The Path to Endarkenment

I’m announcing these things here first before I do it on my music site: Epichronical.

Recently I had posted on Twitter that I’d be changing a lot in my life. This statement had caused a query that of course spread like wildfire throughout my social networks. Many asked what these changes might be. Now begins the time to explain the battle plan which will be formed into the business plan.There’s nothing more serious than an actual business plan.

First stage: Incorporation.
This means create a business name. I have my regular name in ASCAP and I had also registered “D’Sari Knights Musical Publishing”. I did this some time ago, but never made it official. I want a musical publishing company...in fact I want more.

I’m 95% into the final decision to start my own label. It worked for Link’n Park and Nine Inch Nails and as per the great new bible ”The Complete Idiot’s Guide to the Music Business” it would be of the greatest advantage to not only release my own album privately, but to release others also under my own record label to be fittingly called: ”D’Sari Knight Records” .

This book opened my eyes. I will not sully the meaning of the Epical movement and its musical genre by giving it away and becoming, like Prince, a slave to the label. The book extolled how control of your music is taken from you in major labels and they leave you with little for yourself after your first release. Together with my painstakingly handpicked “Victory Team”, one by one I will build this Empire. I have procured backing, a great engineer, equipment, a fantastic Webmistress and continue to find more talent to sign whilest I compile all the rest of the pieces need to make this work.

I’ll be needing a videographer who thinks outside the box to create viral music videos for YouTube Domination, P.R. firms that can handle the different talented acts I know I’ll be signing, Personal Managers, Business Managers, Entertainment Lawyers, Accountants, Photographers and all the rest of the advisors needed for this venture.

I can do this. It’s actually, not that difficult...but it is hard work.

I must warn my musician friends: I will sign you...and that’s if I believe you’re truly marketable. This is a business. I may...no I will make changes in your product if I’m going to sell it. Demo sounding tracks will be re-recorded and engineered for sale/radio play. Please do not get offended. It’s business. We all wanna make money.There will be contracts. Many.

I’m gonna need at least 3 different types of business cards.

In the words of Captain Kirk in Star Trek 2009:
“Bones...buckle up!”

If I say something is “the Best”.. I’m not saying it to put other peoples stuff down or make them feel like what I like/got/own/have/use/subscribe to is better than what you have, because that’s not the case.In contrast I will only say something is the best if in fact I’ve done the research to prove it’s actually the best! See, some people think I’m so opinionated that what I say goes and no one elses opinions matter. This couldn’t be farther from the truth however I do like a good debate.

When it comes to things I buy like gadgets especially, when getting my geek on is important I’ll go to expert sites and institutions.  I’ll go with many geek sites like Engadget, Gizmodo and CNET

Here are some examples:

I have a Kodak Zi8. It’s a portable HD camcorder. Some sites claimed it to be third (or second rather to the brother and sister duo of FliP video devices) but in the CNET Prizefight, it won in a tight race as the best of the class.

I have an HTC EVO4G mobile phone. Laptop Magazine called it the number 2 of the 25 most innovative product of 2010 short of the iPad. Yet it was the top phone in that list. CNET voted it best cellphone of 2010 at the cellular show in Las Vegas. CNET also rated it Prizefight Winner over iPhone 4.  This upsets iPhone 4 users, partly because they have this thought that everything Apple is the best of all. Put the Kool Aid down. Even Consumer Reports won’t recommend that phone.

Way back when I bought my keyboard/workstation, I researched yet again to see what, at that time, was the best of the best. I chose the Roland Fantom -S. It was by far the best over Yamaha Motif and Korg Triton.

I’m only saying that I’m not a “keep up with the Joneses” kinda guy. I can only say it’s the ”best” if I actually found out in expert opinions that it truly is the best. I have a 50 inch 720p TV which I knew from the start wasn’t “the best” so you won’t hear me say anything but..."it’s a really nice big HDTV”. I may have at the time called it my “Best Value Per Dollar” as I was on a budget. In no way would I imply untruth to things I like/see/buy/own/want. Some things are just the best...for me alone.

Ok… still on the “progress band wagon”, the changes to life and the project forge on. Last year I started working on a song called “A God we will be” which had a full recorded “sketch” and “Saintless” which may regain its original name; “Godless”. Unfortunately for me, my Producer got caught up in his studies for a communications degree. That and other complications let those projects sit dormant. Now he’s been free off studies and dove full on into the music project.

Three weeks ago we started over by sketching out (that’s when you record guide tracks and initial notes and chords of a song with simply sung lyrics to build the frameworks of a song) songs. The fab four line up is now: “A God they will see” (a song about looking inward to your own self empowerment) “Godless”, a song of religious irony, “Killer Tune” (a gory horror rock opera song about a rampaging serial killer), and lastly, another vignet song called “Beware the Quiet Ones” which touches on the angst of 3 teens and the issues of child molestation, cutting and a teen discovering he’s gay,then gazed and bullied in memory of the Matthew Sheppard story.

So we’re chugging along with drive and vehemence.  Here’s hoping what’s in my head makes it onto the tracks the way I’ve dreamt.

So I haven't been as social lately. Yea. So what? I've been social butterflying too much I think. Not that I won't hit a few spots on occasion to remind you all that I'm still watching you, but now is the last run of this show the way we watch it today.

What the Hell am I talking about?

I decided this was my make it or break it year. The one thing that stops me is the lack of product. Oh yes, we've heard all this before but this time it's different. I'm oddly optimistic about everything. One stumbling black was getting lost in a relationship 2 summers ago that for all intents and purposes was probably more of a wrench in the works than anything. See, I need to explain to you guys where I'm coming from without sounding bizarre or narcissistic. I will admit this here and you can call me an ass, but many including myself believe I was put on this earth for a reason. I know the reason and the purpose. Yes, it has to do with music. yes, it has the potential to change the world. Then again, everything we do changes the world in some way or another be it minute or grand.

Now, that being said... the last major relationship I had could have changed that path in many ways. At one point, she changed me for the better, made me a better man and for that I'm grateful. In other instances, she tried to change me as most women with headstrong nature would do. I held onto bizarre ideals and romantic fancy and silly little anecdotes that we two having the same exact birthdate only 10 years apart was a major paradox. I thought our relationship was like being on V (Vampire Blood used as a drug reference from True Blood where you see golden sparks when you touch under it's influence). We gave each other goosebumps in each others presence and even when making love we connected on a spiritual level to the point that we could see into each others heads. When I say see, I mean, in her mind she created a scenario unspoken in her head, a complete scenic change, and I saw every bit of it. This was a connection I had sought for decades... but this was the reward I was not to receive until I had finished my mission.

You see, in the Church of the Epical, the belief is that sex is a weapon, to start, and to let emotion pull you away from your goals will only contribute to losing your greatness.You are allowed the "big love" when you have fulfilled your life's goal. The "love" I had fallen into wasn't a bad one, it just wasn't the one I could afford at this point in time. This is not to say that I could not revisit this in the future were I to complete my mission, nor does it pull me away from the thought that I can find this type of bliss again in the future with someone else. The bottom line is, I was out of line to chase t his bliss without earning it by fulfilling my mission.

Was said relationship a tease by the fates or a test by them? Some muses and sages of mine tell me it was a test. That she was not "the One". This may be true. We were not perfect for each other in some instances, but in many others we were. It was all about "the spark". You can't see it. It's something only two can share. It's also for this reason it's hard for me to get excited about even jumping into any type of new relationships at this moment in time. It's just not time yet. I need to give birth to my "empire" before creating a biological family.

Now... back to where we are today. Having hung the torch back on the wall, I can move forward. If I pick it up again, that would only be once the goal is reached. Currently, I feel it's best I remain single, driven and undaunted. This is the Epical way. I must do the whole "put the blinders on" way of thinking and "be a rhino", undaunted and direct towards my goals. I must ignore all nay sayers. I must put the next 11 months of life into creating this product that will make you hearts sing the songs it's always wanted too no matter what age.

I've begun again with Saccovan. We have mapped out and created "Godless". We have watched this infant of a song be born. We are watching it grow from sketch recording to the addition of a "bridge". It will be glorious. We will then move forward with fervor as we gain momentum on recording. My studio is operational as is his. They are brother studios for maximum production power. They are a dynamic duo... and they will create a sonic sword arsenal with which I will cleave through the music world.

This is how it is. I admit I failed fates tests. I strayed because the temptations were great. However, now...all the clutter and baggage is gone.

I must remain the free spirit...

CNet. The voice of all modern tech and famous for tthe “Prizefight” feature pitting tech vs tech had waited until it was time for the ultimate battle: iPhone 4 vs. HTC EVO 4G. This one was tight...but at least they came came close in scores. In the end, the best phone won… I’m not disappointed by the outcome. It was expected. Watch and witness with me.