Mike Mills — American Musician born on December 17, 1958,

Michael Edward "Mike" Mills is an American multi-instrumentalist and composer who was a founding member of the alternative rock band R.E.M. Though known primarily as a bass guitarist, backing vocalist, and pianist, his musical repertoire also includes keyboards, guitar, and percussion instruments. He contributed to a majority of the band's musical compositions... (wikipedia)

I would hate to think I'm promoting sadness as an aesthetic. But I grew up in not just a family but a town and a culture where sadness is something you're taught to feel shame about. You end up chronically desiring what can be a very sentimental idea of love and connection. A lot of my work has been about trying to make a space for sadness.
Grief and memory go together. After someone dies, that's what you're left with. And the memories are so slippery yet so rich.
There's great sadness and life doesn't work out like you would want, on a lot of levels, but there's no need to feel all alone. This happens to everybody, so there's no self-pity. This is the ride that humans are on, and all of it is essential for our natural part of it.
I am intrigued by inanimate objects. They're a piece of history, someone's statement and ideas of life.
The oldest sibling always knows things that the younger ones don't.