Welcome! For those who do know me, my name is Lee and I am from a beautiful city called Hobart, which is at the very bottom of Australia (the island state). It is a beautiful harbour city with the freshest of clean air and water. I would not want to be anywhere else! It is small and safe and above all such a beautiful peaceful place to live.
At the age of five I was hit by a car (Almost died numerous times over the first month) and this resulted in a permanent and severe physical disability called quadriplegia. It means my physical body is paralysed from my neck down to my toes. I now middle-aged, so I have been confined to a wheelchair for a number of decades now. And because of that complete lack of movement and proper function, this has contributed to the severity of my physical disability and the overall look of my body. But still, life is what it is and I am completely okay with who I am and the capabilities that I have. I have to have a team of carers look after me all day every day because I simply cannot survive by myself.
As time goes on there will be more information available, and I am also happy to answer any and all questions that people may have. To begin with this is my Facebook post from earlier this month, just to give you a bit of an introduction.
Early October…
Here it is folks; THE BIG REVEAL.
https://open.spotify.com/album/4B6p6SAT8H6HV5HppHl2j3?si=EgrwtMZDRhqx_2QUvbPZ2g
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyoW3YmeyLk3CvZ59LriunQ
https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-golden-fleece-sessions-ep/1845447012
Almost one week ago I came across a door that has just completely opened my world in terms of creativity. It has provided a commitment that I have not felt for decades. It has completely reinvigorated my creative outlet and dreams for achievements. I feel it is the next step in my evolution as a lyricist/composer.
It started when I was 12 when a musical family friend took me to his band practice. In grade 7 (Aged 13) I remember writing lyrics with a couple of mates during class (and subsequently getting in trouble for not doing what we were supposed to). I did music class in grade 7, but what is a teacher supposed to do with a quadriplegic student who cannot move let alone play an instrument?
Music class absolutely sucked. It was the most boring part of my school life. But it did not change my love for music and my musical ambitions.
Shayne Jackson and I were really getting into the dream of starting a band called Blueprint by the time we reached grade 10. He was the drummer and I was the songwriter and harmonica player.
But life changes. Things happen. Experiences happen. I was exposed to something reasonably heavy during my final year in high school and it derailed me for a couple of years. I went to college but my first year was a complete wipeout. I did music in grade 11. But it was the same thing. Crap teacher with absolutely no idea what to do with me.
1993 (second year college, Aged 16/17) was the year I began writing poetry. A wonderful teacher saw my troubles and took me under her wing (Judy Bennett). Poetry writing became quite serious for me. Yes of course it was all young writings of small merit but still it was a wonderful outlet for what had transpired during grade 10 and the aftermath during grade 11.
Writing poetry reinvigorated my love of writing lyrics, which I began again. 2004 quickly came around and one of my then carers was a drummer who put me in touch with the guitarist in his band. I gave Peter a file of lyrics, which he claimed to be some of the darkest and saddest things he had ever read.
That began a productive collaboration in which we created around 12 songs over a year or two. I then did some songwriting courses. Collaborated with an amazing blues musician in Carl Rush before really opening my own creativity after purchasing some music composing software.
This sparked an influx of new and finished songs. I collaborated with one of my carers in Maddie Swann on about eight tracks I believe, then I paired up with another carer in Matt and we spent almost 2 years collaborating on probably 20 songs. That was about 2012.
Unfortunately my musical ambitions went sideways for quite a while until I got back into it in 2023 and really started to compose some new tracks. In 2024 I paid two different vocalists to bring my compositions to life, I think we did around 10 or 12 tracks. That experience was amazing. But it got too expensive for me at the time.
This brings us up to… NOW. As a quadriplegic I am not physically able to play any instrument. I am also not yet wealthy enough to pay a group of real-life musicians to commit to becoming my band, bringing to life my compositions and lyrics. The majority of my lyrics are my story. They are pieces of life.
Last week I found an AI platform specifically for musicians, or lyricists. What became of that introduction completely changed my view of what I was able to achieve.
For decades I have (somewhat) enjoyed many paths and ideas to try and build myself a career, with the limitations I have. But in the background it was always some form of writing. Poetry. Lyrics. Journalism. Screenwriting. Writing has always been my strongest ability.
For the last decade or more I have been creating songs under the banner of The Atlas of Tears, which probably has around 40 recordings. But now I have moved to the next stage, with thanks to AI.
What I have created is a voice (not my voice, but a voice that rings true for me) and a complete band. I have created my own personal style of music that has always resonated strongly with me.
A touch of Blues, a touch of Rock, a touch of Roots which are now all intertwined to bring together instrumentation that I love. If I were able to physically play instruments and I had my own band; this is the style that you would be getting from me. I love songs that make you physically move or make you emotionally move. That is my ambition.
I have just released a six track EP from my new band (so to speak). We are called Crossroads County. This is the debut of my new style. My new persona.
I am fully committed to this technology, which has completely provided me a Freedom like no other. Creatively, I feel like I have just been born. It has allowed me to truly follow my dreams in creating great music that expresses my emotions, beliefs and dreams.
There will be a lot more coming. I would love to hear any comments. I would love for you to find some enjoyment or emotional moment while listening to my music.
Happy listening! And thank you for your support.
Best wishes from Lee.