The Rot Dog Blues was the first song I ever recorded for this fine publication. It came at a moment when I simply couldn’t write about All Things Trans anymore. The words had run dry, the essays felt pointless, and the frustration had nowhere left to go. So I picked up a “guitar”, opened a DAW, and started turning that rage and disillusionment into music instead.
The Rot Dog Blues
If you’ve stumbled across this song Rot Dog Blues, you might be wondering what it’s all about. With its gritty guitar riffs and slow, mournful rhythm, this track captures a story that’s equal parts heartbreak, frustration, and dark humor. At its core,
The song is exactly what the title suggests: a slow, dirty blues about the reality of phalloplasty — the infections, the complications, the numbness, the regret, and the massive gap between what’s promised and what actually happens in your body and your life. It’s sarcastic, bitter, and unfiltered, the way real blues has always been.
I’ve revisited it now with my own vocals front and center. No more hiding behind someone else’s voice. Every word, every growl, every exhausted breath is mine. It feels more honest this way.
This track kicked off the entire musical side of this Substack. What began as a pressure valve has turned into a whole new way for me to say the things that need saying. If you’ve been here through the writing, thank you. If you’re newer and only here for the music, welcome. Either way, I hope this one hits you in the chest.
Turn it up. Tell me what you think.
William
