Çarşamba 4 Mar 2009, 15:55

http://www.theenrighthouse.com/img/chicago.jpg

So, most of you know by now that The Enright House is about to embark on an epic tour of the US, and, thus, delve into the magical and often-chaotic world of the "roadtrip". I am, safe to say, very excited to get on the road, meet new people, and, hopefully, in the process of it all, win over new fans.

Encouragingly, the most common reaction I get from friends and family, whenever I tell them about it is, "Wow… that is so exciting!" After which, however, almost always, I am asked some form of the following question:

"Are you going to be making any money doing this?" Or, "Are you doing this to get a record deal?"

The answer to the first question - just to be totally clear about this - is: "No." Now, regarding the question of a potential record deal, I just typically try to brush the question off, by explaining that the times have changed, and that record contracts (or at least the types of deals most commonly offered these days) are not the be-all and end-all, as they once were. Doing it yourself, for the most part, still seems to be the only realistic way forward for an emerging artist.

The truth, of course, is that I would absolutely adore finding a hard-working indie label to help me release and promote my music to a wider audience. However, one has to be prepared to go it fully alone, and then actually do some serious walking on one's own two feet, before labels will really show any serious interest in you. No one, these days, wants to help and work with someone, who cannot help themselves. And fair enough, too.

Which brings me back to the question of why, then, do this tour at all?

Well… perhaps, because I believe that when everything is said and done, that an adventure of this kind will be something I will be proud of; that I will reflect upon this time in my life as something profoundly liberating; that it will be something that unearths more of the person I want to become, and that this trip will provide an opportunity to make new friends and create worthwhile memories that will linger for the duration of a lifetime.

In short, I would very much like to think of this tour as the start of a life that is solely lived for the sake of living it fully, unapologetically, and free of fear. I don't believe in any version of an afterlife, and I am starting to feel deeply the brevity of life, and I want to make sure that when my life ends (as it will), that I will be proud of having followed my dreams.

If I am fortunate enough to enjoy a death that is not instantaneous, but rather, a death that is a process during which I have sufficient time to reflect upon the life I have lead, then I want to feel like I have given it my all, and that I was not a coward for seeking out security over idealism and adventure.

I love creating music more than anything else in the whole world, and the only true ambition I have in life is to leave something of enduring value behind. Without the possibility of eternal life, thus, I seek to create a legacy of achievement that will outlive me.

Why? Because what else is there? Why spend all this time, effort and money on this tour? Because it is a start - a beginning.