"The millenial program is to put the art pedal to the floor."
– Terence McKenna, 1994
– Terence McKenna, 1994
"The Speed of Light is too damn slow."
– Dr. Steven Greer, 2013
BIG NEWS! Google picked me to be part of their Glass Explorers program and I'll be one of the first 2000 people to own and play with their new augmented reality smartphone glasses. This is science fiction turned reality, guys...and I promise you I'll be making the most of my new life as a cyborg, delving into new realms of creativity and communication for the benefit of all beings.
If you know any app developers, please connect us – I'm putting out a call to programmers to help me realize some of my wild ideas for what we can do with this. In the meantime, I'm going to take advantage of the ability to stream first-person video from stage while performing, and to offer over-the-shoulder guitar lessons to people in video chat. (Email me if you're interested.)
But as someone passionate about the ways that our ideas and experience of selfhood are changing in this accelerating age, I also see this as a chance to get involved in a revolution – a radical shift in the way we understand transparency, privacy, and the self-other boundary.
These are turbulent times, but I've been extremely inspired by arguments from people like Scott Adams (creator of Dilbert) – who points out how as it becomes harder and harder to hide things from one another, we're entering a new age of authenticity, accountability, and understanding. I highly recommend reading his article, "Crime and Privacy," for more on that.
I'll be launching a crowdfunding campaign to help me with the opportunity cost of becoming a real-life Manfred Macx. In the meantime, I have one of the most delicious updates yet to share with you...
Thank you for your time, attention, and support. Here are the fruits of my love's labor:
Thank you for your time, attention, and support. Here are the fruits of my love's labor:
Sonic Bloom 2013 Collaboration Mural
Click below to view the progress:
Acrylic & Paint Markers on Stretched Canvas – 4' x 5'
For my fifth year as the Live Art Director for Sonic Bloom, I wanted to kick things up a notch. And what better way than a once-in-a-lifetime collaboration between myself, Morgan Mandala, Jack Shure, Molly Gardner, Xavi Panneton, Andy Reed, Seth McMahon, Tourmaline Todd, Christopher Morphis, Chaeli Cardenas, Dylan Thomas Brooks, Jamie Kaminskas, ChelseaLyn Graber, & Jon Dooey...
You can find links to each of those artists and explore their individual work here.
Paint Markers, Acrylic, & Mountain Stream Water on Masonite – 24" x 32"
Painted live at Sonic Bloom 2013 to the music of Sunsquabi, Love & Light, Phutureprimitive, Nunchuck, J. Wail, The Acidophiles, Ableminds, Unlimited Aspect, Janover & Resunator, Random Rab, The Grouch & Eligh, Andreilien, Opiuo, Yamn, The Werks, Bluetech, Zilla, Polish Ambassador, Vibesquad, Akara, Knowa Knowone
It's an unusually dark and spectral piece for me – strange and haunting. I wondered why I felt compelled to paint something so reminiscent of the ancestors...and then on Sunday it all became clear.
The rubber really hit the road with this "transformational festival," and everyone there rose to the occasion with tremendous grace under pressure. It was an honor to participate in something that tested us all so profoundly, brought us all closer together, and in so doing "polished our pearls." Come to think of it, there is definitely a pearlescent lustre in this piece. Huh. The plot thickens...
If you see festival director Jamie Janover on the street, thank him for all his hard work.
Easily one of the best and most inspiring conversations I've ever had. I was honored to be invited by Mark Heley, author of The Everything Guide to 2012, to sit in on his talk at Sonic Bloom along with Jonathan Zap, author of Crossing The Event Horizon: Human Metamorphosis & The Singularity Archetype. (I recommend you find and read both of those books. After listening to this conversation, I'm sure you'll want to.)
Incidentally, we're all speaking in the awesome all-star lineup Burning Man's Fractal Planet Village this year. Just take a gander at that schedule. Wow!
We are proud to announce the first episode of a new video series, SolPurpose Conversations! Visionary electronic music producer Evan “Skytree” Snyder joins SolPurpose editor-in-chief Michael Garfield for an inspired hour-long conversation on how to live in creative celebration through our turbulent Age of Transition.
My Sets From Om Vibrations Experience 2013
So THIS is what it sounds like to play setbreaks between Random Rab, Kaminanda, & Rudra Das in a cave! My profound gratitude to Jason, Austen, and the whole family at Re:Evolution Media for this opportunity.
That gorgeous cover art was digitally painted live, and projected on the cave ceiling, by Topher Sipes of ARTheism during my sets and theirs.
"The Science of Transformation"
Sonic Bloom Trialogue w/ Mark Heley, MG, & Jonathan Zap
Sonic Bloom Trialogue w/ Mark Heley, MG, & Jonathan Zap
Easily one of the best and most inspiring conversations I've ever had. I was honored to be invited by Mark Heley, author of The Everything Guide to 2012, to sit in on his talk at Sonic Bloom along with Jonathan Zap, author of Crossing The Event Horizon: Human Metamorphosis & The Singularity Archetype. (I recommend you find and read both of those books. After listening to this conversation, I'm sure you'll want to.)
Incidentally, we're all speaking in the awesome all-star lineup Burning Man's Fractal Planet Village this year. Just take a gander at that schedule. Wow!
SolPurpose Conversations, Episode 1: Evan "Skytree" Snyder
“The key to our survival and the deepest expression of our collective fear is one and the same.”
We are proud to announce the first episode of a new video series, SolPurpose Conversations! Visionary electronic music producer Evan “Skytree” Snyder joins SolPurpose editor-in-chief Michael Garfield for an inspired hour-long conversation on how to live in creative celebration through our turbulent Age of Transition.
More Gigs This Summer
(Full concert calendar on my website.)
Ft. live art by Harrison Hilley, Chance Losher, Claire Spiderlashes, Trinh Nguyen, & Parker Bolles
Awesome first-year thing. If all goes according to plan, my first performance with Glass.
An official Gratifly after-party!
A Unitus Festival pre-party ft. the music of The Fresh French, Kynara, & Feverkin.
This one came out of nowhere and is gearing up to be one of this summer's sleeper hits.
A tiny but juicy event in the beautiful mountains outside Boone, NC.
My fourth year out of four. Easily one of the best festivals of the entire year. Period.
Thank you for wading through that tome of an update! I love you. Onward...
