Episode 83: Til Willis
Being sensitive has got to be one of the oddest characteristics about being a human.
During my correspondence via D.M.s (as a total stranger) with Til Willis, I had a small moment of panic. It was the kind of moment wherein the rabbit hole of questioning the way you go about life doesn't suddenly gape, but it doesn't not open a little bit, either.
Anyway...it was a handful of months back, and we were swapping messages. He -- at one point -- used the phrase, "Like I said," and I might as well have just made myself a shit sandwich and eaten it.
You blew it, Dipstick, I thought. Way to go.
The summer went by and I'd all but chalked up this attempt to invite someone on the podcast to be a wash. Then -- right around the time he'd mentioned his availability would open back up again -- he messaged me. And I didn't even remember how much of a failure I'd felt like so many weeks ago.
Things, as they say, aren't actually always as they seem, I guess.
And this goes both ways. Or...numerous ways. Or...all of the ways. I dunno.
Point being: Life is hard sometimes; try and remember to take it easy on yourself.
But...BUT!...Til Willis and Episode #83.
I like the number 83. It's the year the youngest of my siblings was born, and, well...it's just kind of a robust number, both in numeric value and in appearance.
And robust is a good word, perhaps, to sort of, kind of describe Til Willis.
He's a fascinating dude with an incredible life story and a journey that's full of making music, performing it live, recording it and releasing it, and -- most of all -- loving it.
We really vibed over a couple of artists, so I hope you'll check out our conversation, which -- by the way -- included a few of his favorite records, and those were these:
Bone Machine (1992), Tom Waits
Liz Phair's Exile in Guyville (1993)
Time Out of Mind (1997), Bob Dylan
Ronny Elliott's Magneto (2002)
Tiny Voices (2003), Joe Henry
I also hope you'll check out a few of the places his music can be found, such as his own bandcamp, his Web site, his other project, or his other-other project.
That's it!
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copyright disclaimer: I do not own the rights to either the promo or the intro/outro audio. They are clips from a track called, "Strolling Sloth" by Arc De Soleil off of their 2020 EP, Libertalia (c/o Epidemic Sound).