I listened to the album "Benji"
by Sun Kil Moon inearly spring
when I was twenty three
found off Pitchfork and torrented it
one coffee-and-computer morning
something non-shillaunt about the cover interested me
and I hoped it'd be as good as "Tiny Cities"

I've never encountered an album as hard to listen to as "Benji" was
to go from top to the bottom took me almost one whole month
and I agree with many things that Mark was sayin' in "Benji"
like a mother's love
and a father's lessons
or of the tragedy in Newtown
but even more I loved the mention of my mentor
through rhythms I gained composition
and though I loved
oh, I loved the thunder and the lightning
of John Bonham's Ludwigs and his Paisties
what spoke to me was pure intention embedded in every bit of his sticking
such honesty has influenced me
and help me keep myself on the right path
never had to fight with anyone 'cause I always have a drumset on my back
so in high school I started playing
music was the catalyst to my being understood
and adequately interpreted
in my local culture
I fell in love
when I was seventeen
and I fucked it up, so I'm still searching
and my searches have brought me to so many places
traveled around for years from house to couch lookin' for happiness

I was September 6th, 2011 at 11:03 in the morning
I got a call from my mother
and was nervous before the phone started ringing
"Aunt Janit died early this morning and she passed peacefully."
I asked for the exact time of death and she said
it was 6:33 in the morning

That morning, I was riding my bike to 8 A.M. class
I was a mess and I was an Intermedia major
at the Pacific Northwest College of Artists
(artists)
and I was staring at a deep orange sunrise and I caught a flat
and I was panicking, ya know, so I looked at my iPhone for the time:
it was 6:33 in the morning

bless your heart
bless my drums
I turn twenty-five this month
(two days actually)
(one day actually)
and I still love the thunder and the lightning
of John Bonham's Ludwigs and of his Paistes
and I'm so very grateful for the inspiration
it was a big help, so thank you
to help me embrace myself
and help me find my voice
and help me make my art

I wouldn't have made this album without the influence of "Benji"
so thank you, Mark


so much has happened to me since I first heard "Benji"