EPITAPHE is about as close to the 1980s as you’re going to get without a time machine. It’s kind of funny too because everything I heard from France in the 80s sounded like a Eurovision contestant. Who know that post-punk, darkwave music existed then? It only makes sense, thinking of French art and literature, that there would be music to match that zeitgeist.

I would have clicked on this one on the merits of the artwork alone. There is no point in time, browsing record bins anywhere in the world, that I wouldn’t have pulled this one out and brought it home to listen. There would have been no disappointment here either. This would have drawn me in as easily in 1983 as it did yesterday when I found it on Youtube. Epitaphe is more conventionally musical than anything I’ve posted up in the last few days also, so it’s no real challenge to check out, unless you’re committed to the Walking On Sunshine version of the 80s. I’m not really judging, but that’s not my thing. MTV post-punk and new wave wasn’t my thing either. It was generally very airy, synthy-y pop music. Depeche Mode didn’t really go dark until the later 80s and early 90s and even then. The Cure had a kind of noir vibe but was still rather light in comparison to other bands. This has more of a horror movie vibe. It leans closer to Sisters of Mercy than to Depeche Mode and is nowhere close to the cheesefood synth of Spandau Ballet or ABC or the like. Go dark. Just try it.

Just for the record, to wrap up the loose ends of earlier missives, whatever it was that was ailing me yesterday is still lingering, though not as severe. Should it be written off as vaccine side-effects? Maybe not, but I’ve slept about 18 hours of the last 24, which is not my usual. All that sleep hasn’t really helped in any meaningful way. It has, if anything, just left me feeling behind schedule for a lot of responsibilities. I haven’t really had lost 4-day weekends since I was drinking, but this one qualifies.

But enough of that. I’m just going to grind through and see if I can’t get back to the routines that keep me upright.

Reading, writing, exercise, proper diet and then rinse and repeat. Keep moving while movement is possible. Become familiar with your dark places. Maintain an intimate relationship with the inner demons. Don’t lock them in the trunk but don’t allow them in the driver’s seat either. They’re not going anywhere. There is no exorcism ritual. Just give them and the angels equal time. Truth. Acceptance. It’s all you. Nobody said self-knowledge would be pretty.

This is not going to be an easy day, in the meantime though.