Is My Goal Too Lofty?

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About two years and some change ago, I came up with the idea to try and make an album full of songs about having Asperger's syndrome.

For those who are wondering, the type of music I make is a melding of "indie" (I can't stand that word) pop, folk, electronica, punk and avant garde. I play keyboards, piano, and produce via laptop. I am a one-man band, since my efforts to make more music with other people fell through, and I want to know...is t hat too lofty of a goal for me to take on?

Some might argue that every experience of having Asperger's is different, which is a valid point that I took into account doing this. The problem is I feel a little bit like the musical Lupe Fiasco: I have a need to spread a message with music and poetry, but am afraid that my attempts would be heavy-handed or slightly off the mark. I know people nowadays aren't into having a message in their music an if they do, they don't want it to be hella preachy, which I also took heavily into account.

My plan was that the album would be a bit like a concept album. Somewhere between Tim Fite's Over the Table Tennis and Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon. I've been making music sporadically, due to creative droughts, and due to a really big love for music, what's been holding me back is not just the fright of spreading a large ass message on behalf of people I don't know, but this hunger to create something huge.

So, here is my question: do you think I should go on and take on the challenge anyway or do you guys think I should simply just let that go? Should I start small?

Go for it.

I agree. You should go for it. I just wouldn't make the whole thing about your AS. You run the risk of coming across like some kind of Aspie Anthony Kiedis (who can only really sing about California.)

As an artistic venture it's certainly worthwhile, but songs about Asperger's will only be interesting to other aspies, so as a commercial venture it might be limited.

That would be a shame, because the idea is that I would try and explain what it is like. In my experience, it is a lot like being an alien among androids. A person who is constantly labeled as weird, off the cuff and every other synonym in the book by people who can hardly call themselves normal themselves.

So, even though the album may explain having Asperger's, at the end of the day, it is just easy to take what I make as an album by the misunderstood for the misunderstood. Hence, the self-imposed musical tag of punk.



Hahaha! Well, at least if I write about it, it would be a little more straightforward. But you don't have to worry. If I write about it (with any b-sides left from it, if all goes well) that would be the last time I talk about it in song. Then, I move to talking about mortality, love, insanity, sex, death, happiness, and other topics.

You can make your attempt. even if its off in the early tries you can learn and improve and eventually succeed.

In your songs do you intend on making the meaning obvious, or being poetic an having the meaning exposed by repeatingly listening to the song?

I wish you nothing but the best of luck in this endeavor.

Well yes, I certainly wouldn't discourage you from doing this as it is always good to be ambitious but I think it would be nice to hear songs about how you view the world and that way you might gain more of an audience as both AS and NT people might relate to you as an individual.

Do it!