Tuesday, October 19th, 2010

Hey Gavin,
I didn’t want to bug you after the Providence show considering you had a lot of people to catch up with and distribute your time amongst, but I did want to speak to you.
I’m sure with the amount of material you’ve released and the clear-cut evidence that you do what you do for yourself for the right reasons, that no matter how heartfelt the compliments that come in may be, a phrase like, “Your music changed my life,” may have lost a bit of it’s pungency by now. Maybe it hasn’t. I don’t know. I’ve only met you once, and as honest as your writing is, I won’t claim to know what goes on in your head.
My reason for preceding this message with that statement is based on my own past experiences with touring and making noise. Throughout the various ups and downs I’ve experienced as an artist, I realized that regardless of whether or not I’ll find “success” (whatever that may be at the time), I’m going to keep creating because I can’t stop. The compliments sometimes bounce of my chest and don’t quite penetrate due to the pressure and standards that I’ve placed upon myself. In a way, I stopped believing people. I tried to do the math after listening to your EP on the way home last night, and it seems you’ve got a few years on me, so I hope you haven’t been too weathered and bruised over the years. What I’m trying to say is…I hope this doesn’t bounce off your chest.
I’m continuously inspired by everything from the albums to the micro-poems and every ounce of genuineness in between. With the amount of work you output, you make it seem as though writer’s block is an excuse that lazy people use when in between deciding whether or not they want to commit to being an artist. It’s truly inspiring. You might as well have been slapping me on the wrist in NY and Providence.
I wish I could come up with a more creative way of saying it, or delivering it, to guarantee it won’t bounce off of you and it’ll genuinely sink in. I hope that in time I can get my fire back and rub my eyes so that I can start viewing the world the way I used to before the wind was knocked out of my sails; the way that you do, with every parking meter, every interaction, and every pulsating kick drum serving as a source of inspiration. Until then, thank you for the two incredible shows that put a huge smile on my face, and although it won’t pay your bills, if it’s worth anything, you’ve reminded someone back here in NY that no matter how many t-shirts you sell, the most important profit is in your legacy, even if it’s just so you can sleep at night.

-ryan.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

www.gavincastleton.com
http://gavincastleton.blogspot.com/