From the dark heart of a dream

I did not have a very good guitar lesson tonight. I am learning Death Cab for Cutie, I'll follow you into the dark and while it doesn't have lots of chords, the changes are tough and the strumming pattern is somehow difficult for me. So i am frustrated. This on top of some theory which is probably pretty simple but I just don't get it - B, C, C#, D (what happened to B#)? ugh.


Afterward I went with Yahtzee to City Winery to watch a Bruce documentary about the making of Darkness on the Edge of Town. Unf, Bruce was not there...but I thought the film was excellent and getting inside the process of a creative type like Bruce was pretty profound. 


Of course I am a huge Bruce fan. So to watch old clips of the band in the studio over the making of this album was just neat, especially as it was a bit of coming of age narrative. Bruce says in the film that he realized that "life is not wide open but it is full of possibilities" and he was beginning to find himself compromising more as an adult but also realizing that there are some things you dont compromise. This album was a homage of sorts to the beliefs he held true to - family, work ethic, a way of life - and the albums was its "sound picture". I like stories and this one is so genuine and it really does come across in the rawness of the songs.


I also realized that continuing to learn and play well is a real process even for the very talented. Finding your voice, your words, your voice and words together- not just recognizing a good sound and song but making it true to your story - this is the thrill but also the real work.  Being able to tap into your gut as to how it all feels and how it "fits". Truly inspiring and motivating.


Will I ever be a gee-tar rockstar? Will i ever write kick-ass song that resonate with folks of all walks through the ages? Probably not . But in the darkness there will be hidden worlds that shine - and now i have The Promise of churning out my own story some day in the form of music.  And I definitely have the The Promise of playing DCFC with a bit more heart by this time next week. 


Dasha Breedlove