Dear Journal,

there was no summer in Bergen this year and now it is autumn, as my cell-cam reports above. I love the autumn, it is my favourite time of the year.

I spent most time last week I working on the final details of a fourth Ugress EP, to be released very very soon. (Hopefully before the UPS guy comes with my Logic 8 upgrade next week...) The release date and title of the next Ugress album will be revealed, and I thought it would be a good idea to celebrate those facts with a final EP before the album. The overall mood and atmosphere of the EP suit the autumn very well, so I think it all lines up pretty nicely. Watch this space next week.

Yesterday I surprised myself. BRAK, where I am currently director of the board, celebrated their 10th year birthday. I just entered the board earlier this year, and the insight I now have of their magic abilities impresses me profoundly.

What BRAK is doing for the music scene is invaluable. The major record labels are tearing down the music business while BRAK, and other small independent entities, are desperately trying to build it up. They are doing it quietly in the background, by hard work and sheer will, with no rock-star attitudes. I am exceptionally honored to be working on the board for this organization, representing us smaller indie artists.

There were a panel debate and an after-party with lots of politicians, bureaucrats, music biz people, artists and other VIPs. I had to be there, representing myself as one of the directors, but also I was supposed to perform as an artist.

Usually I am very uncomfortable in such networking situations, I strongly prefer my lab and mad world domination plans, or at least a backstage with my band mates. Tonight I was alone, and no surprises, I was an alcohol-consuming shaking leaf of  nervous introvertness most of the evening.

However, to my big surprise, when I got on stage to perform I actually grabbed the mic and held a short appeal to the politicians present, prominently towards Henning Warlo, city council representative for finance and culture. I told them how important it was to professionalize the music industry and make sure not only us artists, but also the surrounding apparatus of venues, agents, managers, publishers, labels and promoters, must be able to make a living off music. We are an industry - yes, we generate value as well as culture - in the midst of an paradigm shift and if at any time we need support it is right now, to keep us an industry and develop it. Not only artists but the whole industry. And then I blasted out some mad Ninja 9000 tracks and people actually danced for a change.

After my show Warloe approaced me, agreed to the importance of my points and we talked and discussed the issues I brought up. I knew he was a smart guy but after talking to him I have renewed faith in (some) politicians, and I am certainly glad he most likely will continue in his city council role. Regardless of one's political viewpoints, Mr Warlo is a serious cultural resource in Bergen.

Then I made sure to get super drunk as quickly as possible. Which, dear Journal, never seems to be a challenge of any proportion.