A very important announcement for this website:
After a long and problematic process of pre-production during the last two or three months for the new recordings of Cautiva that I expected to do along the rest of the year, I’ve recently decided to leave my role in the music as composer and creator, at least for a very long time (and, maybe, for all the life). It’s hard for me to accept this after so much work, not only facing the new songs I was thinking to make for Cautiva and all the previous hard work that I’ve made with it, but also the experience of the last years composing and recording so many different music styles and projects… I’ve spent so much time with it that I feels that taking the decision of leave the music is like to jump to a dark abysm where you don’t know what’s going to find. It’s hard for me to think about a new life without a so active role in the music -even I actually feels that I’ve forgotten how is it-, but I’ve taken this important decision and I believe it’s the best option.
Leaving the music isn’t something I had thought for first time a few days ago. I’ve been feeling this for a long time, I think that, from time to time, during the last year and a half. If you have been visiting this website during that period, maybe you had read some idea about it or something alike. So, though I can say that such decision is new, the feeling isn’t it… Not at all!
«O.k. This guy has left the music, but… wHY?!». Among a few of reasons, the most important is this: I’ve understood that I don’t feel the “magic”, the “passion”… just I’ve been spending the last year and half involved with my music more for routine than for pleasure. Of course I’ve enjoyed with it and I’ve had a few of very good moments, but it hasn’t been different of any other activity, like watching a movie or driving a car. Nothing special.
When I decided to record something more for Cautiva a few months ago, I wanted to take care a lot of the sound (an aspect where Cautiva didn’t have the best). So that I worked hard with it (the moment of “pre-production”). I made a new set up for my guitar, I changed part of the recording and sound equip, new computer, new acoustic treatments in the room, new software… and tons of hours working in the sound of guitars, bass, drums, mix and mastering. This process has been very tedious and hard. Looking for the “perfect professional sound” working in the box has been terrible and I was near to throw in the towel one or two times, but I got it! So, a few days ago, after so much work, with a few of ideas in my head, I began exciteed to record a new song for Cautiva. Everything sounded really great and clean, I had some good riffs and ideas, the intro was resulting fabulous… but something wasn’t working properly! After a few of days recording I’ve understood that the problem is… me. I wasn’t feeling the magic, the energy, the motivation… When I was working in 2008/09 in Cautiva’s album «Human», I was excited with it during months, with a strong passion and motivation, everyday! But all this has disappeared. I feel… nothing! The “beast” is dead and I think I’ve killed it. When I began again with the music a few years ago, I had many things to tell and learn and all was great. It was the period of «Human». Since then, I’ve recorded 3 or 4 albums and other projects, I tried my best with it everyday, but people change and I feel actually that I don’t enjoy with the process as much as in the past. This sensation has been even worse during this week, watching the I’m recording new music for Cautiva but without emotions, just with coldness, acting like a job, feeling that I make this because my involvement with my own music and all the hard work previously made, but not because I feel it or I enjoy it. Maybe I killed the beast because all this strong dedication and discipline during the last years have made that I feel more and more tired and dispassionate… I don’t know, but the important thing is that such feeling is real and I can’t ignore it more.
During the last years I’ve been very demanding with my music. This means to work everyday in it, and here the main reason to leave the music is: I don’t want to spend everyday an important part of my free time in an activity (making music) which it needs the best of me but it doesn’t fill me. This is a stupid sacrifice. With Cautiva, today, I’ve understood that making this is loosing the time. I can continue making music, one album, two albums, three, but… if this is like a job, if I don’t enjoy really with it and there is no spontaneity or really free time… why do I continue making music??? So important is this to make a sacrifice with my time and life??? Completely not!
So, today, 9th of August of 2012, I can say that José Travieso leaves the music. Maybe this decision is not for a long time, maybe after a year I feel the strong need of making music (like before) and I return, or maybe I don’t write a new piece in the rest of my life… Frankly speaking, I don’t know what will happen with the future. The only things I can say now is that I leave it, that I feel that the Cautiva project is over and that I’m going to take an important break-up with all my music.
What am I going to do now??? Just to spend more time with my family, enjoy of the little things of the day by day and be able to dedicate time to other aspects of my life which I have had forgotten during the last years because the music. What about this, the music, I’ll continue keeping this website as legacy of my work, and I’ll continue mixing and mastering to friends and professionally, but no more, just I’ll enjoy as listener 🙂
I’m sorry if I created some expectations about a new stuff for Cautiva. I hope you understand my posture.
Best wishes for all of you,
