I just listened to Saudade for the first time in almost a year since i joined the band. I remember listening to the record basically every day as an outsider to it and them. They were already such a big influence on me before i even knew them personally. For the past year, by being in the band and learning to call them some of my best friends, I completely forgot why i joined the band. Every song on that record still gives me chills to this day and Im glad i can be a part of it.
We've had our rough mixes for the new record for a few weeks now and although i am very proud, i am very nervous and skeptical. Its just that its very different than Saudade and anything else we've ever done. Im not sure if i feel this way because i am now hearing things from an inside point of view or what. I cant wait to release it to hear what others think.
My life is a constant struggle to outdo myself. And for Youth, or Tight Lungs, Saudade sets the bar really high. I hope this record can surpass the high standards that literally inspired me to do so much more with music than just play drums. Whether it does or not, being with them and writing it with them has impacted me as a writer and a person substantially. I didnt think i could learn so much in just a year.
This new record of ours makes me want to challenge it myself with my own music. So, i am not only trying to top myself, i am now trying to top the 3 people who inspire me the most. Me outdoing them is going to be a challenge. Hell. Them outdoing themselves in Saudade is already a challenge.
Whether I do it or not is not very important. Whether we do it or not isnt even that important. What is important is that we just keep trying and we do not accept defeat.
In the end it all comes back around to the same question. Is it worth the fight?