This is the year of transition. I knew going into 2021 my life was going in a radically different direction. Turns out that direction is a bit more radical than I thought it would be.

My work on this page has been going on for quite some time. As has my work for Proglodytes. And you already know about the books. But there is more on the horizon. And I’ll have to put more than my writing abilities to good use.

I’ve been a fan of Anthony Garone and his web project, Make Weird Music, for some time. So I was quite surprised when he recruited me to be a major contributor to his page. Even more surprising was the capacity he asked me to fill. He was looking for someone to do video reviews for his YouTube channel!

Once the initial shock wore off, I found it was an offer I couldn’t refuse. That being said, I’m not one who enjoys spending a great deal of time in front of the camera. To that end, I decided to create the CirdecSongs 60-Second Review, in which I talk about an album I enjoy (or don’t enjoy) in a minute or less.

Since I’ve already made a conscious decision to write shorter album reviews, this doesn’t seem to be quite as difficult as it sounds. In fact, it sounds like a lot of fun! We’ll be posting the first reviews in the very near future. Stay tuned for that.

I also got an unexpected call from disc jockey Randy Raley, who provided key contributions to the “Radio, Radio” chapter of my book. Randy has officially retired, but is a major player in a web site called Planet Radio. Out of nowhere, Randy offered me a couple of hours a week to do and play what I want as part of his programming. What started out as terrifying eventually became as appealing as the Make Weird Music reviews. How could I not do this?

Just like that, I was putting together playlists for future programs. I’ve already come up with 10 topics, with thought processes for several more. Now I just have to get to recording them!

Those of you on Facebook might enjoy spending a little time with my CirdecSongs group. (This is not to be confused with the page, which I no longer contribute to and have sought to shut down). The group has two things going for it right off: it is place for music fans to gather and share or monitor just about any kind of music imaginable; and the group prides itself on being toxicity-free, which is stated within the group rules.

I am the sole administrator, and at the risk of sounding like a dictator (albeit a benevolent one), I am the law. I have been complimented more than once by people eagerly withdrawing from other negative-dwelling groups, which I greatly appreciate.

I hoped I would be able to draw 200-300 people for this group. Early in March, we officially crossed 1,200. Hardly Beyonce or Taylor Swift numbers, to be sure. But it’s a nice, comfortable and manageable number who have managed to keep things adventurous and fun.

Within the confines of this group I hope to host a couple of video chats with members along with the occasional musician or industry interview. These ideas are still very much in the works, but should prove quite entertaining, assuming things go the way I hope they will. I already have a couple of subjects in mind, and it will be interesting to hear from the people who qualify to talk about these things. Keep your eyes and ears open for this.

For those of you who don’t do Facebook, I will make an effort to get these talks onto YouTube (perhaps as part of MakeWeirdMusic) so you don’t have to be left out.

In addition to writing the book, I am exploring a variety of possible magazine articles, one of which I have already been hired to write. That’s all I can say about it at the moment, but trust me: interesting things have the potential for happening.

I’m feeling like the guy on the old variety shows spinning multiple plates on sticks, running from one to the next to keep them from toppling to the floor. Sometimes, it can all seem a little overwhelming. More often than not, though, it’s just nice to feel needed and stay busy in retirement.

As long as the words keep flowing, you’ll be kept abreast of them. Stay tuned to this and the other pages, and tell a few friends about them while you’re at it. I thank you in advance.

And now, back to the adventure.

#cirdecsongs

You can follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram (cirdecsongs) My book, I Can’t Be the Only One Hearing This: A Lifetime of Music Through Eclectic Ears, is available from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other fine book dealers. I’m currently working on my next book, The Wizard of WOO: The Life and Music of Bernie Worrell

Would you like to have your album reviewed? Contact me at cirdecsongs@gmail.com