"Musicians in a Jam"
"On average, the city’s lost at least one major rehearsal facility a year since 2010, displacing hundreds of musicians over that time." —John Kurucz (journalist)
After seven years at its current location, the rehearsal studio where I rent monthly space is closing. This was my third summer in this East Van jam space. This was also my third rehearsal space in four years. Each studio has been hit by a similar plight - greedy landlords, condo development, and other gentrification issues. It's time Vancouver city councilors seriously considered the steady exodus of artists and musicians out of the city. With sky-high rental rates, for both studio, housing, and live-work space, many artists and musicians have no choice but to leave. Yet, without the cultural contributions of artists, we will be a bland shell of a city. We will have a narrow-scoped arts community, shaped by the preferences of the wealthy elites. So much for diversity, our current claim-to-fame.
In my time in this space, I have taken bass guitar lessons and continue to play, especially with an interest in funk. I have explored many different kinds of guitar techniques and styles, again, leaning towards funk backing tracks (this is because they are fun to improvise over and they help keep up the rhythm chops). I have played cover songs, mostly in an effort to keep my voice in use. And, although I have not written many new songs during this time, I hope to work on this in the future. The main reason for not working on songwriting is that my focus was channeled into writing a collection of poems titled I Am Machine and Other Lies From the Edge (2015). It seems I only have so many words in me! I'm sure the song lyrics will come when they are ready!
This week, as I began the process of packing up gear, my sister Lisa, photographed me in my outgoing space with my guitars. Unlike rehearsal space in this city, photography is a permanent art form. It produces a timeless product that cannot be cannot be taken away.
