Well it’s been a few weeks since I’ve made any posts or updates here as I’ve been lost, marooned in The Big Funk for a few weeks.

I’ve felt rather uninspired (lazy) lately, and TBH it is difficult for me to stay motivated when I’m not in a band, with a regular practice schedule, songs to learn, etc. I enjoy making videos and recording, but it’s such isolation from other musicians – there is just no substitute for a band, with the cabs thumpin and the drums pounding and the guitars screaming – you know, rock n’ roll.

I’ve been sitting on a cover of Rush “The Trees,” just because it isn’t difficult to play and I already knew about 98% of the song – but I haven’t felt the motivation to post it yet. I’m also trying to figure out what to work on next – another LTE piece? Side 1 of “Moving Pictures”? “Heart of the Sunrise”? i don’t know. I don’t have much energy in the way of bass covers, but fortunately, the clouds are breaking up.

I’m starting to find my way out of Big Funk land – not from doing video bass covers, but from the gem.n.i project and our new song, with the working title of “Gotham.”

I went to Jim’s this past weekend (and a dog nipped me on the calf when I walked in LOL!) We sat in his studio and listened to the tune, which sounds awesome. I began to get goosebumps as I imagined the bass parts that I wanted to play – the heavy, dark, Simon Grove sort of thing that hammers a very intense low end hammer to the whole track (I am even sneaking in a Billy Sheehan style solo from the 17th fret down to the first starting about 35 seconds into it!)

I think I’m on my way out of the Big Funk and back into the lovely Lowlands of bass guitar and bass fun.

“Gotham” (not it’s final name) is an intense, powerful prog metal song that just sounds like a dark city in the rain, with crashes of lightning and thunder in the streets, dark clouds writhing over the city’s skyscrapers, the moon obscured.

There is a second song we are working on too – a great riff based tune that is largely straightforward (quarter notes, roots, fourths) but is amazing and a great contrast to “Gotham.”

As I have been working on it tonight I am grinning ear to ear listening to my rough playback as it is exactly what I heard in my head (so far). I can’t wait to get the next couple of minutes under my fingers, and get out of the FUNK for a long time (I hope).

I hope to do more blog/site updates, post the Rush video and start adding some new material soon. This “Gotham” track has really done a lot to get me motivated again!

The Big Funk can funk off.