifting of ballast within the mind. Maybe the left-brain knows that the right side is getting ready to take control and it kicks into overdrive while it can.
I met a jazz guitarist in California that told me “all musicians are slightly psychotic”. “One of the first signs of psychosis is hearing voices; every musician I know hears music in his head all day long”. I have known many creative people, not just musicians, and most have exhibited some eccentric behavior.
Several years ago, I went through my first period of sobriety. I had not been drunk in over a year. I was going through what a lot of alcoholics call a dry drunk. I was pissed off at the world. Mostly because I couldn’t drink. The band was on the way home from a show out east. It was an uncomfortable trip. Four guys in a van for 28 hours during the heat of summer. We stopped in West Memphis for gas at about two in the morning. It was one of those truck stop scenes with junkies and hookers and pimps in the parking lot. There was diesel smoke and the night air just felt like it stuck to the skin. I was burned out from driving and drinking coffee to stay awake. I had a flashback to a time when I felt that way all the time. Back when I was drinking heavy, always ripped or hung-over, in constant transit.
For several days after that, I was a difficult person to be around. I was unsociable and quick-tempered. Then, in an afternoon, I wrote and recorded the demo of the song “Salvation”. The song came all in one chunk. I was thinking about the night in West Memphis and the flood of memories of truly dark times. It was cathartic.
I like the idea that a song can mean something very different to every listener. Most of the time I don’t like it when a songwriter tells you what the song is about before he sings it. I like to form my own impression.
“Salvation” has made some friends of mine very uneasy. I think they may interpret it as some kind of anti-religious statement. I see it more as a snapshot of a feeling, a moment in time. I see it as I had to go through there to get to here.
Pat Darnell wrote,
This free advice from Jack does not make me the least bit uneasy. In fact with your permission, Jack, I would like to add this footnote to your worthy essay:
If I may interject a personal note.. madness in creativity is in my experience this: “Imprinting” on the brain as a common occurrence. It turns out, my thing is oil painting. After weeks of a flurry of painting, I am seeing all of my surroundings in blobs of color, complementing colors, in light and shadow. Sort of unnerving. Then it stops.
It is called imprinting: For instance, stare at red dots intently, then close your eyes. I suspect you see a negative of the dots in your “mind’s eye.” In my old age, now when I depart on madness, I have learned to let go and work hard, and fast.
On another vein, I would encourage all “youngers and beginners” new to this, to appeal to each’s “what Jack refers to as Madness” as often as you would pray to Jesus for help and guidance. It is the only way “through.” But please say “No” to controlled substance that advertises to enhance/ bring on, etc, the madness..
In my old and lucky age I realize that this madness chooses its own time to manifest.
Now for the miserable anecdote:
After my first marriage, before my second marriage — I was having dinner with the daughter of my minister, and we were discussing the “madness.” She enlightened me, killing me softly with my own words, telling my whole life, with her.. errr, she explained to her knowledge that “creative madness comes in spurts.”
It turns out, it is not a gradual storm building in the gulf, rather, like DeCarte sleeping in a boiler, a frenzy of debris flying about, Dorothy in the storm. The next morning is “Shazammm, gotta write this song!!!!! paint that scene, gotta dance for Oz… gotta describe the origin of the Universe without miracles or divinity…” and other unplugged mind benders.
I fell at her feet that instant asking her hand in marriage, slobbering all over her stylish yet practical shoes, but she rejected me, and referred to the madness thing again, and that she is Dr. Harper’s, the minister’s, daughter… and well “No,” she sweetly denied. “You see, Pat, my boyfriend is working on his doctorate, and I am going to missionary school…” Yes, after that I got help.
A Poll
:> so pick your favorite moral to the preceding footnote:
a] Never practice what you preach to the daughter of your preacher man, as if she is the only one who could ever please you..
b] When having dinner at DeCarte’s Liver and Chicken Truck Stop, never show your madness until ‘after’ the girl pays the bill..
c] Beware of the barnyard if the rooster is lying on his back playing dead.
FAQ
So, you ask where is the best place to store your madness until it comes back?
:Store in a bag, box or other storage container and keep in a cool dry location. Simply inflate during seasonal storms, or reposition as needed as better conditions present opportunity. Always use a protected outdoor elcetric power cord, to reduce risk of fire. And buy lots of recordings from Jack. [Not responsible for spellling errors.} and did I say buy lots of Jack’s recordings, and listen respectfully to your elders.
I leave you with peace of mind; good night friends and lovers. >pd
Pat Darnell’s last blog post..MooPig Welcomes you to Syllabic syndicate consort… Or a game of Hang Man, sort of
Link | January 10th, 2008 at 12:38 pm
Pribek wrote,
Pat, your insight is fascinating to say the least. Unfortunately, it is beyond my capability to say the least.
Regarding imprinting:
This seems to possibly imply that creativity needs to have a worldly source, something that leaves the imprint that you, the creative individual, reacts to in some manner. If I have this wrong, feel free to further enlighten me. If I’m right about this, imprinting seems restricted by the need of a outward source. Further, it would seem that all creativity would also be influenced by the actions of man ’cause how can you pick and choose what leaves an imprint and further still up the road, how could any of these imprints possibly be un-tainted?
For instance (I feel comfortable in tossing this one out there because you hit us with the Descartes reference), if I write a song that uses the 12 note chromatic scale, I am forever beholden to that prick Pythagoras because he’s the guy that came up with that bright idea. Left to my inner self’s devices, I would possibly create something without the influence of that imprint.
I think you are spot on in encouraging the little shavers to embrace the madness and discouraging any use of substance to fuel it. It’s within, the use of substances will, in the end, only numb one’s ability to recognize and harness it. To quote John Lee Hooker (who by the way owes no debt to Descartes and had no problem telling Pythagoras to fuck off); “It’s in him and it’s got to come out” When it does come out, use it for good not evil.
As for the moral to your anecdote, all roads point to choice C. That being said, it’s a good idea to be cautious with women who wear “stylish yet practical shoes” particularly if they are size 8 or above.
Link | January 10th, 2008 at 1:41 pm