The Word is Bond has asked independent musicians from all walks of life to share their experiences coping with COVID-19 during this very tumultuous time. Our third voice is classic rock, blues, and soul musician Patrick Ames. The world turned upside down once the pandemic hit, and Patrick, like many musicians, needed to re-prioritize in its wake. Here’s what he had to say.
Guest Post by Patrick Ames
I was finishing off a new EP in my home studio with my two vocalists, Chana and Mikaela Matthews (mother/daughter) when COVID-19 struck. We finished studio work and it was great. We had a photoshoot outside and a little studio party, but the world kind of stopped right then and there and did a somersault. A virus was coming but I didn’t know how severe it was, or what it was, frankly, so I submitted my new EP “Liveness” for an April 4 release.
When that day came, my wife and son were self-quarantining together in a separate house. The world was upside down. I was sheltering in isolation and the songs I wrote about in the EP were seemingly coming true. The release came and went quickly in that environment and like so many artists, I quickly turned my attention to the world’s somersault by creating.
Artists create mirrors that allow people to see themselves; that’s what we do. And what I learned from the COVID-19 was that there’s a new type of mirror needed now, there are different venues, new diverse media, and social norms being jettisoned and created. Where it’s going, none of us know.
I must keep my old day job as plans have changed. My wife and I have new priorities and I would advise everybody to review theirs, too. But there seem to be more hours in the day lately, and I’m more of an artist than ever before, obsessive about trying to express and reflect this new normal.
And that’s just me. What about all the supremely talented artists around the globe trying to survive, and all their new art? You can’t put seven billion people into months of sheltering without getting massive amounts of artistic output in the process, and frankly, I think we are on the verge of a tidal wave of new music, literature, visual, and yes, performing arts. It’s all coming. And I think it’s going to be quite amazing and I can’t wait to be apart of it.
All proceeds made from the sale of “Reawakened 2020” on Bandcamp between June 19 and June 21 will be donated to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund.