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LIQUID MIND |
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Turning to musical therapy to help himself remove overbearing stress and inner turmoil in his own life, Liquid Mind creator and visionary Chuck Wild knows this all too well. Chuck’s early work as a member of L.A. based rockers Missing Persons fortuitously led the way to his own recordings with Liquid Mind. Over the past 30 years, Liquid Mind has recorded upwards of twenty albums, mostly released on CD by the Real Music label. With album titles such as Musical Healthcare, Deep Sleep, Meditation and Relax, to name just a few titles in its catalog, Liquid Mind remains vital listening for listeners that take the benefits of musical therapy seriously. In 2020 as the global pandemic began ravaging the world, Chuck released Liquid Mind XIII: Mindfulness. Although each of the Liquid Mind albums has something unique to offer New Age fans, perhaps it is Liquid Mind XIII: Mindfulness that rises to the top with a secure position as one of the most sublime and serene releases yet by Liquid Mind. Nowhere is that more apparent than on the lead-off track “In The Arms Of Love”. With its glacial moving, sustained electronic sounds, the track perfectly sets the stage for the mindful meditation music that follows. “In The Arms Of Love” soon gives way to the track, “A Calm Heart”, which features live, not sampled, vocals by A. J. Teshin, Michael Whitfield, Jimmy Demers; vocals also appear on the following tracks “The Wisdom Of Kindness” and “A Gentle Mind”. The 65-minute album closes with two tracks, “Life In The Slow Lane” and the title track “Mindfulness” The sixteenth album in the Liquid Mind series of what the artist calls ‘sedative therapeutic music’ (with several compilations in the catalog as well), Liquid Mind XIII: Mindfulness is subtitled Music for Relaxation, Meditation and Sleep. The album was produced by Chuck Wild with co-production by Jonathan Marozik. As is pointed out in the CD liner notes, there are many roads to alleviate the everyday stress and strain on the human nervous system. Meditation and musical therapy are two of the more enjoyable experiences you can have and you can experience the best of both worlds upon listening to Liquid Mind XIII: Mindfulness.
Chuck Wild Remembers Liquid Mind XIII: Mindfulness
Chuck Wild: The process of releasing Mindfulness was somewhat challenging, but in a good way. Distribution channels were changing, and I was getting accustomed to the "new" Real Music, which as you point out was purchased by the British company Cutting Edge Group. We were eager to make the relationship work, and conversations and negotiations with Darren were frequent. While I was considering other titles, he encouraged me to go with the Mindfulness concept. As I stated on the Liquid Mind site page for that album, "I believe there are many paths to inner peace, as everyone’s life journey is unique. One skill which has benefited me is mindfulness, observing my feelings and thoughts in the present moment without judgment." mwe3: Was Liquid Mind XIII: Mindfulness created and recorded before the Pandemic of 2020 and do you feel the album was overlooked because it came out at the start of the chaos surrounding that year? It was a turning point moment for both Liquid Mind and you and Real Music, that as you point out, was just sold to become myndstream, now a spa music service and subsequently became the new Real Music, focused once again on artists. What was some of your initial reactions at Real Music being sold? Chuck Wild: Much of Liquid Mind XIII: Mindfulness was recorded in 2019, though I had started recording the background singers in the garage late that year as we became concerned about health issues. The next two albums, Simplicity and Musical Healthcare® were recorded during the pandemic. Regarding Real Music being sold: Terence Yallop and Karen Kael had called me in 2018 and said they'd like to fly to L.A. to have dinner, when they informed me of their negotiations with Cutting Edge Group, so I was aware and had plenty of time to consider alternatives prior to the 2019 transfer of the company and its catalogs.
Chuck Wild: Glen's art has been a mainstay of the series visually, for which I'm very grateful. Given the title of the album, we knew there must be some reference to the "mind", and Glen used his amazing skills, with a dash of AI to complete the cover. The process is usually considering dozens of ideas and then seeing what resonates in time. This cover was also the basis for the cover for The Wisdom of Kindness Flute Remix, by Liquid Mind® and wonderful flautist/artist/composer Bryan Baker. mwe3: How what was it like working with A.J. Teshin, Michael Whitfield and Jimmy Demers on the Mindfulness album? How does your process work? The listener doesn’t notice their voices as it is quite a treated sound and some of the voice tracks almost sounding like a mellotron. I record a 'pilot track' myself with the notes and melodies I'd like to be sung, then the singers come in and sing the notes. However, because the music is so slow, sometimes they have to sing the notes twice, overlapping, and we fade from one note to the other in the studio during arranging and mixing. mwe3: In your liner notes for Mindfulness, you talk about being “in the moment” and how the internet, for example, has us “hyper-connected” and locked into the 24-hour cycle of events, like a store that never closes. Is music the last resort to insulate humans from the over-saturation of life in the 2020’s?
This is truly amazing, but to balance being "over-informed", I've found music and meditation a way to strengthen my resolve to use the best of the internet for good cause, and to give myself the gift of perspective as to how to use it. That perspective often comes through meditation and a good night's sleep. Music serves to set us up and relax, as vibratory resonance is often involuntary. It's why I tell folks to never ever drive and listen to Liquid Mind®, as it does cause drowsiness. As far as sleep, The Sleep Tips on the Liquid Mind site, and pdf here, are well researched suggestions for setting yourself up for meaningful rest, or even for a power nap during the day. mwe3: Jonathan Marozik is credited with co-producing Liquid Mind XIII: Mindfulness and he is also credited with additional programming. Can you tell us something about how you worked with Jonathan on Mindfulness and what he brings to the table when it comes to recording Liquid Mind music?
As time went on, and Jonathan became more familiar with my compositional style and the important sonic elements of Liquid Mind needing to be deeply relaxing. I decided to credit him as co-producer, so he now participates in the arranging, pre-mixing, mixing and mastering of the albums. I'm very grateful for Jonathan's help and encouragement, especially trying to stay awake. As you might recall, I haven't had any coffee since 1988 lol, so it is important to have an alert musical partner. mwe3: Did the era of the pandemic make people more hyper-connected or less, more afraid or less afraid? Mindfulness is a great concept, but is the year 2024 going to be especially difficult as there is so much tension and fear on the line? Someone told me during times of great pressure and stress that you have to lean even more on meditation and mindfulness. I wish I could just rely on meditation and mindfulness, but I think people are really scared by what’s going on at the moment. Chuck Wild: I'm not a therapist, but I do think some folks have PTSD from the fear of getting the virus back then. I knew several folks who passed on from it, and many friends and family members who suffered from Covid. So yes, it was an especially difficult time... though I tried my best just to continue to try to be of service to others, through music, encouragement, and communication. As regards the 2024 tensions, I assume you're referring to the political and international climate. I personally rely on meditation and prayer, support groups, gratitude lists, affirmations, and connecting with others in a positive way. But I do not ignore the reality of those in our world who ignore the rule of law. The 12-step concept of having the courage to change the things we can, accepting the things over which we have no control and having the wisdom to know the difference has always been helpful to me. Meditation helps me to not overly focus on things I cannot change, and instead to get a finer perspective on how I can be of service to the world in a positive way.
Chuck Wild: Actually, I rarely make musical decisions based upon a concept, but yes, this piece is quite full sounding. I'm sure subconsciously I may be affected by the titles, which often change as I work on a song. Yes, "In The Arms of Love" is very full sounding, as is the concept of love in our world. From a technical standpoint, Liquid Mind is intended to be background music, played at a low volume, so I like the tracks to be 'full' enough that they don't disappear at a lower volume. mwe3: What inspired “A Calm Heart”? With a title like that it seems to fit in well on Mindfulness. Are all the track titles a reference to the idea of Mindfulness? I noticed the song titles reference Mindfulness, Love, Calm, Wisdom, Gentle, Slowness... Are these the steps required to being mindful? Chuck Wild: Having "A Calm Heart" for me is an essential part of my being. In a sense, it's an acceptance that I'm human, and that at age 77, I have a choice as to being anxious about things I can't change or just accepting them and moving on with life, finding my way to be of service to others, to give and accept love in our world. Slow music, what professional music therapists call "sedative music", is an essential part of my service to others.
Chuck Wild: The impetus behind that title was the old adage that "kindness is the highest form of wisdom". As time goes on, especially in our interconnected world, it can be very challenging to be kind... but we each can decide to do so. There are many ways to express kindness, through donating time, donating money, through our work etc… mwe3: “Life In The Slow Lane” needs no introduction or explanation. It sounds like the perfect low-key track to approach Mindfulness with. I guess most pop music fans are familiar with the Eagles song “Life In The Fast Lane” so now there’s a counterpart song with a different perspective. “Life In The Fast Lane” doesn’t work so well anymore but “Life In The Slow Lane” does. Chuck Wild: Yes, the Eagles song was one of my favorites many years ago, and I almost called the second album Life in the Slow Lane (lol) but decided on Slow World instead. We each have a choice as to the "tempo" of our lives. In my case, I love the slow lane, being patient and kind with myself, and realistic about my own expectations for myself and others. After years of fast lane, traveling 11 years on road, 10 years commuting to be with Mom and Dad in their later years, at this point, I'm happy to just settle down in place, and focus on making music and being with friends, associates, and family. mwe3: What are some of your plans to stay mindful and in the moment as we navigate through the tumultuous 2024? Keep calm and listen to Liquid Mind music...
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The catalog of album releases by Liquid Mind contains some of the most ethereal, meditative and enlightening musical sounds known to man. New Age music has always been desired for its healing properties and intuitive understandings about the way the human mind works.
mwe3: In a recent interview about Musical Healthcare, you said as the pandemic of 2020 got underway that you spoke with Darren of Real Music and you decided to release Liquid Mind XIII: Mindfulness on the “Calm App” and then simultaneously release on streaming and then on CD and mp3. Was the process of releasing Mindfulness a challenge considering that in 2020 the world then was gripped in fear and lockdowns, say compared to earlier years? Also, considering that the Real Music catalog was then sold to Cutting Edge Group.
