by Daniel Corey

Well, 2020 was the worst year in the lives of many of us. I don’t want to go into detail as to why, because you already know all about it. You’ve been here, living it with me. Right now, I just want to talk a little about some of the nice things that happened here at DangerKatt Central.

Before I get started, I just want to say: If you feel like you have underachieved this year and want to be hard on yourself, please don’t do that. You are a piece of gold in the hands of God. You are a wonderful and loved creature. I’m just recapping some of the good moments that happened to me this year, and if you want to keep reading, maybe you can make your own list. You will likely surprise yourself.

Here are some good things that occurred at DangerKatt Central in 2020…

1. My screenwriting won five awards at four film festivals: Best Screenplay at The Flight Deck Film Festival, Best Sci-Fi Screenplay at The Wild Bunch Film Festival, two Gold Awards from the L.A. Neo Noir Film Festival, and the Award of Recognition from the Oslo Film Festival. I also final’ed, semifinal’ed, quarterfinal’ed and selected at a total of 15 others. I was named a Top 25 L.A. Neo Noir Creator by the L.A. Neo Noir Film Festival, and the WILDsound Film Festival created a wonderful video presentation of the opening of my screenplay, Cracksmen.

2. I wrote my first novel. Don’t want to say too much about it yet, but it’s dystopian sci-fi, Gone Girl meets Blade Runner. Here’s some spec cover art that I commissioned from Alexander Gioiosa.

3. Pre-pandemic, I attended Winter NAMM in January, interviewed amazing people like Carlos Lopez, Britt Lightning, Dave Arnold of Tonewood Amp and Meredith Cannon of Jamstik, went to the Ibanez and Schechter parties and saw Steve Vai and Zakk Wilde play, and met and interviewed Dianthus. As always, the highlight was hanging with Alexx Calise and Dennis Morehouse of Batfarm. It was an amazing time.

4. Pre-pandemic, I covered Daniel Lanois’ weekly sessions with his band Heavy Sun here in Los Angeles, and interviewed Daniel for Fanbase Press about his work composing the soundtrack for Red Dead Redemption II. I also interviewed Daniel’s bassist Jim Wilson for Bass Musician Magazine. (Huge thanks to Alexx Calise for facilitating that!)

5. Pre-pandemic, I reviewed shows by Batfarm, Mondo Cozmo, The Spider Accomplice, PEARL, Toad the Wet Sprocket, Fast Times and Tiffany, Michael W. Smith, and Sting’s The Last Ship.

6. I interviewed Kaki King and got the cover story for Guitar Girl Magazine. I also interviewed Molly Tuttle, Heather Anne Lomax, Anastasia Elliot, Jackie Venson, Carolyn Marquard, and Lisa S. Johnson for GG. They are all amazing ladies.

7. I did a few Rock Camp Zoom sessions and got to meet and speak with legendary guitarist Eric Johnson, as well as prolific producer Steve Lillywhite.

8. I created my first photo/art series and published my first coffee table book, titled Map of the World. And, in general, amassed a new body of photographic work created in quarantine.

9. I started my own video/podcast interview show, titled Makers. In my first quarter, I had the pleasure of interviewing Kellindo, The Subtheory, The Key of F, Jim Wilson, Justin Emord, Lee Christian, Rob Johnson, Batfarm, and Julie Garnyé. More Makers to come in 2021!

10. I was interviewed by Alexx Calise for her new show Alexx Interviews, Mark Fenton’s Between the Panels, and the websites Let’s Link Up and Shoutout LA.

11. Monday-Friday every week, I crushed news transcription for major TV and radio networks. It was very difficult to cover the news during such a bad year. Just a few days ago, multi-hyphenate friend Rebecca Russell reminded me that the work is important, and I am very grateful to her for saying that.

12. I wrote many songs and performed my first-ever livestream shows. Check out my songs Bring Me Home, Nearsighted, and Sinner’s Prayer. I also participated in Dhani Harrison’s #InnerLight2020 Challenge, and did a tribute to Paul Simon on his birthday.

13. I took photography classes with the unstoppable Anabel DFlux, and I conducted photoshoots with some brilliant people.

Well, that was my year. Don’t get me wrong: I spent A LOT of time watching TV, being depressed, doing nothing, getting rejection letters, failing at new projects, worrying about health and money, having nervous breakdowns. I had an idea stolen and a major product released that capitalized on it. Friends got sick and suffered. People around me dealt with anxiety and depression. The list above is just the select good moments. There was plenty of bad stuff, so I’m right there with you.

I’m praying that 2021 will be better, that we all get vaccinated and learn to live in harmony with each other. I can only hope things will improve from here. When I feel down about the state of the world, it’s hope in God that gets me through the day. Hope that the world will heal. I think it will, eventually.

Let’s all be part of the change. Let’s take care of ourselves and each other. Let’s love our neighbors as ourselves.

I love you, God loves you. Please, more than ever, love each other.

– Daniel Corey