Cabin #1, Lake Shabbona
Last weekend saw the The Sapiens caravan to Lake Shabbona, IL for a close-quartered retreat aimed at writing some new tunes- something we like to call Sapiens Camp. (see our feature in The Deli Magazine for the definition of “Sapiens Camp”)
We had some great food, great weather (if you like huddling in a non-insulated cabin in mid-Nov), and some great inspriation- thanks to Dr. Shabbona (commonly referred to as simply, “Shabb”).
Originally from the Fox Valley, the once respected ivy-league professor of genetics Dr. Thaddeus Shabbona ultimately relocated back to Illinois from the East Coast in the hopes of continuing then frowned-upon methods of research in the field of genetic mutation. From his earliest days, his goal was to understand the causes and processes of mutant phenomena. This interest, and subsequent obsession is most likely attributed to Dr. Shabbona having been born with a set of inactive kangaroo legs in place of those of a human. Succumbing to the confines a wheelchair since early childhood, he shrouded his mutated extremities with a thick section of burlap. It is said his ghost haunts the lake and surrounding park still. Reports of airborne fish attacks (said to be Shabbona’s mutated minions), often leaving victims’ corpses unrecognizable even via dental records, have been widely reported- but never confirmed.
It was this tale that set the stage for a whirlwind session of creative songwriting. After stumbling through initial song ideas and lyrical structures, we decided to scrap everything we’d recorded that day, turn out the lights and start over. What happened was deluge of ideas, textures and colors. The cold stung our noses but our fingers and voices were limber and deft. We hope to get in the studio soon to record the first 2 or 3 of approximately 11 songs that were outlined in the dark.
Hopefully, this will appease Dr. Shabbona and his ghost can finally achieve peace.
Cooking dinner, with cat arms
