James Neathery

Hemispheres 

     Hemispheres did not start out in the same realm as it currently resides. In fact, the overall structure of the song changed drastically over the last couple of years. An initial piano melody and accompanying guitar riff was developed in 2019 which I liked so much that instead of writing the entire song from start to finish as I typically do, I dove into building the surrounding instruments covering approximately 1-minute, 42-seconds before it ran out of steam. At that point, writer's block set in and there my little chunk of music sat for upwards of a year as a 1:42 idea and nothing more. 

     A working title of "In Passing" was used due to a sense I have always had of the layered piano part being "chased" by something...perhaps time as it rushes past. The original cover artwork portrayed this as well. It featured a black & white, blurred photo of a train rushing past while I stood in the train station, holding what was then, my primary electric guitar which had been built in 1988 and was my main gigging guitar early on. The guitar features black paint with white gothic style crosses on it at varying angles. The combination of the "cross guitar" above the title In Passing, gave the impression the song related to death or a funeral in some manner. In a roundabout way, once could think that...as if meaning death of one's abilities over time. However, I felt better simply changing the cover art to reflect time pieces with a brain hemisphere and guitar over the top. The combination of all three is what Hemispheres truly represents. The internal struggle to maintain cognitive and creative control when facing the degrading effects of time and IED-induced head injuries stemming from an overseas tour in 2009.  

Production Credits 

Written, Arranged & Performed by James Neathery 
Recorded & Mixed by James Neathery 
Mastered by Steve "Mr. Mig" Migliore (via AirGigs services) 
Cover Artwork by James Neathery