Alex and I: First Time in Italy… 🇮🇹

Hey,

I hope you’re doing great! I’m currently on the plane, leaving Milan after four and a half days in the fashion capital of the world. Our flight was at 7 am on Saturday morning following a music conference week where I usually call it a day between 3 and 4 am every morning, making sure we connected and had a significant moment with everyone attending this event called Linecheck. Obviously, not Alex following his actual health situation.

So, I haven’t slept much for the past week but our spirit and vibe are to the roof following what has been one of the greatest weeks since we came back from touring last August. I just made a toast with Alex reminding ourselves of this year’s Club theme; Brighter As We Rise Up Again. It was a tiny sip so don’t worry, I’m still sober while writing those words down, even though I’m quite exhausted… Not sure if I’m dreaming, sleepwalking, or actually fully awake and conscious...! :) 

I’m listening to Ludovico Einaudi’s Nomadland soundtrack as I’m putting those words down, which always inspires me a whole lot, especially as I have a lot to share with you! 

I decided to raise my glass around this amazing theme Alex came up with at the beginning of the year, which is already about to end… This year has been one of the worst as well as best one ever, a true rollercoaster of good and bad news, an explosive mixture of emotions, where we always had to fight beyond our own strength in order to keep sailing toward the direction we originally set out as the year began. 

I don’t have to get into details with you, especially since you already know the latest curveball life threw at Alex recently, and this happened right after we spent two weeks in September planning the next 18 months of new music releases and touring, which now feels a little uncertain, sadly – or tragically, I should say. It feels as if the postman just dropped and broke the only scotch bottle left on the planet on your front porch as he was about to ring the bell… A bottle you’ve been waiting to put your hands on for around 20 years…! 

As we’ve been sailing through troubled waters since last January, I wanted our first trip to Italy to be a memorable one, and this for the right reasons. As we stepped foot into the old town’s artistic district on Tuesday, we both decided to stop by a Renaissance exhibition, exposing centuries of artists who dedicated their lives to inspire people to look toward a brighter future rather than those dark ages some were just getting out of at the time. “This is it,” I said to myself, “This is exactly what we need to see, feel and inspire ourselves with as we’re writing a new chapter of our long journey book!” 

The idea of what we now call Renaissance was to inspire others around the idea that man is the measure of all things! This new thinking manifested itself through art, architecture, politics, science and literature, and it began in Italy, not precisely in Milan, but still, it just struck me as I was feeling so small and tiny, surrounded by centuries of greatness, talent, ideas and emotions. To me, the history of art started with the creation of the electric guitar...! Not anymore! 

Following this momentary Renaissance epiphany, the entire week has been filled with rich and inspiring moments with so many different people, but always this light meets darkness meets light again is a journey of our own. This is what Milan will be remembered for both of us, seeding this hopeful and very powerful wind in our sails desperately in need not only for this air movement, but for direction, for certitude. We had the amazing opportunity to sit down with two artists we truly like and admire deeply. Both meetings lasted around 4 hours, and as usual when two artists meet, the conversation shifted into how are you feeling, and how can we help each other deeply, serious invitations to fight and stand our grounds for better tomorrow. I could feel and witness how these moments were deeply resonating within Alex’s heart and soul. Something we’ll both never forget. 

I decided to share these thoughts and moments with you since I know how life is pretty good at throwing curve balls toward us in moments we’re either not prepared for, or when we don’t see it coming at all… I’ve received incredible stories from some of you in that regard... It sometimes feels like the storm simply will never end, and winter will always be coming in, our personal dark ages always reminding us it’s never that really far, and it always seems as if it makes itself more powerful as we grow older, supposedly wiser, stronger and better human beings… 

Brighter as we rise up again was something I obviously understood up to a certain point when I first read it 11 months ago. But today, it simply feels different, more real, more powerful, more intense than it has ever been for me, for us I’m pretty sure. Following this afternoon walking in the museums, Alex and I went for our very first real Italian coffee and had an unforgettable conversation about this Renaissance meets Dark Ages thing. Not on an intellectual, philosophical or historical level, but on the simplest and deepest one there is, the personal one, the one that truly matters, the one we all truly need. We’ll get through this together, and we’ll come out of it brighter, better and stronger. 

We have access to so much knowledge with the click of a finger. We’re walking through the one and only era so far that has never existed as is. But loneliness and depression are real plagues, true viruses, diseases that might destroy our endless possibilities and opportunities. Let’s not make it happen…! Let’s talk! To me, real conversations are the measure of all things and possibilities, the end of the dark days leading toward a personal renaissance...! 

I’m going to rest a little now! Tomorrow, we’re leaving for Paris to ship a lot of magic and wonders toward so many of you…! We’re forever grateful! 

See you all very soon! Italy included! :) 

Your Host and Friend, 
Jeff