Joe Stark

A LIMINAL SPACE AS DESCRIBED ON REDDIT IS THE SPACE BETWEEN THE TIME OF “WHAT WAS” AND “WHAT’S NEXT”. IT’S A PLACE OF TRANSITION, WAITING, AND NOT KNOWING.

WELL, ME… I’VE SPENT THE LAST 3 YEARS OR SO IN A LIMINAL SPACE.
I HAVE CONSIDERED MYSELF A MUSICIAN SINCE I STARTED WRITING AND RECORDING SONGS AT THE AGE OF TWELVE. I’VE HAD BANDS WITH MANY SUCCESSES AND I HAVE MADE AN HONEST LIVING AS A TOURING AND SESSION GUITARIST / BASSIST FOR SOME OF THE BEST ROCK-N-ROLLERS AROUND. I’M PRETTY SURE I HAD WHAT YOU’D CALL A GOOD RIDE.

THEN I STOPPED CARING ABOUT MUSIC. EVERYTHING ABOUT WRITING SONGS AND PERFORMING SEEMED FRIVOLOUS WHEN MY WIFE BECAME ILL WITH BREAST CANCER. THE PURSUIT OF ART IS AN INHERENTLY SELFISH PLIGHT, AND IT JUST FELT IN BAD TASTE… I AM A FATHER OF TWO BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN AND I TRY MY DAMNEDEST TO FAN THEIR FLAMES IN FRONT OF MINE. IT’S A STRUGGLE, I ADMIT.

OF COURSE WE ALL ENDURED A PANDEMIC. HONESTLY, LOOKING BACK, I AM HAPPY IT GAVE ME TIME OFF TO SPEND WITH MY FAMILY. I WILL ALWAYS LOOK BACK ON THE LONG DAYS TOGETHER (+ THE AFTERNOON COCKTAILS, BABY POOLS AND BACKYARD HANGS) FONDLY. THANK GOD I HAD THAT TIME WITH MY LOVE AND MY CHILDREN.

AFTER MY WIFE PASSED, I CONTINUED MY POST COVID JOB AT AN HVAC COMPANY IN MY HOMETOWN IN SOUTH LOUISIANA WHILE RAISING MY DAUGHTERS. I WAS GRATEFUL TO HAVE WORK AND TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE FOR MY FAMILY, BUT I KNEW IN MY HEART THAT THE PLACE I WAS IN WAS A TRANSITIONAL ONE…

THEN MUSIC SUDDENLY MATTERED AGAIN. IT BECAME IMPORTANT. I FELT INSPIRED TO WRITE SONGS ABOUT MY TRUTHS OF LOVE AND LOSS… ABOUT BEING IN A LIMINAL SPACE… AND EVENTUALLY, ABOUT FINDING LOVE AGAIN AND MOVING FORWARD. THE WRITING WAS MY THERAPY AND I WAS THANKFUL TO HAVE THAT OLD FRIEND MUSIC BACK IN MY LIFE.

WITH THE HELP OF MY CLOSEST FRIENDS AND FAMILY, I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO RECORD THESE SONGS THAT HAVE HELPED ME PERSEVERE. I HOPE ANYONE WHO LISTENS WILL JOIN ME IN A CELEBRATION OF HOPE, LOVE & PERSEVERANCE. I APPRECIATE YOU.

THANKS FOR TUNING IN. I’M STILL A LUCKY MAN.

JOE STARK