Listen to “Putting Silence Together” Here!
https://radiatorking.bandcamp.com/album/putting-silence-together
Some context on how this music came to be….
In August and September of 2023 I went on a long tour that brought me through the U.S as well as the UK and Europe. The UK/European dates were solo and especially grueling. They lasted the entire month of September and every night I played a 2 plus hour set, sometimes multiple sets in a day. By the end of the tour polyps that developed years earlier had taken their toll on my vocal chords from overuse and caused a vocal hemorrhage. The crazy thing was that when I returned I had no idea anything was wrong. Sure, my throat felt a bit beat up but that was normal for me after a long tour. It wasn’t until I went for my routine post tour checkup with my voice doctor that she scoped me and exclaimed “Your vocal chord is bleeding!”. It was decided that surgery could not wait any longer, the polyps had to go or else it would start causing irreversible damage.
I would get the surgery at the Mass General in Boston and would require a 2 week time period where I could not under any circumstances talk or make sound, as this could compromise the surgery and cause permanent damage. I would also not be able to drink alcohol or coffee during this healing period. To ensure that I would not speak I needed to make sure I was not spoken to, which meant I would have to be alone. Luckily a friend offered me to recuperate at his vacant cabin on a lake in Bridgton, Maine
I stayed up there alone for ten days. Knowing I would not be in contact with anyone for the entire time I needed a purpose to focus on so I decided to record an instrumental album. All the items I used were either instruments I had on tour with me or were stored in my parents basement (Since I grew up on the east coast) from when I was young which consisted of an acoustic guitar, Silvertone electric, small amp, Casio keyboard from the 80’s, microphone and a 4 track recorder.
My time up there was some of the most peaceful time I’ve ever spent. In the morning I would feed the ducks. In the afternoons I would do some handyman work around the house. But mostly I stared out the window at the lake and wrote music on my guitar. I didn’t set out with any real idea or guideline of what I would make, I just wanted the process to shape the art – solitude in a cabin with a few instruments. What came of it was a collage of ideas consisting of music and sounds all inspired by fall in New England.
Now that I am healed up and back playing shows, seems like a good time to release this body of work. Hope that y’all enjoy it because I really enjoyed making it and it helped me get through vow of silence.