You are reading my 100th entry on this page. If this is your first visit, thank you for dropping by. If you’ve been reading these all along, thank you for your support.

When I started this page (I’m sorry, but I hate the word blog), I had no idea where it might take me, or where I would go with it. Come to think of it, I still don’t know for sure! Writing about music is a joy, and I’m happy to share that joy with you.

I can’t think of a better way to celebrate this milestone than by telling you about another one. I created this page — as well as my Facebook and Twitter pages — as support and an extension of my first book, called I Can’t Be the Only One Hearing This: A Lifetime of Music Through Eclectic Ears. Since starting this page, I’ve referred to said book as “forthcoming.” Well, my friends, the day has finally arrived!

My book will be released on Tuesday, April 17. I’m really excited to share with you a project I’ve been working toward since 2014. I’ve picked up a lot of information about music over the years. It would be a real shame not to share my findings with you.

I’ve been a music fan for more than 40 years. I’ve spent the majority of that time exploring bands and artists ignored by the popular charts and commercial radio. People often mark the events of their lives by the music of the time. I am no exception. My life truly has a soundtrack. I’ve done few things conventionally over the years, and my musical discoveries are just as unconventional.

The book is also about the people who made the music possible and accessible, on multiple levels. I spoke to musicians like Adrian Belew (King Crimson, The Bears, Talking Heads, David Bowie, Frank Zappa), Vernon Reid (Living Colour), Deborah Holland (Animal Logic), Rob Fetters (The Bears, Psychodots), and Mike Keneally (Frank Zappa, Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, Beer for Dolphins), among others. I spoke to music journalists like Anil Prasad (who runs the brilliant Innerviews web page) and Sid Smith (freelance writer for Prog magazine and author of some of the best album liner notes around), web designers, record store specialists, and fans who share my musical mindset.

Most importantly, I listened to the music. I’ll tell you about the most important sounds of my life: the artists and bands who shaped me into the person I’ve become. I was compelled to write about it, lest the information simply vanish into the ether. The end result was a comprehensive look at the musical avenues I’ve roamed since 1972. Equally scary is the fact I left more than a few discoveries on the proverbial cutting room floor. This is what happens when music is an all-encompassing component of one’s life.

This book was a true labor of love, which should come across from the moment you start reading. It’s the kind of book you’ll use to enjoy casually on a Sunday morning, after work, or during your daily commute (but NOT while driving). Most importantly, it’s the kind of book that will take you some time to read. Not because it is complex (it’s quite the opposite), but because you’ll frequently feel the need to stop and check out the artists and albums I talk about. Something tells me YouTube is about to get a bit busier.

I’m deeply proud of this book. It’s a great stopover in the endless journey that is musical exploration. I am not, by any means, finished. I Can’t Be the Only One Hearing This marks a moment in time, and there have been plenty of incredible musical moments since its completion. You’ve read about many of those moments on this page, or at Proglodytes, where I am a contributing editor. The “hits,” such as they are, will keep on coming.

I would be forever grateful if you took a stroll by Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or your local bookstore and picked up a copy of this work. I promise you won’t regret it. Hopefully, it will encourage you to step outside your personal music comfort zone to discover something you may not have considered before. Most of the best musical discoveries are, after all, complete accidents.

Thank you once again. Happy reading.

#cirdecsongs