Anyone who has spent time in or around Point Reyes Station in the past five or so years has likely seen Seamus Tomkins—a lanky, bespectacled man serving his community at several different locations.
Maybe it was outside at the Thursday food bank, where he worked for West Marin Community Services. Or, perhaps the Dance Palace, West Marin’s go-to local spot for events and community gatherings. Or maybe as a kayak guide during an excursion out on Tomales Bay? Ah, yes, he is also the sole member of the local musical act Press on Randy as well.
Similarly, if one has spent any amount of time in or around Point Reyes Station in the last decade, local squire and unofficial mascot Flyn Q.—a wiry, long haired, bearded, hippie-ish whirling dervish of dance, positivity and profound grasp of our current human condition—has likely crossed one’s vision. But, you know, in a good way. He can also hold a handstand from around three to five minutes. And if one genuinely lends an ear and listens to what he’s saying, they will walk away a little better for it each time.
These two similar but very different men are a sort of yin to each other’s yang in that they’re deeply committed in their own way to community, music and kindness. And their beat and sample heavy hip-hop duo, Space Suit, is now gigging all around the North Bay, including an upcoming free show Saturday, Aug. 16 at Petaluma’s all-ages club, The Big Easy. A free show? In this economy? One may read on and find it apparent as to why.
A recent stop by the Space Suit practice space (aka Flyn’s house “on the Mesa,” as they say in Point Reyes) saw the two working on several songs and accompanying music videos, all at once.
A massive computer monitor with editing software and hi-def speakers are all keyed up to a new song called “Entropy,” to which Tomkins has already put together beats and samples and dropped in some of his vocal musings on the heady and intriguing topic of the title. But he’s set up a perfect spot for Flyn to drop in and contribute his take on the topic. So Flyn does just that, creating lyrics on the spot that both incorporate Tomkins’ takes while adding his own, numerically flavored thoughts.
In terms of how Tomkins and Flyn began working together, Tomkins says, “Before we became Space Suit, I had wanted to get Flyn up on stage with me at a Press on Randy show, and I composed more of a hip-hop style song for him to come up and freestyle rap. He got up on stage and absolutely crushed it, and it really infused new life in the Press on Randy thing.”
After a quick rat-a-tat-tat with his hands on the arm of his chair to some beats banging through the speakers, he adds, “That was a few years ago and the start of our musical collaboration. One song became two, then another, and we started collaborating in the studio space as well as live settings. The first few songs we did together were before I knew he was also an incredible music producer in his own right.”
Watching the two work on “Entropy” indeed shows Flyn’s almost uncanny memory of where parts of the song are and where spots are that could be tweaked across the editing program that looks daunting, to say the least. He leans over and notes, “We saved this part for a female vocalist to come in and sing” before trailing off, lightly imitating what the woman might sound like in the song.
Look, there’s no easy way to put this; listening to Flyn’s concepts isn’t difficult, if one is willing and open to a person who could easily be waved off as merely an eccentric local character. Tomkins realizes this, saying, “He is one the most misunderstood people I know because he is one of a kind. Sometimes he can be written off by those who don’t know him as crazy, on drugs, out of his mind, etc. All of which he is very much not. In fact, he is one of the most consistent, intentional, smart, thoughtful and loving people that I know.”
Still, it’s incredibly difficult to transcribe his ideas and concepts in written form. Rather than attempt to do so, perhaps highlighting some recurring themes is the best way to give an accurate representation of our man, Flyn.
One concept that is repeated throughout the night is that all of us on this planet are at a turning point of change, one where, Flyn believes, we will all come together as one in peace and harmony. Maybe that’s not a new concept, and it’s one older than chemtrails controlling the weather but, when Flyn breaks it down, it makes sense. As we shift gears to the music video for their new single, “Revelation,” Flyn hits play and Tomkins, as the kids say, lets him cook.
The video features the Space Suit members rapping and dancing in and around Point Reyes and Petaluma as the vocals speak in different ways about being present, or in their words, omnipresent, as droplets of religion, magic, friendship and community flow over electronica samples and a bubbly beat.
And the visual is intercut with Flyn literally cooking. Later in the video, the two hand out sandwiches to passersby. There’s also heavy religious and numeric symbolism which Flyn makes reference to several times, saying, “When people realize what these numbers and symbols all mean, we will be closer to peace. Peace leads to freedom; freedom leads to prosperity.”
From here it’s off to an actual live rehearsal in another area of the garage. Tomkins has Midi sampling devices, an iPod serving as a master control and his guitar plugged in as well. Flyn is on the mic and often uses a voice modulator as he freestyles and spits rhymes.
While obviously Space Suit’s music isn’t going to be for everyone, their message should be—especially in these divided times. Plus watching the duo in their artistic groove is nothing short of inspiring.
As the night comes to a close, Flyn gets to riffing about the notion of DIY creation (“all of these things we’re using here, anyone can buy, anyone can learn how to use them”), as well as noting, “By doing this job [the music], the compensation is the smile we see, knowing that that frequency is being picked up and building, and continuing.”
Tomkins smiles at this, visibly moved. “I mean, how can you not want to get behind that?” he asks. And just like that, Space Suit loads up another fun and energetic creation as they prepare to launch their message to the masses.
Space Suit performs as part of Dimitri’s Social Mixer at 8pm, Aug. 16, at The Big Easy, 128 American Alley, Petaluma. Free. More about Space Suit at spacesuitmusic.com.
