... and yet, here I am, up since 4:30, thinking about slash chords and bass runs.
I want to try modulating the bridge and final verse for "Secrets You Release," but I woke up realizing that I have to figure out how to modulate the bass run as well as the chords, which stretches the limits of my knowlege on guitar. SO, I will sign off now, go out to my shed with a cup of coffee, and figure this out. Then get back in, get the kids fed and off to school, and then head up to SF for a photo shoot for work. Sleep was my first choice, but I've been denied.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Sneaky Feelings
Aside from the basics of a job that's simply kicking my ass right now, I had one of those moments today that swung me from elation to dejection in the span of about 2 seconds. The spinner stopped, ultimately, on a rather more positive square, but in between I had opportunity anew to ponder that knife edge upon which my happiness is balanced.
Found out today that Elvis Costello would be performing in SF next month, at one of my favorite venues, The Great American Music Hall, a small space with tons of character and, depending upon the performer, occasionally excellent sound. Cool enough, but I've managed to be a fan of his for years and I've still never seen him, so no great crisis there. Problem is that he'll be performing with Clover as his backing band and performing My Aim is True in its entirety, and that record, performed with that band, may be my all-time favorite single set of songs. So what's the problem? Choices made, choices already made.
Careless Hearts goes into the studio to record our own newest set of songs in mere weeks. We don't have some kind of studio lock-out, we will simply be tracking whenever we can starting on the 19th of October and going till we complete the album. We all work, so sessions will be evenings-after-work and weekend affairs, and I've already prepared my wife and kids for the difficulties that may present. I hate when my musical passions cost my family anything, and their support, though solid and heartfelt, is something I strive to never take for granted.
Which brings us to this morning, when I discovered to my surprise that tickets were still available for the Elvis Costello show, several days after they had gone on sale. I was thrilled!
Then, I was crushed, because I knew immediately that I wouldn't be going. Not, as my pal Gregg guessed, because my wife would be angry at me if I went: on the contrary, she'd probably be buying me a ticket if she knew about it. It was that I knew, by choosing to pursue this musical career, for lack of a better term, and this recording session in particular, that the die was cast, and that to add another night out in this same time period would be an act of selfishness that I could not perpetrate against my kids and wife. Would it have damaged them beyond repair if I'd gone? Nope. But it might have hurt their feelings that night, however slightly, and for what? To hear songs I've heard hundreds of times already? Being performed for the nostalgic gratification of a bunch of yuppies by a rich old millionaire? Not to say that it wouldn't be absolutely brilliant: of course it would! But I realized in the span of three heartbeats that I didn't want to hurt them at all, not even a little bit, for something I didn't have to do. I have come to realize that playing my own music is something I do in fact have to do. So you make choices, and you move on. From somewhere deep inside of me, the love that I have for my family should always be the thing that guides my choices. I was glad this call was as easy to make as it was, and that feeling, of knowing well the ground upon which I stood, was good.
Found out today that Elvis Costello would be performing in SF next month, at one of my favorite venues, The Great American Music Hall, a small space with tons of character and, depending upon the performer, occasionally excellent sound. Cool enough, but I've managed to be a fan of his for years and I've still never seen him, so no great crisis there. Problem is that he'll be performing with Clover as his backing band and performing My Aim is True in its entirety, and that record, performed with that band, may be my all-time favorite single set of songs. So what's the problem? Choices made, choices already made.
Careless Hearts goes into the studio to record our own newest set of songs in mere weeks. We don't have some kind of studio lock-out, we will simply be tracking whenever we can starting on the 19th of October and going till we complete the album. We all work, so sessions will be evenings-after-work and weekend affairs, and I've already prepared my wife and kids for the difficulties that may present. I hate when my musical passions cost my family anything, and their support, though solid and heartfelt, is something I strive to never take for granted.
Which brings us to this morning, when I discovered to my surprise that tickets were still available for the Elvis Costello show, several days after they had gone on sale. I was thrilled!
Then, I was crushed, because I knew immediately that I wouldn't be going. Not, as my pal Gregg guessed, because my wife would be angry at me if I went: on the contrary, she'd probably be buying me a ticket if she knew about it. It was that I knew, by choosing to pursue this musical career, for lack of a better term, and this recording session in particular, that the die was cast, and that to add another night out in this same time period would be an act of selfishness that I could not perpetrate against my kids and wife. Would it have damaged them beyond repair if I'd gone? Nope. But it might have hurt their feelings that night, however slightly, and for what? To hear songs I've heard hundreds of times already? Being performed for the nostalgic gratification of a bunch of yuppies by a rich old millionaire? Not to say that it wouldn't be absolutely brilliant: of course it would! But I realized in the span of three heartbeats that I didn't want to hurt them at all, not even a little bit, for something I didn't have to do. I have come to realize that playing my own music is something I do in fact have to do. So you make choices, and you move on. From somewhere deep inside of me, the love that I have for my family should always be the thing that guides my choices. I was glad this call was as easy to make as it was, and that feeling, of knowing well the ground upon which I stood, was good.
Monday, October 8, 2007
Secrets You Release
Here's my latest. Will we get it onto the CD that we head into the studio to record in just a couple weeks? Who knows. I hope so, but studio spontenaity is a hard thing to assure, and this song is awfully young still...
Intro (inst. chorus)
we were kicking back on the couch in Tom's backyard
flicking bottle caps against the fence
Tom got up to round 'em up, and shot me with a glance
And asked me if my wife still got me hard
I sputtered out my PBR and Tom apologized
But anyone could read the trouble written in that line
Tom told me I had to swear I'd never breathe a word
That what he had to say was dynamite
Since he and I had long been strong I said that's alright
Made me proud he trusted me so well
And when he laid his burden down right on top of me
I became another fool in his sad conspiracy
chorus:
The secrets that you keep
may steal your sleep and never give you peace
But they won't cut as cruel and they will not cut as deep
As the secrets you release
When Tom had finished spilling out all he had bottled in
I listened to the crickets as I stared out toward the fence
Later when his wife came out I couldn't meet her eyes
I wondered if I ever would again
now is that any way to treat a friend?
bridge:
When you lie to keep it in
Piling sin on top of sin
And you dig yourself a hole
Way too deep to tunnel out
Its a solitary fate
but you'll have to bear the weight
Of a lifetime keeping quiet
Its a lot to think about
Intro (inst. chorus)
we were kicking back on the couch in Tom's backyard
flicking bottle caps against the fence
Tom got up to round 'em up, and shot me with a glance
And asked me if my wife still got me hard
I sputtered out my PBR and Tom apologized
But anyone could read the trouble written in that line
Tom told me I had to swear I'd never breathe a word
That what he had to say was dynamite
Since he and I had long been strong I said that's alright
Made me proud he trusted me so well
And when he laid his burden down right on top of me
I became another fool in his sad conspiracy
chorus:
The secrets that you keep
may steal your sleep and never give you peace
But they won't cut as cruel and they will not cut as deep
As the secrets you release
When Tom had finished spilling out all he had bottled in
I listened to the crickets as I stared out toward the fence
Later when his wife came out I couldn't meet her eyes
I wondered if I ever would again
now is that any way to treat a friend?
bridge:
When you lie to keep it in
Piling sin on top of sin
And you dig yourself a hole
Way too deep to tunnel out
Its a solitary fate
but you'll have to bear the weight
Of a lifetime keeping quiet
Its a lot to think about
Saturday, August 25, 2007
Wilco and my best friends
Got to see Wilco for the fourth time last night, at the Greek in Berkeley. Terrific set, from all over their catalog: truly inspirational. There is nobody else playing guitar music today with this kind of passion, sophistication and originality. Got me all psyched up to play our show at Thee Parkside tomorrow, too. (playing with AM Interstate and Matthew O'Neill and the Birds of Prey, two bands who seem quite likely to be very good, and compatible with us as well.)
Best part of the night however was being there with three of my closest friends: Derek, Gregg, and my wife. The four of us never really hung out together as a group before, and it was the merging of the three main areas of my life (band, work, and family) into one group, that felt unique and oddly thrilling. Great night, all around.
And for what I consider a 100% accurate review of the show, check out this cool blog called Hippies are Dead.
Best part of the night however was being there with three of my closest friends: Derek, Gregg, and my wife. The four of us never really hung out together as a group before, and it was the merging of the three main areas of my life (band, work, and family) into one group, that felt unique and oddly thrilling. Great night, all around.
And for what I consider a 100% accurate review of the show, check out this cool blog called Hippies are Dead.
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Yolo County Line
She pawned the wedding ring
that he'd left behind
then split from Angel's Camp
the day she turned 25.
Left her sister there,
with a habit and a child.
Told herself she wouldn't cry till the Yolo County line.
All the way back home
All the way back home
Yolo County Line
She was laughing up a storm
when she arrived.
Guess the screen door set her off,
took her by surprise.
Her daddy took her in his arms
so relieved to see her smile.
She was safer on this side of the Yolo County Line.
All the way back home
All the way back home
Yolo County Line
Now, the music I have for this stops there, and I think it works just great: a tight, moody, and somewhat unconventional pop song. But the traditionalist in me keeps thinking there may need to be another verse: maybe a switch to first person, the introduction of another character, someone to undermine the sense of safety established in that second verse. It just seems too static as it is. On the other hand, I like the unabashed optimism of it as it stands right now. It's a friggin' happy ending! I never write like that. Maybe that's why I want to do something to fuck it up: my cynical reflexes are kicking in.
I keep thinking that some creepy guy, maybe an old, weird boyfriend or neighbor, was watching her return. He's getting his plan together, and soon he'll be invading her life in some unpleasant way. I'm not thinking anything too dramatic, maybe even just some unwanted attention, but something that says: hey, sweetheart, you are never safe from the messy parts of life. You can't run away, you can't go home. Shit happens, and you have to deal with it.
that he'd left behind
then split from Angel's Camp
the day she turned 25.
Left her sister there,
with a habit and a child.
Told herself she wouldn't cry till the Yolo County line.
All the way back home
All the way back home
Yolo County Line
She was laughing up a storm
when she arrived.
Guess the screen door set her off,
took her by surprise.
Her daddy took her in his arms
so relieved to see her smile.
She was safer on this side of the Yolo County Line.
All the way back home
All the way back home
Yolo County Line
Now, the music I have for this stops there, and I think it works just great: a tight, moody, and somewhat unconventional pop song. But the traditionalist in me keeps thinking there may need to be another verse: maybe a switch to first person, the introduction of another character, someone to undermine the sense of safety established in that second verse. It just seems too static as it is. On the other hand, I like the unabashed optimism of it as it stands right now. It's a friggin' happy ending! I never write like that. Maybe that's why I want to do something to fuck it up: my cynical reflexes are kicking in.
I keep thinking that some creepy guy, maybe an old, weird boyfriend or neighbor, was watching her return. He's getting his plan together, and soon he'll be invading her life in some unpleasant way. I'm not thinking anything too dramatic, maybe even just some unwanted attention, but something that says: hey, sweetheart, you are never safe from the messy parts of life. You can't run away, you can't go home. Shit happens, and you have to deal with it.
Monday, August 13, 2007
It's driving me mad.
This song is making me mental. It's by a band called Or, The Whale (first point scored: that's the subtitle to Moby Dick, nerds!) from nearby San Francisco (second point), and it's seriously potent. Jumpy, catchy, perfectly sing-along-able, but with a dark side that builds up on you and threatens to drown all the fun you were having singing along to it. I have visited their Myspace page again and again to hear it, and it's power has yet to diminish even a little.
I write songs, even pretty good ones sometimes, but I don't think I've ever hit on something quite this solid. I don't usually take my inspiration in the form of competition, but I'm trying turn my jealousy into something more productive and see if can rival it. Oh, and that makes post #1, so thanks for reading what I hope will be an interesting blog about writing, listening to and playing music while juggling work, marriage, and raising a family.
I write songs, even pretty good ones sometimes, but I don't think I've ever hit on something quite this solid. I don't usually take my inspiration in the form of competition, but I'm trying turn my jealousy into something more productive and see if can rival it. Oh, and that makes post #1, so thanks for reading what I hope will be an interesting blog about writing, listening to and playing music while juggling work, marriage, and raising a family.
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