Exalted By Your Presence

An autumn update and welcome to new subscribers 🍁

Hello Everyone,

I wanted to take a moment to welcome our new subscribers and give a high five to those that have been here awhile too! 🙌 Thanks for taking the time to subscribe, I’m so glad you’re here. ❤️

It’s been quieter on the journal this summer (—if you’re just arriving please explore the archives, there’s plenty to see and read), but please know I haven’t forgotten about you dear reader. I think of writing to you often, usually when I walk my puppy Mary through the tree-lined streets in Vancouver’s Mount Pleasant area. With the LEATHERS album complete and autumn cozies in full effect, I have felt more ‘interior’ lately, as I daydream about new songs, directions and ideas for the project.

Here are some random things I’ve been vibing on this October, please feel free to share your own recs below too.

• Reading - SWANS: Sacrifice and Transcendence (2018), Wrong Way (2023)

• Watching - The Shining (1980), Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story (2024), The Substance (2024)

• Listening - Godflesh, Helmet, SWANS, Massive Attack, Fontaines D.C.

• Synthesizing - I upgraded to a Roland Jupiter Xm, so I’ve been getting all my sounds dialled in for the ACTORS tour

• Drinking - Moja Espresso, Dr. Pepper Cream Soda Zero

• Eating - Melted cheddar on everything, Cadbury Crunchie Bars (but not together ewww)

• Dogging - Mary’s newest trick is catching a treat mid-air. Yes!!

You may also be interested in listening to this in-depth podcast I recorded recently with H.I. Art on the Edge. The host, William is one of the most well-researched, thoughtful interviewers I’ve encountered as a musician, and it was a pleasure to speak with him about creativity, art, and songwriting.

Something else that’s been on my mind… is social media dead? This past year the effectiveness of my Instagram and Facebook etc completely tanked. Maybe you’ve noticed the change in your own accounts too. The gentle algorithms that once lifted artists and musicians out of obscurity are now throttling our posts, asking us to pay for access to our own followers that we spent a decade+ nurturing on the apps. Doesn’t seem fair does it? As advertising dominates our timelines, many artists like myself are building their mailing lists outside of the major apps to maintain contact with their followers. For more thoughts on this subject and how it affects artists, you might like to read electronic artist James Blake’s recent post on Instagram (click through for the carousel of images).

jamesblake

A post shared by @jamesblake

Alright, just a short note to touch base this time, but I’ll be back soon with more tour entries and photographs when ACTORS hits the road in November. I’m so grateful for your support, and I extend a heartfelt thanks for your continued interest in my music and artistic endeavours.

One last, important thing, what should Mary be for Halloween? 🦇

XO

Shannon

P.S. ACTORS have lots of tour dates coming up! Where will we see you?