Welcome all.

Tattered Sleeve is the title of a song I wrote several years ago, about a person I knew who truly wore their emotions on their sleeve.

And those were raw emotions, and that was no silk sleeve (hence the title). The song opens with the line:

Got to tell you how I can't begin to tell you anything

But the lines I am most proud of appear later:

Found a mussel on the beach
Closed-up tight, it washed up heavy
I almost opened it up
But I let it fall in the muck
Couldn't bear to see another creature died alone at sea
Now you're standing in front of me
We're two lost souls
Imperfect to a tee

I wrote that several years ago, at a time when I had just got my BA in Journalism and Communications at Concordia University here in Montreal. At the time I was growing disgusted with mass media, which I saw as far too compromised by its privileged, corporate nature. Writing songs meanwhile, is pure and personal; and performing them live is an immediate rush for someone like me who is all about sharing ideas.

But then in June, 2003, that same press clued me in to Howard Dean's campaign and the "blog" that seemed to be fueling it. Now, I'm a Canadian who grew up admiring Pierre Elliot Trudeau for his dazzling intellect and stylish leadership, so I was no fan of W (or just about any Republican for that matter) and I was quite interested to see which of the Democrats might trash him in '04. Dean would've done nicely, but I doubt running the teensy state of Vermont is enough experience for the best pol. But that's another post.

Point being, Dean's blog suddenly opened my eyes to the fact there are a whole lot of smart, compassionate people out there on the "internets" that I learned you can have a good conversation (or at least laugh) with.

From Dean's blog, I soon found Daily Kos, and Cursor, and Atrios and Juan Cole and TPM (but I hate when he gets into his one-track-blogging routine), and my all-time fave: Whiskey Bar

Then earlier this year, I got clued-in to Cathie from Canada's blog and Voice in the Wilderness, which led to the concept that I, Scott Murray, who sometimes posts as "Scott in Montreal", an admittedly bland moniker I chose sometime last year over on the Dailykos site, should damn-well start my own blog.

So here we go. Hopefully when I look up and see Tattered Sleeve each time I post, it will remind me to be honest and open - and sputtering with raw emotion when necessary. To the memory of Joe Strummer (RIP), who never shied away from saying what he thought needed to be said screaming from the rooftops, I dedicate this site.

And as for comments, have at 'em, folks.

BTW: My band is called Randboro - more on where that name comes from another time - and we'll be playing Barfly (4062a rue St-Laurent, Montreal) this Friday, opening for local surf-lords Los Tabernacos.

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