Stay Feral: A Statement on My Art Practice Stay feral. At first glance, this was a great way to sign off. A couple of words that described my music, my animals, and my refusal to get too nice.
However, the term has evolved into something much closer to an artist statement. Remaining feral means protecting the aspects of the work that remain curious, physical, human, and difficult to control. It does not mean I will avoid craft or discipline. It does mean I will use craft to allow for some edges to remain living.
Follow the Work, Not the Category
As a result of staying feral, Feral Business will continue to move between genres such as post-punk, darkwave, electronic music, alternative rock, dance rhythms, funk, experimental sound, and whatever else may be needed in the future. Genres will serve as helpful entry points into my work. Genres will not serve as barriers. The identity of my work comes from my perspective: restless rhythms, sharp hooks, animal instincts, dark humor, beautiful wounds, and a refusal to be confined within a comfortable cage.
Keep the Process Human
While technology will be utilized in the Feral Business studio (synthesizers, drum machines, digital recording, effects, modern mixing tools, and software), human choices will always remain at the core. The project is focused on producing music that is written, shaped, performed, edited, and ultimately owned by humans. Tools can assist the process. They cannot replace the creative act and then present the product as a costume of authorship. Imperfections that demonstrate attention, effort, and personality are not flaws to eliminate through automation.
Create Space for Multiple Emotions
My future work will not be obligated to express one emotion consistently. There will be sadness/darkness, but it will not be an unending funeral. There will be humor, but it will not be used to cover up every wound. There will be motion/activity, but it will not require that every emotion be used as a means of escape. My work can be intense/fierce, vulnerable, absurd/silly, straightforward/direct, or unsure/uncertain. Emotional diversity is not a branding issue. It is evidence that the world is still alive.
Create a World Worth Revisiting
Feral Business goes beyond individual songs. My releases, artwork, video content, narrative content, playlist content and opportunities for live performances all contribute to the same evolving environment/space. My intention is not to overwhelm each platform with disposable content. Rather, I wish to produce interconnected works that reward your time and interest. Every piece should have a reason for existing. Each release should deepen the world rather than simply increase the number of releases.
Connect With Me Without Becoming Tamed
My work is part of a larger ecosystem called 1st Drop Music. This relationship offers structure, exposure/discovery and connections to other artists/musicians, while enabling my work to remain distinct from theirs. Explore my music catalog, follow me as I progress through my official playlists, view my videos and read about the context surrounding my work. Only follow me via my official verified links. These links offer the safest way to follow me as I develop my next steps.
Work Ahead
I expect there will be more songs. More strange creatures. More experiments that find their way to a permanent existence within my work and some that will never leave my studio. My standards will remain simple: produce something alive enough to resist being confined in cages. Remain curious. Remain difficult to classify. Remain close to those human decisions that enable my work to have meaning. Stay feral