well Bob... I've never really stopped writing. Got a lot of songs in the pantry and more on the way. The recording process has become so much easier with the new technology. I can do a lot at home, but still use a bigger 'studio' for real drums, (when needed),larger room sound, different microphones etc. Kinda nice to combine both, which is what happened with 'Insurgent Sun'...eg.. there's a cut on there called 'Anthem for Dissent'.. the spoken part recorded in my friend's basement in Chase BC. His name is Splitting the Sky.. I used a pool cue as a mic stand, some duct tape to hold the mic, and recorded into a small digital studio which is about as big as a ham sandwich. Added the guitar and bass parts in my basement in Que. at the time... but I had a real mic stand this time (luxury!)... the trax were taken to a so-called 'pro studio' in Montreal... transferred, EQ-ed, and finally mixed there.. we were getting airplay at WBAI in NYC, as well as sister stations in DC, NM, and Oregon...and posted on the Justice Through Music Project site out of DC. well before the CD was licensed or released. Nobody asked where it was done or what kind of gear we used... so hooray for our side....

as Duke Ellington once said when asked what was good music, "If it sounds good, it is good".... so now it's a matter of what to take out of the pantry, and which combination of songs would make a fine stew without blowing up the kitchen... and for which 'market'..... lately, I've been collaborating with other writers/musicians who(m) I respect just to get the synergy level up, (that's the Ville Emard spirit that you mentioned) anyhow, it feels good and to me that's what it's all about... the rest we deal with to the best of our ability.... it's a volunteer army after all, and I'd rather have a six-string in my hands than a MP3 player/taser unit... see you soon.... R