the band enters its next phase

One of the all-time great philosophical questions goes something like this: take a ship, say, the H.M.S. Pinafore. Reupholster the captain's chair, and it's still the same ship. Replace a ragged sail, and it's still the same ship. Put up a new main mast, and it's still the same ship. But how many replacements can you make until the Pinafore is no longer the Pinafore?

For about seven years, I've drummed for the Mike Dean Project. During that time we've changed female vocalists, added and lost guitarists, and branched off in new musical directions. The core group--myself, the eponymous lead guitar, the bassist, and the keyboard wrangler--have stayed the same.

Until now.

Right before our most recent gig, Mike announced that bassist Jeff Perrin and vocalist Kim Hinderlie were, for unrelated reasons, taking a break from the band, with a yet-undetermined level of permanence. I've always known that no band lasts forever, and have wondered just how long we'd keep sailing. But I can't tell if this means time in the dry dock for an overhaul, or to commission a whole new ship.

So, there's a rock and blues band in the Grays Harbor / Thurston County area in need of an experienced bassist and a powerful mezzo-soprano.

Or, quite possibly, there's a moderately competent drummer with a day job looking for a band.

We'll see.