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| NOTES ON THE TUNES: Catch A Star: One of the first tunes I recorded on my new Tascam Portastudio 144 (the 1st one they made). This was recorded around 1978 or 1979. The 144 was a 4 track cassette recorder so there's lots of bouncing down. I had an LP of drum beats which I used a lot back then. Unfortunately I had to deal with wherever the recorded fills were on the record. It was just to get an idea down on tape anyway. I never planned on playing any of these unfinished demos for anyone but since the likelihood of ever re-recording them is slim, I offer them here for amusement and my own perspective and hoping they retain some entertainment value even if only as curious oddities... I'll Follow: A lot of "Ancient Silly Pop" was written around the same time. This one with it's hyper-frantic tempo is accompanied by drums from the same LP. I made up the words on the fly. It's funny when I hear the lyrics now that they somehow have been immortalized and actually make some sense to me. I had great fun with the glass slide on this #. Happier Days: The light upbeat chorus is contrasted by the darker and more angular verse. No real bridge or solo in this one - just a 3 part section that repeats 3 times. Written almost 30 years ago it still sounds fresh to me and I enjoy it in all it's glorious imperfections. Are You Mine: OK this one actually has a real drummer on it. It was written and recorded much later in 1981. The "New Wave" sound was still around and I would occasionally write an up tempo thing like this. I'd like to hear this a little slower now. Anyhow, this is perhaps one of my more commercial creations. Bicycle Town: After digesting Allan Holdsworth's work for awhile and after hearing Bill Conners move in that direction, I was very turned on to that guitar trio style and finally around 1987 started writing pieces I could play out with a trio. Bicycle Town was one of the first. I look at these next few tunes as the compositional precursers to my Atlandish work. The bass guitar on these cuts I played on an Ibanez Blazer bass which I still own. The drums I programmed on an old Emu Drumulator which was still a hot commodity at the time (lol). Travel Bag: Well honestly, I'd like to get back to writing this way. Basically you just listen to what's in your head and you're off! Forget about what's commercially acceptable. Parts of this tune remind me of something inexplicable and untangable. I think that kind of feeling validates, and attracts me to, the music. Soon: I didn't think much of this tune at the time but now when I listen to it I'm glad I didn't erase it, especially the bridge. This was recorded using the drums on a Korg M1 keyboard. It had to be written and recorded around 1988. Her Right Address: After finally recording this I realized that the music was severely limited by the rhythm track because much of the piece really should be played rubato. I'd like to some day orchestrate it for a small ensemble. I think that's the only way it will be played correctly. Again, chord wise, the voicing is very Holdsworth influenced and is a bit of a challenge to play. URUandIME: This was played through a Yamaha SPX90 Digital reverb unit old enough to pre-date MIDI. The melody is played with the right hand on the neck of the guitar while the left fingured chords which were plucked by the remaining fingers of the right hand not involved with the melody. Two tracks of guitar are the sole contents of the recording with one guitar serving the function of just fattening the track up with a little chord embeiishment. The song has a very nice bridge but it was written after this was recorded so is absent here. There are also lyrics for it which are not recorded here. Cool Rain: Again the Emu Drumulator here (The Drumulator is on the rest of these tracks unless otherwise noted). The fourths in the main figure are taped with the right hand. Another Atlandish precurser, this one is probably my favorite. Changing Rides: This is one of the songs I wrote during my short two semesters at Five Towns college in 1975, later recording it in the early 80s with the Teac Portastudio 144 and that drum LP I mentioned earlier. Felucca Fast: Written sometime after returning from Egypt although there isn't anything "eastern" sounding about it. It's just something about the wind and the sails etc. I was thinking of my time on the Nile in a felucca. The bridge has a very broken up time signature. If you can translate it, then good for you! Honeymoon Mountain: Written shortly after my honeymoon in the Poconos (yeah, I know...). My ex-wife is on the recorder. The guitar melody played in octaves is unfortunatly out of tune. OUCH! The Corsican Twins: Just a twisted tango I was inspired to write after watching the John Cassavetes film The Tempest in 1982. That's an SPX90 harmonizer effect applied toward the end. I dare you to sing the head to this one! Lost Upon The Sea: Written and recorded around 1984-5. I was trying to come up with some tunes that would be radio friendly. But as usual these songs never saw the light of day. In the middle of this project I got involved with Scarab and never got back to it. Hear My Voice: Same as above. This one reminds me of The Police - Message In A Bottle or something... Cheryl: I said, OK how commercial can I possibly write without getting sick. At the time this was a close as I had the stomach for - a cute little ditty - almost like a Hall & Oats thing (I do get a little sick though when I listen to it but maybe someone out there would like it...). The Stranger's Waltz: An old tune from the late 1970's. A simple 2 part figure that repeats with a climaxing chromatic line over the changes like a dancing couple turning at increasing speed until they collapse in an embrace - or something. Amore a Roma: My infatuazione in an Italian cafe or some other romantic setting. The keyboard part was played on a Korg Lambda. Anyone remember that one? A horrible old beat box (brand unknown - maybe Univox) was used on this and the preceding waltz. The Calling: A much later waltz but based on a very old riff I had from the late 1960s (how old am I you may well ask). A song about a mystical journey based on an irresistable call which the lyrics describe. This was recorded in the early 1990s and uses the drums in the Korg M1 keyboard. Stay tuned for periodic additions! |
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