Back at it, reviving this blog and updates!

 Wow, it's been a long time since I've posted on this blog. You could definitely say I've lost my way more than once in this creative journey that started back in December 2008. I'll update you, it's been nearly 4 years since my last post and so much has changed even since then. Covid swept the world, all the momentum I had built up to that point was washed away, I used to spend 150 days a year on the road, sometimes more than that, and like many millions of people life changed within a few months as the world quickly ground to a halt. Post Covid, I've struggled to find my way creatively, work wise, burnt out, got massively depressed because 10 years on the road and then nothing, 4 years of Covid era madness, people forget who you are and a new flock rises up and people were keeping closer to home. Everything changed in my life. 

Now, I'm trying to figure out who I am still, where I want to go and what I want to do. In that time I wrote a new book of poetry/prose, formed a band and toured for the first time in years but this purely driven by sheer will to get back out there and perform. I changed my practice creatively and slowed down on art workshops because I was totally burnt out. Music is back in my life in a big way, my band is called "Horse Funeral Band," and we started on, I shit you not, 420 or April 20th in 2023. We wrote about 8 - 10 songs and went into Doug Perry's recording studio on June 19th, 2023 and recorded 6 songs, live off the floor, mixed, mastered in 5 hours. Then I hit the road and started touring June 26 until sometime at the end of November 2023, all totalled at least 50 shows in 4 or 5 provinces, ranging from dive bars, big clubs, festivals, house parties and everything in between. 

I shakily found my voice and am still developing a style, which I'd say is dark, solitary confessional acoustic songwriter. My voice is very baritone, so it's been a journey and fun, scary, exhausting, creative and everything in between. This past year, I toured a lot less, because I'm in my 50's and being on the road that much was pretty exhausting; we've mainly done festivals and gigs in Alberta and the lower mainland. The expense of touring has really gotten magnified, gas is so expensive, food is more expensive, accommodations, merch, hell, it's all a different world now. I'm working on a plan, new music, new recordings and booking shows for next year and will have a better idea of what's going on and how to do it. Without further ado, here's the bandcamp page for us: 

https://horsefuneral1.bandcamp.com/album/new-songs

That's all I'm going to post for tonight, I'll return tomorrow with more news, creative projects and information about the past 4 years. 

Kukstemc, thanks for tuning in all these years,

Chris Bose. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

re: new digital works............

hello friends, fans, foe and lovers,

i'm watching season 2 of the HBO series "Deadwood," and it's pretty damn good. i picked up season 2 for $8 at value village and the 3rd Herman Treasury by Jim Unger, which is hilarious for $2. finally a decent score there. I love Ian McShanes character "Al Swearingen," because i'm a lot like that, haha.

I made some new digital art, first one in a long time, and i'm happy with it. but i'll be pushing the boundaries a lot more, but i had to go on familiar territory until i get my skills back up.

check it out,

all is well lovers,

see you soon,

cb

re: a clear day

hello friends, fans, foe and lovers,

we're on a clear day, the skies are vast and wide, the air is crisp and clean, and i've already gone for a brisk walk before the beautiful light hit the rest of the sleeping people.

i'll try to get out and make the most of my day, i hope you do as well. i've been wondering lately or perhaps for years, what i might have been in a past life. likely someone who was on the sea. i feel landlocked and love being near the sea.

what about you?

in the meantime, here's some more art. get out there, make the most of your day. who knows when the last one is around the corner?

until another time,


cb

"the last temptation of buffalo boy."

2013

collection of "Juxtapoz," and "Hi-Fructose,"

magazines in plastic because

i nearly spill a cup of coffee on them.

i love watching the blue of days end

to the black of the night.

it's quiet and peaceful. 

something zen about it.

Buff Jebus 

will be hanging in the Kamloops Art Gallery this week.

a boar jaw bone.

stencils of skulls over crappy albums and covers.

this morning's nice quiet walk.

nice and clear and cold.

the golden light broke during my walk

it went from cold blue to golden

in literally seconds. 

amazing. 

re: a new series.

hello lovers,

i'm doing some digital art again and it feels good. been away from it for some six months. i needed a break in the action. but started a new series. black and white images. i might add some colour. we'll see. i'm also working on new techniques. just to keep it fresh.

been a hectic couple weeks. back and forth to vancouver, bringing down art, signing contracts, and all sorts of stuff. i've got 5, yeah, 5 exhibitions in vancouver and victoria starting up from now until november. busy.

until next time lovers,

cb

re: behind the veil II.......

Friends, fans, foe and lovers,

i bring you the second image of "Behind the Veil."

this has some colourization to it. the previous one is black and white, but i wanted to add some tones of red to it. to add some lust. some desire to the fire.

i love digital art, which has a bad rap, a lot like digital music. do i give a damn. no.

when i did "traditional art" such as painting, drawing and illustration, under which i laboured well over a decade, people back then would talk smack about my art. people talk smack about my art now. the difference is now i'm able to create the images in my head with a camera, and a collection of images, and my skills on a computer. sometimes i'll do a good old fashioned cut up, like the brits love to do. but digital is where it's at. i also do a lot of outside art, painting on walls, tunnels and bridges, which is all about the moment and the process. that is hugely rewarding as well. will i post it? eventually. i managed to get up on walls from Victoria to Montreal this year, which is about 8 or 10 cities, and it was awesome meeting other artists and just having other people to talk to in the struggle of art. haha. like it's a rebellion or something, but in many ways, it is a movement, a struggle and criminalized. so indeed, it really is a rebellion. haha.

oh, the other difference between the people talking smack about my art ten years ago and the people talking smack about my art now, is it's a new group of people, most of whom don't make art for a living, while i continue to make art for a living. that is what is important. that is what i do not forget.

until next time lovers,


cb

re: on a soundcloud......

hello friends, fans, lovers and foe,

my apologies for being away, been sort of busy doing this and that, mainly living and learning......plus i'm in another city, off the road, and adjusting to life off the road......it hasn't been easy, jeez, i spent two years traveling, and then as soon as i get off the road, end up sick off and on the past two months.......and finally am feeling better......

in the meantime, i've been combing through stacks of hard-drives and dvd's looking for an album i did in 2009 and DIDN'T release!!!

and now i want to, but of course, i do not have a copy, and trying to find one or someone i sent it to has been pretty much impossible......sigh......

i also cannot seem to figure out how to download my own songs from this account.....

http://www.myspace.com/paganmachine

but what i meant to tell you, is i found a disc recently from an album i recorded back in 1992-94 and decided to post on soundcloud!

and the tracks are FREE and available for DOWNLOAD!!!!!!

http://soundcloud.com/chris-bose

so get it on it!

have a listen! download! love it! share it!

i think these are interesting songs because they were recorded at a strange, transformative time in my life.....plus it was the 500 year anniversary of Columbus and all that insanity......i also discovered a booked call "INdigEna" based on the catalogue from a show at the National Gallery of Canada on new art from First Nations artists.......

these are artists who became huge influences on my life, carl beam, jane ash poitras, jim logan and more......

a milestone time in my life, and the music that i recorded in that era is something i'll probably never be able to recreate again.....

in the meantime kids,

i miss you and love you,


cb