I started [excursions into the abyss] when I was still a teenager, back in the mid 90's.
 
 I was quite taken by the entire diy movement at the time: 94-99, and wanted to emulate the majesty of it all.  Dischord was the most successful example, and that was one of the starting points. Outside of extremely small labels, I think Ebullition and Gravity were also influential. All three of these labels had a specific aesthetic I could identify with, as well as admire;  Dischord being all about the DC scene, Ebullition more into philosophical (the personal is the political and so on) approaches, and Gravity just releasing bands that really pushed and defined an era through the bands as well as the packaging.

 I wanted a label that would reflect my projects, but wanted to get to a place where I could release friend's bands. They didn't necessarily have to be from Fort Wayne, as I don't really identify as being from anywhere in particular. And I never really got to that point. The one 7" I released for a local band ended in their demise and them requesting that I not sell the record. Which is just as well as they had never completed a cover for it. which is why there are 3 different versions of 25 each.

 For a little while, I was really into writing bands to ask If I could do their discography CDs. I wrote a few bands letters and never heard back. One band I formed a semi bond with over the phone, while a member of the band was printing the DLA 7" covers. That band was Portraits of Past. I got the go ahead from the band, but that didn't work out due to the label having the only copy of the DAT tapes of the LP, 7" and comp tracks, and technically I think the label owned the rights to the performance, in short, I got a no from the label. A few years later DLA did a few tours with Funeral Diner, and we developed a pretty amazing friendship. 11 years after the phone call, DLA and PoP both played reunion shows together in NYC and their CD finally came out on Ebullition (13 years after they broke up).

 Cut to last year and I'm supposed to release the Burial Year final recording with German label, Adagio 830, as a split record (with the band Zann) split label release. After months of no updates from him, I see the record is out. Oh well.

 This is a recurring theme with me, near misses, almosts, and not quites.

 Within the next year expect to see releases with Morrow, and other things that may or may not pan out, but there are initial talks of things.

 Another aspect of [excursions into the abyss] is publishing. I also wanted to find my voice in my writings, something I am quite aware that I am still struggling with. The beginning is painfully embarrassing, but there's comfort in that I don't think I've even really begun.   I hope that some of my friends emerge as writers so that we can work together, in some capacity...........