I forget exactly how we came together. I'd already known Christopher (keyboards/production) a little and he was my RC. Charles (drums) lived at the end of the hallway and somehow he knew Jonathan (guitars). Something something something [cue flashback video montage] and I recruited them for my winter term project.
One of the songs from this unholy union was "Stolen (1.375)" - a quirky and fun tune in a lilting 11/8 (3 + 3 + 3 + 2) and 8/8 (3 + 3 + 2)[*]. The two riffs were something Jonathan had already developed and, as soon as he played the 11/8 one, I knew it was something I wanted to pursue.
By now I'd had three years of Oberlin under my belt and I was quite content with myself for being queer. There were still lingering issues, though.
First off: being queer is one thing. Being openly so - quite a different ball game. I was desperately trying to reconcile my progressive, activist leaning and the desire for a "normal" life. Could I find and live your Hollywoodified, picturesque house/picket-fence/kids fantasy(*cough*lie*cough*) when my mere existence was still illegal in some states?
Did I want to?
The second part? My own horrible attempts at meeting guys and dating.
I've always been on the shy and timid side. My taste always leaned towards the emotionally unavailable and usually straight guys. Approaching a guy... was something to be avoided at all costs - even the cost of my happiness.
Yes, it was many a cold and miserable night at Oberlin. [cue: lonely, sniveling shot in bed]
Ultimately the project never quite went where I conceived it. But the process and result were both still fun and worthwhile regardless. As tattered hat we recorded a total of six or seven songs - all of which I'm rather proud of. Though we only performed once as a duo on my senior recital.
- We wound up recording this song twice in our year and a half together. The second time around, in the process of recording, we realized the verses were 11 bars of 11/8, a twelfth bar of 12/8 and the chorus was 8 bars of 8/8. FREAKY!
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