… (PAIN CAVE) …

There is a place in the Atari 2600 game “Adventure” called the caves. It is a dark and scary maze filled with dragons and bats. You can barely see your hand in front of your face (well … actually … you don’t have hands … you are just a square).

I worked on the song “Adventure” today and I must say that I think I am trapped in the caves. When I recorded the album “The View” with Eureka Farm about ten years ago, I coined a wonderful phrase that I still use today. We spent hours tracking the vocals, and I referred to the process as being trapped in the PAIN CAVE. It is a strange and disturbing experience to be recording your own voice and listening back to decide whether or not to keep a take.

A pair of headphones blocks out the rest of the world … you press a little button usually marked “Solo” and all the other instruments disappear. Only your own voice remains. You have entered the PAIN CAVE.

Putting some reverb or echo on your vocals as you listen back may reduce the shock of listening to your naked voice, but it’s only an illusion. Put those toys away and stare deep into the PAIN CAVE. Face your fears and abilities.

I have heard of a far away land by the name of Antares in which all PAIN CAVES have been converted into soft, pillowy palaces of delight. I have no use for such frivolities. How can I slay the dragon and free the chalice without slogging through the miles of cavernous PAIN CAVES that lay before me?

… but alas … I am out of time. The bat flew away with the key and I can’t seem to find anything but an empty blue room to the left.

Oh well … with my torch in hand, I shall find my way out of here somehow …

Good morrow to thee,

–adventurer

PS – see you at the renfair