Hello and welcome to the Chill Vibe Tribe private page for my release - "2440 Millennial." Here you will find your free digital copy for your listening pleasure, a narrative on the creation of 2440 Millennial and a few behind the scenes videos.
The Making Of
"2440 Millennial"
Why 2440 Millennial?
Why am I releasing an album (EP) called 2440 Millennial? I love the why question and I will do my best to answer it for us all.
In 2016 I was drawn back into creating music after an absence of 30 years.
30 years ago I was deep in the production, creation, and recording of music. I have played an instrument since I was a very young age.
I left the creative side to join the 'evil' corporate world and then one day, I decided to stop. Yes, simply stop. I didn't want to do the corporate thing any more.
I didn't want to have to 'lay off' people just because some one wanted a bigger yacht. So I left.
I found my way back to music, slowly at first. I wasn't 20 years old any longer. No, I was now 50 and just walked away from a career and money and stability and retirement and all that.
I simply walked away.
I found my old keyboard and acoustic guitar. They are both 'classics' now so I am told. I invested in some recording equipment and began. I fell back in with my instrumental side of the music passion.
20 years ago I was producing and performing more mainstream music, attending University for music performance and composition. Electronic music composition was the hot new class that no one could into, it was always taken by graduate students.
On the back side of the 'pop' music projects I would always create dreamy, electronic music just for me.
This is what I came back to 30 years later. I didn't truly have the 'energy' for pop music so I fell back into the electronic. The synths and pads and stellar music. Of course my years of composition and production fed into the creations then and now.
I also began asking WHY. I asked that then and now. Why do I want to make music. Do you know HOW MANY PEOPLE are making music right now. It's the wild - wild west of music right now.
I decided that there was one reason why I create what I create. It was to relax, reset, revive, refocus. The more I created the more I would slip away into a quiet place. So I decided.
Let's not just make music -- let's build a community of people who are also wanting to reset, relax, refocus, slow down - you get the drift.
I wanted to make something that was more than the music . After all, there is a ton of ambient, chill, lounge music out there. So I asked another WHY.
Why make music at all? Make music for just me? No, that's what most do. Make music for themselves. They tell a story and people connect with the story and fans are built.
So I decided to make the music for ... YOU. In the fall of 2016 I hatched the idea of Music Uniquely Yours. It's exactly what it sounds like. I asked a few people if they would like me to write a composition JUST FOR THEM.
They would be the inspiration for the creation. Well, many people signed up. Actually more than I could keep up with so that was a small problem.
The first Music Uniquely Yours album released in the spring of 2017. If you visit the link you will notice each song is related to a person's name. That is the specific person who inspired the creation.
Volume 1 was created. Each person received their composition as a digital download. This was my way of saying "thanks" for coming along for the journey.
This now brings me to 2440 Millennials. It is actually the second volume! It's Music Uniquely Yours Volume 2 under the guise of a different title.
As you see from the cover art is is For Juha J. I'll tell you more about him later.
I began Volume 2 as I did the first and collected a group of people to write for. Well, things didn't go as planned and I didn't write for the group. But do not worry, there is always another iteration of Music Uniquely Yours.
I decided to start this project with the one person who was left off the first. Juha. Then my plan was to create the other pieces for the other Chill Vibe Tribe members who had signed on. But something went awry.
The more I dug into my thoughts about the Juha the bigger the piece grew. You see, Juha has been inspiring, motivating, counseling and pushing me since I began the journey in 2016 so I had much inspiration from him and the piece grew and grew.
After days of creating the composition was sitting at 24 minutes plus. I'd never hit that mark as a composer. I was always intrigued by those monster composers who could create something that went on for massive lengths of time but I never thought I would create something of that magnitude.
Remember, 30 years ago I was writing and producing pop music. Three minutes fifteen seconds, your in your out. Don't bore us get to the chorus.
So I had to ask myself. Why? Why had this piece grown to such a scale. Why was it, each time I thought it was finished it grew legs and ran off. My answer was - inspiration. I went with it. I didn't try to control it or even fix what I thought were mistakes. I just let it go.
2440 Millennials was born. Why 2440? It's the running time of the piece - or was.... more on that later.
Why Millennials, my buddy Juha just celebrated his 25th birthday. (November 2016) I am pretty sure that puts him in the cross hair of the generation. Even if it doesn't I will take the blame for being wrong.
The piece is a searching piece, a wandering piece. It's born, it takes a journey and it dies. It is connected across a span of time. It is a piece of motion and longing. It is a very special composition. Perhaps one of the more difficult I have created.
I especially like the ending. Which is an odd statement. Endings are sad and melancholy and yes so is the ending of 2440 Millennials. But there is a freedom in it - that freedom of a life time of searching and longing that is the journey to the final answer of ...Why.
That "ah ha!" moment.
The album also includes 2 side pieces. Zebrah and Electric Wish. Electric Wish should sit between Zebrah and 2440 Millennials. It's kind of like the intermission long movies used to have.
You will likely find on the final release 2440 Millennials is now broken into two movements. Part A and Part B.
This was brought on by a few factors. One, there was this beautiful natural pause right in the 16 minute mark. Two, uploading and moving around a piece of music of 24 minutes long is daunting. Third, it just felt right from a production stand point. It's a moment to take a deep breath and prepare for the second half of the journey.
I invite you and welcome you to the journey. I thank you for coming along with me. I hope you enjoy it for its singular purpose. Welcome to 2440 Millennials a presentation of Music Uniquely Your Volume 2.