Unreleased during his life (1962-2004), these tracks have now been put together and exhibit some of the mostintimate expressions yet into the psyche of my musically gifted friend Peter Cummings, who mined his own experiences both outer and inner for creative fuel. He could be quite ironic and detached in taking this to its lyrical/musical ends, but also unload his heart into the work with sincere emotional verve. Some of these songs are straighforwardly literal and speak directly to his life; Some dress it in costumes. These tracks are part confession, part autobiography, part therapy, and every note Peter.

In these songs, he addresses his addictions, his withdrawl from society, and his regrets. He veered, in his work and his life, between honesty and masks- much like anyone- but was more than usually self-aware of it and dissects his own identity in much of his work. He takes alternating swigs off the bottles of tragedy and humor here, looking for a center. More often, though, he’s embracing the edge, and riding it for all its worth. Peter’s personal life was weighed down with a troubled mind, and later, even more tangible, physical pain. Regardless, he persisted to transform it all, like an alchemist, into music. These uncovered recordings illuminate ever more sides of this talented, complex, and
idiosyncratic artist.
-David Longey August 16, 2008