Will Quinlan (who CL profiled two months ago) is bringing another new project, The Vesper Bell, out to play tomorrow night in an opening slot for New York songwriter Rue Snider, but why?
"Fear, failure and artistic honesty. I'm looking to express a side of my artistic self, my musical personality that l've hidden away behind the 'Americana/alt folk-rock' thing for years," Quinlan told CL in a message. "[I'm] always putting this material on the shelf telling myself 'someday, I'll get to it someday.'"
DO THIS: RUE SNIDER + THE VESPER BELL THE HUB 10.16.16He says he's sick of being afraid of how he may be judged for trying something a little different. He's sick of being afraid of failing and sick of being afraid to fail myself.
So, for "Wire" and "Ides," Quinlan enlisted the help of a crew made up of old Diviners (the band that played with him 2008's Navasota) line up who were toying with also moonlighting as The Vesper Bell. What you're hearing below is Jesse Martin on drums, Soraya Garner on keys and harmonies, Brian Edward Lane on bass, and Scott Everlovin Anderson on guitars.
"I've been repressing this side of my artistic self for far longer than I'd like to admit, and in a way, I'm ashamed that Iv'e been afraid to more honestly honor the gift of the muse so to speak, to show my respect for it by making a hard, earnest effort to put it out there, to honor the obligation of the artist and give the gift back," he added in the heartfelt note.
"It's not meant to be kept locked away in a box made of my own fears. Time's running on, and I also owe it to myself to make an honest attempt to achieve the small goal of surmounting these fears and banishing this demon that's been sitting on my chest all these years....and maybe have some fun with my friends while I'm at it."
More information on the show is available at local.cltampa.com and you can read our most recent profile of Quinlan here. Listen to two new tracks from The Vesper Bell below.
