In these times where the sanity of the human race is called into question on a daily basis, I still believe in our intrinsic goodness and humanity.
With dystopia themes in pop culture and the media dragging me down, I kept asking myself, "What’s the alternative? How do I represent visions of human unity, compassion, and goodness without sounding too schmaltzy?" I wondered, “How might David Bowie handle this?" The answer came in the form of my new album “All Are One.” It’s my 'Lost Horizon' vision of humanity’s potential expressed through a prog-rock-opera lens. I cast both the shadow and light of the human spirit through this prism.
The album invites your soul and imagination down the rabbit hole and into a series of alternate fantasy and sci fi universes. Further inspired by Bowie, I transformed myself into a shape-shifter and acted out the cast of characters who populate the songs: A Shakespeare quoting alien child in our future who sends a comet of love and awakening to earth in hopes that we don’t blow it (“The Love Comet”). A voodoo high priestess performing a soul retrieval while quoting Allen Ginsberg and Rumi (“Your Wonderland”). A futuristic psychic priest preaching about the new humanism ending with a call-and-response crescendo with a choir of visionary prophets (“All Are One”).
The album was recorded at Jackpot Studios in Portland, Oregon by Larry Crane (Elliot Smith, Cat Power, Sleater Kinney, The Decemberists). I sang the vocals and over dubs, played synths, keys, and made drum loops. Larry programmed drums, played some great Eno-inspired guitar lines, and some bad ass bass.
