Is Playing Being Creative?

Hey,

I hope you’re doing well. I’m back in my Drummondville office, where the weather indicates -17° Celsius (0° Fahrenheit), and of course, everything is completely white and frozen. Incredible contrast with Tangier! :)

It’s great to be back, though, as we’re walking into what I have the certitude will be our most important year ever on so many levels! Even though everything we spent days planning while we were in Mexico last November has pretty much already gone down the drain, we’re all convinced this truly happened for the greatest of all reasons: for us to give life to our most incredible work thus far! 

It’s now time for us to become the “work”! 

🎧 Music I’m listening to

Kim Gordon - Not Today

Kim released a two-song EP last week, which has been played nonstop for hours in my office ever since. She is, for me and for us all in the band, such an important figure, still today, being truly aligned with her art, her own self, and her message…!

Looking forward to hearing the entire album on March 13th. 

📖 Reading highlight I’m pondering

Within Me — Thanks to Albert Camus

I had such a deep and wonderful conversation with a close friend of mine last week about personal challenges and decision-making regarding those. These words from Camus always inspire me. Even though it’s much easier said than done, I see them as a beautiful journey to pursue. Friendship truly makes everything possible, even when we don’t believe in it or can’t see how! 

“My dear,
In the midst of hate, I found there was, within me, an invincible love.
In the midst of tears, I found there was, within me, an invincible smile.
In the midst of chaos, I found there was, within me, an invincible calm.
I realized, through it all, that…

In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer.
And that makes me happy. For it says that no matter how hard the world pushes against me, within me, there’s something stronger – something better, pushing right back.

Truly yours,
Albert Camus”

🎧 Podcast That Inspired Me

Inside Brian Eno's Studio | Zane Lowe Interview

Ever since Alex shared this Brian Eno book with me a few years ago during the pandemic, titled A Year with Swollen Appendices: Brian Eno's Diary, my artistic life literally metamorphosed into a whole new galaxy. To me, art has always been an emotionally driven state of being, of living, of seeing things and being moved or even defined by them or equally rebuked and disgusted by them. 

That book educated me about being stubborn in the pursuit of an idea, of a concept, of a word, like a scientist or a space traveler, and about adding the proper emotions to it, which are discovered along the way as you’re becoming the work. Brian Eno is always my go-to guy when the time comes to head back into the studio, as it is right now. 

This interview inspired me a lot, especially when he shared about the importance of being the shepherds of our own attention and to never let anyone or any social media or any of those 5,000 “hey come here - hey click there - hey you’ll like this - hey this was made for you” steal that away from us. Then, when we’re truly aligned with our own thoughts and hearts, the question becomes: What is it that we really like? 

Which is what we should truly pursue and give it our complete attention span!

📸 My Picture Of The Week 

And we’re back to it…!

💬 Shared in the Long Shadows Chat this week

As we’re now moving forward into the next album from Alex, what he shared in his A Year of Transformation Substack entry became a cornerstone of our last week’s conversation and chats. 

Between what Alex shared — “I’m alright, I’m just tired / free by lucidity or bonded by denial and letting go” — 2026 is not only about what we want to see happen musically or otherwise for us in the band, but now more than ever, it is about who we want to be and how bright we’re willing to shine personally and collectively. 

Alex and I filmed a 90-minute Open Conversation before I left Tangier, which truly exposes how powerful and complex 2025 has been for us, which brings us right here, right now, also asking ourselves what it is that we really like, what it is that we really want to share, and why! 

Last week’s chat has been quite inspiring and powerful, we now need to bring this into music and words! 

Truly looking forward to this journey where expectations are really high! 

Let’s be great to one another! 

Your friend and Chief Operator, 
Jeff 

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