A Word From The Mother’s Hip… (Back to Basics!)

Just wanted to throw some new thoughts out there and touch base with a lot of you as i have been rather derelict in the communication department. I think i mentioned before that this is kind of hard for me didn’t I? Not so much the “speaking to you all” part as much as being consistent about doing so. You see, i get sidetracked pretty…. SQUIRREL!!… uh, easily.

A lot has happened over the past year to all of us on the personal side (not together, separately…) and things always seem to keep getting in the way of just doing what we know how to do. We’ve also been dealing with consistent craziness internally and on the business side of things that kind of hearkens back to pre-hiatus days. You know, those days of preferring to stay in bed with a pillow over your face rather than deal with anything? Hey, we all have them, right?

But seriously now, fuck all that. I’m really tired of being forced to deal with things of such minuscule importance to my happiness in the grand scheme of things … I really just want to play. This is how I deal! The time before reuniting was really special in a lot of ways for me, mostly in it’s simplicity. Write, record, rehearse, and perform with the people that you’ve actually missed more than you ever realized. These are beautiful moments. We all need them, and i wish them upon all of you. The rest is just insignificant horse-shit. (yes, i hyphenated that… It was deserving)

Jumping back into the game was never really our intention. We only really wanted to try and have fun. The success of WGTL was so amazing and surreal to us, and i just can’t be any more grateful for that, but at the same time it weighed like an anchor. The simple idea of trying to just be out there playing for all of you (which we could do every day if possible) really became a collective drain on us (some more than others) as it really forced us back into playing the game once again by other peoples rules (“we can’t book you here unless you are on the radio”, “we can’t give you enough to pay your crew because your single isn’t where it was in the charts”, “we’ll book you when another song is out” etc). Understood…. You’re welcome for the sold out building. That being said though, we have also developed some pretty stellar relationships which gives us hope that our new ideas of “how to be IME” in 2014 can actually work and are still extremely excited to try.

So you see, these little annoyances automatically force you to do something which is against the earliest ethic you understand as a musician … “wanting” to play, not “having” to. I admit, i am a total fucking child when somebody tells me to do anything. I thought that would change as I got older, but nope! Still getting my head around some of these feelings and i know, “shut up and fucking play guitar already!”…. I say this to myself everyday actually.

Enough time has passed where i really feel complete and honest in just “wanting” to play my guitar, hence my recent outbursts of creativity lately. Playing in Oakville recently gave me some affirmation of one basic idea: i’m a guitarist and a writer, i love doing both, and NOTHING will stand in my way of being what i’m supposed to be, even if i’m shitty at them…. I AM ME. It’s all i can be. And i need to do it more.

So putting bigger thoughts and feelings aside, i’ve been getting back at it in a big way. Sort of a pre scenery and fish feeling to tell you the truth, and it’s currently consuming me. We have recently built a new studio (The Mother’s Hip) that me and my brother are putting to really good use, and it now feels like music and creativity are my driving forces again, and i feel like screaming. Whatever sound this scream makes, time will tell, but at least my mouth is open.

Its funny, but when Chris shows up here and its just me and him jamming, it gives us this weird full circle feeling as it is how we started IME. Most of the music from Dig are riffs from that period. Just the two of us being together, playing with no real purpose but to make as big a sound as we can with only the ability and instincts that we had at the time. Nostalgia aside, the results now are really exciting.

As much as we actually prefer to have everybody together making music and having a laugh, our circumstances unfortunately don’t allow it. We play differently when its just me and him. We’ve been doing it since i was 13 and he was 15. Our instincts take over and we don’t really speak, we just keep playing and move as a unit to where the songs tell us to go. It gets my blood going when we get onto something …. yes, i still have blood, who knew? (no chocos here!) It’s great to stop thinking, put the cell phones away and just let things flow, always trying to play at the limit of our abilities. There are no rules. Heaven.

The other day we played and i went to bed freaking out and singing the riffs we hammered out. How long has it been since that happened? It also makes me feel like my own playing is getting better and better and keeps me striving to wring every tone out of my hands that i can find…. and i am gratefully finding so many new ones! The experience is putting me in touch with my capabilities as a player, and opening me up to discover more possibilities as a musician too. I think for my brother as well… He still thinks im an asshole though of course. (he’s only tired of me MELTING HIS FACE!)

So what the hell do we do now? Basically we have a really solid group of tunes shaping up that we are starting to be really satisfied with and want them finished. The next stage is starting to demo them so I can work a little deeper and get them into a comfortable shape for recording. We’ll have to get Byrnesy flown in to get familiar with the tunes and to start tracking too! Excited for that for sure! No timeline just yet as we are still jamming and I have this well documented habit of hitting “delete” depending on what side of the bed I woke up on!

Yeah, yeah, you’ve heard this before and blah blah blah…. (Yes i read the bitching on some pages, and shame on some of you for some of that other shit… being misinformed is a horrible excuse no?) but really i dont care. Things get done when they get done and its not for a lack of desire to do so… I can promise you that. You live your life, I live mine and hopefully somewhere in between we are sharing something beautiful.

But this is promising…. Very.

Another blog coming soon too. The ideas keep coming….

Ama a tu Mamá

jT

19 comments

  1. Travis

    Well that just made my day.

    I’m sure I speak for all of IME nation by saying it would be awesome to see a podcast of one of those jam sessions. Where the brothers try to out duel each other, in a battle of face skin liquefaction.

  2. Robertga

    Work that shit out in the studio and deliver a kick ass album! Just make sure you tour to Calgary! Haven’t seen you guys live since the Edgefest days.

  3. Brian

    Considering there was a time we thought we’d never hear IME again, I’m perfectly content knowing you guys are out there cookin’ something up. Thanks for keeping us in the loop!

  4. Christopher Call

    Yeah. One thing i’ve always wanted to do is a house party tour. I’m glad to read that you are where you are, and who really gives a fuck about the radio. Just plug your shit in to any ‘ol wall socket or rent out a wear-house north of the city and start playing music. People will come.

  5. chris

    I’ve wanted to hear another album like Dig for 20 years. No offense to your other great albums, but Dig is still the best for the reasons you described…more raw and natural. I like the sound of this. Keep up the good work!

  6. Peter

    Time appears to withhold them, but good (GREAT!!) things come… you guys have already proved that. I. Can. Not. Fucking. WAIT. To hear more new music. But I will. Because I know that is always going to be a very good day.

  7. Dan

    Jag
    You are on a row and keeping busy can’t wait for the next new song and Show hell even the next blog always like to read what you have to say when you guys to come in will be the first time I see you guys play with Chuck how’s he working out in the band well Bruce can’t be at the shows

  8. Chris Gwozdeckyy

    More IME is always a good thing! Touring, new songs, putting up pics of your gear on Facebook, anything!

  9. Brook

    My husband and I went to the Oakville show ..it was amazing! It was my first IME show and I must say, I enjoyed every second of it! (I think it was the first time that I walked away from a show feeling happy, inspired,peaceful,excited,and wanting more..(normally I’m usually annoyed,tired and pissed off :)) Anyway,We enjoy reading your blog,and hearing the updates and we really are excited to see what’s next!

  10. Ryan

    That’s all I needed to hear. I’ll wait, it’s worth it. Stuff happens… life, distractions, inspiration wandering away. I understand that. I love your music, hope to hear more some day and even see you play again (it’s been a hair over two years as of Sunday). I’ve always been pretty sure both will happen at some point. But in the mean time, I don’t get worked up about it. I just keep doing my thing, enjoy what I have and what I get to experience in the meantime. Then when you post some good news on here, it’s just icing on the cake. Really happy that despite everything you haven’t put the nets away and still want to play.

  11. Matt

    Fantastic man…building a studio and putting it to good use is a wondrous thing that I have been lucky enough to experience (though not nearly on the same level as you guys). Regardless of where it goes (new album/material or no) it makes me happy to read about you and Chris givin ‘er just for the FUN of it (for what thats worth). Hope you guys can get out to BC this year…either way, enjoy. Thanks for the update :)

  12. Aaron

    Can’t wait to hear it man. So much fun in Oakville this month! I’ve been picturing what the new stuff will sound like.

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