After all the driving and sweating and yelling and laughing and music described below, and undescribed over the past five years, Arks has ceased to be. But in name and simplistic nomenclature only. We have divided in the middle, amicable cells with a common parent.
Glenn and I will be continuing to work together on a project called Music Hall, along with our good friend PK Hooker. Lanny and Mat will continue working together on a yet unnamed project. Our last show together as Arks was December 6th at the Darkroom. An endless thank you from all of us to all who attended and have attended our shows over these past several years.
Those who have gotten to the know the band all seemed to have the same question: what happened? And perhaps they've all been a bit disappointed with the unsensational but honest answer: ultimately, we wanted to go different ways creatively. Glenn started the discussion to some degree, noting that Arks is not the sort of music to which he typically listens or by which he is usually inspired, and while he's loved being in the group that he didn't think he should be with us for another full-length record, feeling the way he did. We all took that as inarguable and thanked Glenn for his honesty.
Faced with prospect of starting again with a new drummer, I knew it was time to take a serious look at my own interests, which in the end Arks couldn't address. I think I had been convincing myself for some time that any music I wanted to write that didn't fit in with Arks, I could address on my own... but I'm slowly owning up to the fact that my schedule (which seems to increase in complexity from year to year) simply doesn't allow for more than one musical project, not in earnest, and that this one musical project needs to be able to accommodate all my music ideas, wherever they lead. (This relates to realizations I've had with my books of late, that I want to go back to doing a series, where I can feel free to field all my ideas, not just concentrate solely on one work at a time, something for which my brain is poorly suited.)
While I love the music we made as Arks,I had to come to the realization there were large parts of my musical interests that I could never explore while keeping the songs truly "Arks songs." I told Mat and Lanny I would be leaving as well, effectively ending the group, but paving the way for two new ones.
And that is that. No falling out. No harsh words. Nothing but a little sadness at letting go of the band as we (and our small but always appreciated pack of supportive friends) knew it, coupled with excitement about what we're all up to next. If anyone needs a sign that we're all still close friends, we were murdering some Guitar Hero together at Lanny's apartment over the holidays. Nothing says "friends" like backing each other up on a Black Sabbath song.
Thanks for everyone who listened. We'll pester your ears again soon, in a strange sort of stereo we're still figuring out.
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