I never really bought an album with liner notes, to be honest. However I understand the concept as a sort of companion piece to something. In “Liner Notes” I will talk about a Pochcast episode a little bit more on depth. It could be a behind the scenes or a commentary.
“the past, like the border, is its own country.”
I’ve spent the vast majority of my adult life trying to understand the place I’m from. At time though it has felt like I’ve become a one trick pony, as if the only thing I can think about is the border, there’s a certain guilt that comes with it at least for me. I always felt like the Border was a different place, like the place where I would truly only belong was there, about 15 miles from the border on either side, San Diego is 17 miles which is what explains how it doesn’t quite feel borderish. Feels Las Cruces-ish. The Border is definitely its own country. I’m from there, and once I was removed from there I can’t help but feel the difference everywhere else I go.
Gabriel Dozal’s collection “The Border Simulator” to me feels like an attempt to capture what it’s like to be from/live at/grow up in the border. Especially when one is not there. It’s at times disorienting, and mixed up, there’s tension and contradiction and oxymoron and laughter and anger. The collection offers a view of the border from a native that understands simple things like how Raza built the fence, and how not everyone that crosses the border wants to stay.
The real messed up part is that if it wasn’t for that random demarcation, that forcing of the river into concrete banks to follow a made up line I wouldn’t have all these questions. I also wouldn’t have this identity of place. I’d feel a lot less “Ni de here, ni de there” and I can’t even imagine what that guy looks like. Probably an edgar cut, or maybe really into hiking? A Barbecue guy? I don’t even know. So much of my identity is tied to being from there because I really truly believe that no one except the people who are from there understand it. Even when I’ve spent years thinking about and trying to communicate the differences, the beauty, the ugly, the wonder, and total dullness of being from two places at once it never feels like I’ve satisfactorily conveyed it. Not even close.
I appreciate Gabe’s effort to do so in his work. Which is why I spoke to him.
As usual, The Simpsons said it best:
That’s not the actual line…but you get the point.
Poetry is wild. Sneaky. Gets in there. I’m gonna read more.
LISTEN TO THE EPISODE HERE: