So… what’s happening on Tuesday? Let me tell you a story.
In October of 2022, after several years of battling a genetic illness, I found myself in the emergency ICU, barely functioning. I now had a new battle – a rare, aggressive case of The Thing Nobody Wants To Get. Each day became a fight to hold on.
Struggling in the ICU, I readied myself for unbeing. If it was time, it was time. There was pain, but also zen and love.
A phrase from Kafka embedded in my mind, glowing endlessly with perspective both personal and historical: “The meaning of life is that it ends.”
But, unraveled as I was, it was not yet my time. I’m now in a bonus round. I’m still here because of my superhero wife, incredible luck (like rolling three sixes in a row), and the Da Vinci Xi surgical robot.
Months later, while I recovered, Cynthia started instigating, as she does. She reconnected the members of Splashdown and suggested we create something. Somehow, enough time had passed, and the planets were aligned. It happened.
“Metamorphosis” is a brand new song, written for these events. The chord progression appeared in my fingers in one sitting (the only other time that happened was Mayan Pilot). I had a conversation with Melissa about my experience, and she conjured lyrics that captured it perfectly.
You can read the song as a dialogue between us. There are thoughts about the vastness of the human experience and our tiny place within it (first verse). Marveling at survival (second verse). I believe that after death there is nothing, and Melissa responded with the idea that energy can’t be destroyed, only changed (that’s the bridge). And so on.
I hope Splashdown listeners find as much meaning in the song as I do.
The gate is ajar, and we are working on more songs. I make no promises there, excited though I am. I’m astounded we even got to this point. Let’s see!
We are also addressing some other unfinished business: “Nomadic.” We played this song live a few times, but never released a studio version. The backing tracks are from 2000, but the sitar-ish guitar, the vocals, and the bass were done this year. It only says “demo” after the title because the backing tracks were embedded onto the tape, and there are some arrangement choices we’d make differently now. It’s a hybrid of our past selves and our present.
Clif at Stoltze Design Group, who was our partner all through the Castle von Buhler years and whose team designed the Splashdown visuals, joined in to create the new cover art. And while we were at it, we decided to make a limited run of posters.
Shout out to Jason Sakos, who played drums on “Metamorphosis.”
So that’s the story. Two new songs, more in the works.
Let’s see what happens next.
a field from sight
a picogram in the mighty infinite
keeps on messing with my head OH
the butterfly that moves its wings
in the minute intricate
causes hurricanes on the other side of the world
when you’re facing the wall
at the edge of it all
the meaning of life’s that it ends
Kafka said
transformation, changes
the black and white
the in between
in the law of opposites
keeps things spinning in the arms of a milky whirl
hello goodbye
yeah I’m still here
as a thread of confluence
in the infinite emptiness that’s fuller than we know
when you’re nothing at all
you’ll be everything OH
the meaning of life’s that it ends
Kafka says
I don’t think it ends
it’s just metamorphosis
(my friend)
Can’t destroy it
can’t create it
energy energy energy I am energy energy energy OH
its just transforming
to new creations
energy energy energy I am energy energy energy OH
OH it’s metamorphosis, it’s just metamorphosis, it’s metamorphosis
(sending light, love, and peace to you my friend)
(wish you didn’t have to leave so soon)
p.s. Blueshift, if you haven’t found it already.
p.p.s. If you’re blood type O positive, and feel like you have too many healthy kidneys, let me know…
I’m so sad to hear this about your health and am wishing you all the best. Your music has never been far from my ears and never will be. And my kids have grown up on it.
Thank you for sharing, I wish you nothing but health and happiness in the future! I am so looking forward to hearing these songs, and possibly more in the future. Y’all are my favourite band 😀 Tomorrow can’t come soon enough hehe 🙂
Any way to get the poster(s) delivered to Canada?
I am still figuring out how to set up Shopify, but that is definitely on the roadmap
try it now!
Got it, thank you 😁
Any way to get the posters delivered to Canada?
Oh I didn’t see this post. Music is great, but I’ll be very hopeful to hear more positive things about your health.
Working on it, believe me. Anyhow, play the music loud. No, louder than that!
Truly sorry to hear about your health troubles, but absolutely delighted that you managed to roll 3 sixes, I really hope the luck sticks.
Looking forward to the new music – thousands of miles away across the pond your music is still played pretty much every week. Wishing you all the best, look after yourself.
Sending some energy your way. Thank you for manifesting and letting us experience the feeling of listening to a new Splashdown song again! It bears a bittersweetness. I am hoping, wishing and sending you all the luck that I can muster for your health. Please keep us in the loop.
Hey Adam,
Thanks for this. You lot never got the credit you deserved for the amazing music you’ve made through the years.
I’m sorry to hear about your health issues. All I can say is stay positive and keep fighting, the human mind and body are amazing when they work together.
Adam, I’m so sorry that you’ve been dealing with health issues. I hope that you continue getting healthier and stronger. Metamorphosis is a beautiful song and I share its sentiment. When we leave behind our “mortal coils”, we leave behind the love, joy, and memories with our loved ones, and our impact lives on forever.
When I discovered Splashdown a couple years ago, y’all immediately became one of my new favorite bands. I just bought a poster, and I look forward to supporting you guys if you release anything else in the future!
I was so confused and excited to see a new Splashdown song show up, but saddened to hear about your struggles. I just wanted to send you all the love I can and let you know that I consider Splashdown to be my favorite band and your music has always meant a lot to me.
I hope the good moments outweigh the sad and I hope you enjoy today and all the days to come.
My only goal as a musician was to someday be somebody’s favorite band. To have someone relate to my music the same way I relate to the Cocteaus, Durutti Column, Killing Joke. It’s quite a feeling! Thanks for your message.
I am hopeful for your recovery! Glad you got that bonus round!
I’m so excited to be hearing new splashdown. I just found out via spotify!