Pivotal Pieces: One: ‘Eyeing the Universe’
Embarking on a journey through my creative life means revisiting pivotal pieces, understanding the path they forged, and the lessons they offered. Among these significant works, ‘Eyeing the Universe’, the album I created with my beloved Billy under the name Tide Times, stands as a profound marker. It’s more than a collection of songs; it’s a testament to the driving forces behind my art, particularly my evolving commitment to art as social practice.
An Organic Evolution: Process Over Predetermined Product
The creation of ‘Eyeing the Universe’ was far from a linear path. Spanning several years, it was an organic, often start-and-stop process that taught us both the power of letting a work find its own form. Our initial aim wasn’t to produce a commercial album or to meet a specific market demand. Instead, it was a deeply process-led journey, an exploration of shared ideas and personal narratives that gradually coalesced into a cohesive whole. This extended period of incubation allowed the album to evolve authentically, shaped by our evolving understanding and collaboration.
Billy was instrumental in this venture. His technical expertise and keen ear for sound were matched by his willingness to infuse the album with his own personal stories. Our collaboration wasn’t just about crafting music; it was about merging our distinct experiences into a unified artistic statement.
Weaving Personal Narratives and Universal Contemplation
The album’s rich tapestry is woven from diverse threads of experience. Billy contributed raw, autobiographical pieces that delve into his family history and poignant reflections on the industrial complex’s impact on the working class. These tracks ground the album in tangible realities, honouring lived experiences and societal concerns.
My own contributions include two original pieces, ‘Me and Jesus’ and ‘Mr. Crow’. ‘When I Saw Jesus’ emerged from a period of intense personal distress, isolation, and spiritual yearning. It chronicles a direct, intimate dialogue with the divine during a moment of profound vulnerability. For me, this piece embodies a very personal form of myth-making—the act of forging meaning and solace from my own narrative when facing life’s darkest moments. It speaks to how we construct our understanding of existence in the face of despair.
In contrast, ‘Mr. Crow’ delves into the natural world and draws upon rich cultural sources, referencing the old English folk song, ‘Gallows Pole’. This track explores a dreamscape, an imagined conversation with a crow that guides a journey through both familiar and otherworldly realms. It represents a different facet of myth-making, one that taps into ancient archetypes and our deep-seated connection to animals and the subconscious. The crow, often a symbol of mystery and transformation, becomes a potent figure in this exploration of mind and nature.
The inclusion of Alan Watts’ spoken word extracts from ‘Cloud-Hidden’ served as a pivotal conceptual anchor. Watts’ philosophical insights into consciousness and our place in the universe elevated our personal narratives to a more profound, even esoteric, level. This element was instrumental in helping Billy and me understand our individual stories within a larger, cosmic context, truly embodying the album’s title, ‘Eyeing the Universe’. It transcended our own experiences, offering a framework for shared contemplation of existence.
From Vision to Sound: The Role of Collaborative Production
While Billy and I provided the core concepts and raw material, the album’s polished sound owes much to the expertise of two highly skilled music producers, Ayken and Kyle. With our limited equipment, we simply could not have achieved the ‘glorious sounds’ that emerged from their dedicated work. Their technical prowess and supportive approach were invaluable, transforming our initial recordings into a truly resonant and professional production. This collaboration underscored how external talent and shared vision can elevate an artistic endeavour to its fullest potential.
Art for Purpose: Beyond Commercial Imperatives
A defining aspect of ‘Eyeing the Universe’ is its funding model and purpose. Our primary motivation was not financial gain, but rather to share a work that held deep personal significance. Crucially, all proceeds from album sales are donated directly to East Marsh United, supporting vital community work in the East Marsh of Grimsby.
This decision affected the album’s identity and reinforces my belief in art as an integral part of life, not a separate pursuit. For me, art is woven into the fabric of my wider activities—writing, gardening, community development, and my role as an ambassador for EMU. I cannot operate as an artist removed from these realities; I neither have the means nor the desire. This pragmatic truth has helped to forge my creative work as art for social practice.
My artistic philosophy dictates that art must possess integrity and meaning. It is never merely performative or created for spectacle. ‘Eyeing the Universe’ stands as a powerful embodiment of this principle: a work born from mine and Billy’s authentic personal experiences, enriched by collaboration, and dedicated to tangible community benefit.
A Milestone Defined: Clarity of Purpose
‘Eyeing the Universe’ marks a significant creative milestone for me for several reasons. Its organic, process-led development taught invaluable lessons about creative patience and allowing art to unfold naturally. The interweaving of personal narratives with universal philosophical inquiry underscored the album’s capacity to transcend individual stories and connect with broader human concerns.
Ultimately, this album helped clarify my artistic purpose. The choice to dedicate proceeds to East Marsh United cemented our commitment to art as a tool for social good, a vehicle for meaningful contribution beyond artistic expression alone. It helped me understand that the ‘why’ behind the art is as crucial as the ‘what’.
This reflective journey, revisiting pivotal works like ‘Eyeing the Universe’, is a vital step as I navigate towards my next major project – what will likely be a multi-faceted endeavour involving writing, photography, drawing, painting, music and immersive storytelling. Each piece sheds light on the path, revealing the evolving narrative of my artistic life.
If you would like to purchase the album and in doing so support East Marsh United, here is the Bandcamp link :https://tidetimes.bandcamp.com/album/eyeing-the-universe
Josie Moon 