⚠️ TREE 788: The middle isn’t the middle

Welcome to the third of four posts from producer, engineer, mixer, musician and FFOREST friend Steven Lee Tracy. Catch up with posts one and two. —Jeff

All this talk about the middle is not intended to be some directive towards striving only for routine and ordinary things. It is maybe the idea that if we are tethered to something that is fulfilling and offers a sustainable quality of life, (even if it feels very basic and routine) that it will allow for the energy to explore the things that are riskier and require more of us.

Pandemic aside, I have travelled more than usual since I moved into a more middle existence. I have made more music with more people in the last 4 years than I have ever made in my life. I have had the luxury of saying no to projects that wouldn’t be a good fit for me or the artist. I have exponentially grown when it comes to my creativity and sustaining inspiration. I have started saving the money I will need to ensure I can retire should I choose to. Celeste and I have enough room in our lives to offer our home to foster children.

None of this shook out how I expected. I could never have scripted a story where moving away from the action brought me more action than I need, but here we are. What felt like a death 4 years ago has been an excellent lesson in adaptation and a reminder that it is kind of all chaos. Plans will only get you so far and it is possible that the unlikely outcome is better than what you would have written for yourself.

Speaking of not writing for yourself, here is a cover St.Vincent did of a Nico song, but TWIST! This Nico song is actually a Jackson Browne song that he wrote when he was 16. Oof. Well done young Jackson.