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I’ve interviewed 74 people connected to the Baltimore underground for the book that will bear the name of this column.
Sometimes, when I bring up a particular period, usually after an album breaks through or a song takes off, they don’t have a lot to say or much to recall. It is all a blur of touring and promotion and times in vans or buses or planes.
I understand now a little better that blur.
In the doing of this column each week since Labor Day, I have no set plan. Sometimes I time pieces of writing for events like readings, sure, but being open and free is key to my process.
The only other plan is to stop right after Memorial Day.
This year, my third at bat, is one in which the weekly tumble finds me with no fresh reporting to do, no lengthier work to share. This could lead to “a look back” column as the last one of this series.
But I can’t look back all that well because it is all a blur.
The blurring is intentional, a technique I have picked up. If I must sit down and write this column once a week, there is no time to overthink or hesitate, just time to write. This is not a perfect method. I am glad at least two columns over these three years did not run. I would own them if they did, but the balance was off that particular week and I took some wild swings. But, all in all, it has been a continual ecstatic raging flow forward like some of my favorite songs.
So, I leave underground folks this time around with a huge “thank you”. You are the ones that inspire me to write this column in praise of you. You are the ones that keep me going despite it all. I see you and I appreciate you and all you do to build and maintain this community we all share.
I also leave underground folks with a challenge. As I enter the Odinsleep, now is the time to submit to Bruiser. Add your voice to the mix. Need support, advice or conversation? I am happy to help. You can’t miss me. I’m six foot five, forty-nine years of age, and I wear the same thing every day. I often attend shows and events in the Baltimore area.
What will the Baltimore underground be like when I return? I have no idea. And that is beautiful.
