My brother and I have always had a profound camaraderie; a closeness that is rather inexplicable considering we’re twelve years apart in age and my memories of him during my youth are spotty at best. We both have trouble accepting the “norm” (although he tells me I cope much better than he does), we’ve both got deep wells of emotional life that we don’t mind sharing with others and we’re both incredibly desirous of true connections with people.

I have always loved my brother undeniably; even when I’ve been desperately irritated with him or terribly hurt by him, my love for him is unwavering.

My big brother has always been a musician. His music tastes have evolved and changed over the years, but his love for music has always been deep. When I was about three years old (or four?) my brother was heavy into Punk Rock. He was in a band that practiced downstairs in our “outside room”, which was really an enclosed porch. This photo is a little early on and I’m not sure if it’s the same band, but there he is in yellow, my brother, the lead singer/guitarist practicing in the “outside room”. This space was always fascinating to me because it was filled with his stuff: microphone stands spray painted with red letters, speakers and other “80’s punk teenage boy stuff”. (Then later, when my brother was in art school, this room held awesomely cool colored pens, which I would sneak in a use from time to time: ooh I would’ve been in so much trouble if he had caught me). My brother and I recorded our first, and only, track together around this time. No joke. Here’s how to hear it now:

Go to iTunes: Enter “Intensified Chaos” in the search box: Take a listen to the only sample song that comes up

My voice, in all it’s tiny-girl innocence, is the first thing you hear and then I go on to repeat the line “punk’s not dead, no it’s not” several times before my brother’s voice comes screaming over the heavy electric guitar.

I believe that this recording marks the beginning of our crazy-rad friendship.

And so, thank you to my other awesome older brother (I’m lucky, I have two) for pointing this out and reminding me of this hilarious and sweet memory.

My brother, also know as dj Sunshine Jones, continues to write beautiful house music and is a celebrated recording artist. I’ve been dying to share some of his newest tracks and right now seems like the right time. He publishes his current work at Treehouse Muzique where you can listen for free and download the songs for peanuts. I especially love his remixes of “Only You” and “You Sexy Thing”, but I adore his original house tracks such as “This Love”. Go there and listen. You can purchase any of the tracks, upload into iTunes and listen on your iPod. That’s what I do…and here’s how you can too:

First, click right here for Treehouse Muzique. Then press the little play buttons and the whole song will play for you.

So, my brother has gone from punk’s not dead to wake up and make love to me, but his passion, creativity, beauty and love remain the same…