Okay I haven't spoken about this yet... but here goes nothing!

Photo by David Collins. Taken during recording of Studios 301 live in late 2023

Okay.... I haven't spoken about this before because ... well it's kind of private stuff lol. But here goes...

In late 2023... I was having a tough time.

My debut album WORRIED MINDS had just come out and after a decade of work, there was understandingly, a pretty big come down.

I was so very proud of the album, all the amazing people I worked with and I was getting so many messages from people loving it around the world - probably from you reading this.

But the realities of the music business were, frankly, a shocking surprise to me.

If you follow my page you know I make old school inspired music. That means I use almost entirely (95%) real instruments. Real people. Real strings. Real horns. This is not cheap. This is something everyone told me I was crazy for doing in 2023.

I was told by record executives at labels… "Why waste money on something people won't notice or hear?"

"Well... they can feel it..." I would answer. Somewhere... it matters.

I am so blessed to be a student of so many masters. Louie Shelton, Jose McLaughlin, Nathan East, James Morrison, the late Andrew Oh... and more have shared lessons from years making records. I am but a student just starting a journey.

And with their help, I made the album I'd always dreamed. It wasn’t perfect but dang it’s good. Haha!

SOOOO... that brings us back to late 2023.

Before I could even consider a second album knowing the realities of the music business...

I needed to go something new.

I needed to just find some joy in playing music.

So, I booked a day at Studios 301 with my friend and favourite engineer Stefan Durant and legendary assistant Brad Hasuik.

I sat down and recorded whatever came to me. One or two takes over a 10 hour session playing songs I loved at the piano.

Looking back it was a special moment in time to capture such a recording.

"Dancing in The Dark" really highlights all of the 'stuff' was going on inside me.

How am I doing now, you might ask? Really great and thanks for asking :)

Thanks to my upcoming podcast MAKING WORRIED MINDS - I've been able to process all these funny emotions and make a pretty special documentary in the process. This is coming out later this year but for now...

The full collection of songs recorded at STUDIOS 301 comes out THIS FRIDAY.

I can't wait for you to hear it.

Photo by David Collins Photography. Taken during recording of Studios 301 Live, late 2023.

Artwork designed by Matthew Collins.