John Ebdon

My mantra, for some time… pre-pandemic, “Man! we really need to slow down!” Be careful what you wish for, right? I'm not convinced of what's changed. Much… and, not so much. I recently returned from my first trip to Nashville. First thoughts … It's “busy! Really Busy! That's good… right? I just finished Tom T. Hall's ”The Storyteller's Nashville." (Thumbs up).  I'm reminded by those who say, “You should have seen Austin five years ago, ten years ago, twenty years ago!” I can only think, the same sentiment was being said in 1975, when someone was saying…" Oh Man! You should have seen it last year! It was so much better!" What is it about us, that needs to compare everything to everything else; today to yesterday, this burger to that burger, this period of an artist to their past work. Well, for one, that's how we “know” stuff. we compare it to other stuff. And that's ok. I was hoping to see Earnest Tubbs Record Shop, maybe in another life. It's (temporarily) closed. Awaiting the next (high-dollar) tenant, I suppose. 

   June 23rd, we release our studio production of “JOHNNY & JUNE.” This promises to be amazing. World class giants adorn this track. Phil Madiera on wurlitzer, Dennis Holt of drums and Kirk McKIm on lead guitar. This is a period piece out of the wild wild west, of unrequited love. It reaches into yesterday for setting, into the timeless for story, and is framed with modern artistry and sonic display. Soon to follow, Our third album “HOME TO STAY" is slated for release in the fall. So looking forward to these songs hitting the streets, be them newly paved or cobbled and tattered.

Note: “The closure of the Ernest Tubb Record Shop seemed to be the end of a 75-year story downtown. But a new group has bought the property, including Tubb's grandson. (Aug 2, 2022).”

     "But, what does it mean?"

     What does what mean?

     "The whole thing."

     What do you think it means?

     "I don't know...tell me." 

     Well, if I told you what inspired it, or what I think it means, that could very well ruin something that you think it means, that  certainly could be more profound.

     "That doesn't make sense."

     Sure it does...I could tell you what it means to me, and it not only not match up with your vision, but could very easily let you down that it didn't mean something more beautiful or poignant.

     Such could be the experience of listening to some or much of Guides. Don't get me wrong here. These songs and stories are my life's work. My vision of them is from a place that I inspire to write and create beautiful works. I wouldn't release them unless I thought some one else may catch a glimmer of the same beauty, or moreover ... that maybe ... just maybe ... someone would respond to them far more than I ever could or ever will. This is why I do what I do.

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      Depending on the intentions, or motivation of the writer or artist, art doesn't have to always present itself as a math problem, with a rising action, tension, conflict, denouement  and falling action, to a clear resolution. It shouldn't always ride off into the sunset, where every body gets what they want; a nice happy ending with a bow on it. Great art, great writers inspire, motivate, create clarity on issues we often don't want to address. Pain, lost love, hurt, alienation, forgiveness .... ouch, we'd rather have ice cream thank you ~ and call it a day. Sometimes, it's more beautiful to start a conversation, than to know its resolution before its end. There's something very satisfying about math, and its capacity to posit one plus one is, two. We like this. Clarity. Great art, great writers sometimes just posit ... one, oneness ... one, pause. Not all conversations have clean endings, not all art has the edges that we desire. We want to know, "what am I supposed to think?" Maybe you're to doubt and not think at all. Maybe its enough to have great works just wash over you like early morning sun. 

     "Guides" is a collection of templates, of sorts. They are songs, words, landscaped renderings inspired by the idea that there is a truth to each of us far more profound than we could ever know. This is not an apologetic to relativism, merely that we should resolve well into the sum of our experiences will always be more profound than our ability to relay or convey them. I hope this project (Guides), at least in some way, a song, a lyric, resonates within you, greater than I could have ever intended. When music, or the plastic arts is consumed or experienced by someone outside of the artist, it begins to grow exponentially. We are all guides, like it or not. There are signposts strung throughout our day and our path; some are actual people, some are overheard conversations, a song or lyric on the radio, messages in the sky if you will. All day long, we are being shouted at and whispered to, from within and from without. What we do with those messages, makes up our story and our fingerprint on this world.