Operation Reclamation, or, The Drive is Alive

“I want my band back, and my songs, and my dreams. In this desire I feel I have come home again."

~ William Patrick Corgan,

on his plans to revive The Smashing Pumpkins in June 2005

I remember when I first read the above statement from Mr. Corgan.

I was aware of the impact The Smashing Pumpkins had on alternative music but I wasn’t emotionally invested in the revival of the band. However, the statement hit me like a ton of bricks.

Who can’t relate to having a dream? Who can’t understand the desire to reclaim things that have been taken away? I was only 17 at the time but I knew a thing or two about dreaming.

I’ve always been a dreamer. My dreams have always been vivid.

I’ve dreamed of what I wanted my life to be, what I wanted my career to look like and the people I’ve met in my day-to-day. And my greatest dream is simple: to make music, play concerts and inspire others with my band Cockeyed Optimist. Sadly, in the last several years, that dream had felt like it was slipping away from me.

From the founding of Cockeyed Optimist, the band was always the brainchild of my wife Cynda. As our friendship & relationship evolved, Cockeyed Optimist became OUR band and OUR vision. We wrote the songs, financed the recordings, invested in rehearsal time, booked the shows, designed the packaging, etc. Make no mistake: Cockeyed Optimist is our band and anyone who suggests they lay any claim to a portion is an outright liar.


Many of the members that came through our ranks over the years have done much to dilute the vision and purpose of the band. To make matters worse, we did everything to keep those members happy. From paying them for gigs and sessions to being a chauffeur, purchasing equipment, and even giving songwriting credits to members who contributed nothing to any piece of music…in our dreams, Cynda and I came dead last.


The truth hurts but the truth has set us free. We’re not putting ourselves, our creativity, our values and our dreams last anymore.

We’re taking back our band, our songs, and our dreams!


This week, we made the greatest stride in reclaiming our dreams in some time: we’re recording drums for our first new music in seven years. It goes without saying that we are incredibly excited and grateful that a long-prayed prayer has been answered. Where a way seemed shut, God made a way. I’ll never let anyone tell me again that there isn’t a God and that he doesn’t answer prayers...


I’m grateful He brought us a drummer who is not only INSANELY talented but whose mind and heart are in the right place. This drummer has brought a level of excellence to the sessions that is, sadly, far too uncommon amongst his peers. It has been a genuine pleasure to sit in the control room as I listen to what he’s bringing to these songs. While he is not a member of the band in the traditional sense, he is certainly a musician who will be on our “first call” list for some years to come.


I can’t you give you any idea of when or how you’ll hear these songs. I can tell you is this: we are NOT going to be doing it the way we’ve done it before. The modern music business is woefully unkind to new acts and it’s clear that they care very little about insuring the artist is fairly treated or compensated.


Buckminster Fuller once said:

"You never change things by fighting the existing reality.

To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete."

I’m not saying we’re going to do it better right away. What I am saying is that we're going to do everything we can to build a better system for you to hear our music and support us as we make more of it. And, most importantly, build a new model in which NO ONE stands any chance of destroying or stealing our dream ever again.

The dream is alive. Cockeyed Optimist is back.

Thanks so much for reading my Blog.

Join my Email Club so you don’t miss the next one! You’ll also receive updates on new videos, giveaways and upcoming streams!