"How much do you want for that?" I asked my schoolmate, pointing to an old, dusty guitar hanging on the wall of his room. I was 15 when I bought it for 50 bucks. That was my start in music. I soon formed my first band "The horses" with my best friend. The horses just managed one concert before the band was history again. I left the area and settled around Lac de Constance where I played bass in various bands over the next few years. But my musical career never really took off. During this time I became a father and other things became important. Over the years, music faded more and more into the background. Except for one day in June 2015 when I literally woke up on a hike over the Sertig Pass. (The song Forty Five on the debut album "For personal Reasons" tells the story) I had to turn 45 and remove a lot of nonsense from my world view to realize that my "calling" is music. So I came back with a plan and lots of song ideas and got to work. Of course, and luckily, I had completely underestimated what it meant to produce music. If I had known what hardships and detours would be necessary to reach my goal, I wouldn't have set out at all. But I did, and I went through with it. Especially in the last two years I was very productive and produced two albums in our little cottage in the Alpstein mountains.
The first "for personal reasons" is an intimate and rather folky album with autobiographical traits. The second, "Welcome an Goodbye", is more complex and rockier but no less personal. I wanted to bring an emotional depth to both, which is reflected in both the music and the lyrics. I hope that I have succeeded. But see for yourself. The first way to do that is the single release "The Summer's daughter" which will be released on all major streaming platforms in May 2024.
Van Vernon, April 2024
