Today’s post from the ‘archives’, a visit back in time to the year 2006. I was twenty five, I was severely depressed and I wrote a song cycle about a couple involved in a tragic bank robbery. The song I present to you today is, ‘The Flowers I Brought You’. The first line defines this time of my life:

“Sliding from the razor’s edge, I saw you sitting on a bench and you were broken. I was broken.”

Listening to this song, which was by coincidence recorded around this time four years ago, I find myself filled with gratitude. I am very thankful that I pulled through this time and I am eternally in debt to the people that pulled me through this time. For Jason, who played lead on this song and spent hours listening to the ramblings of a lunatic. For Nick, who brought me hamburgers when I was too drunk to drive myself to the store. 

These days the skies are a lot brighter for me and I happy to have lived through this time of my life. But, I am also aware that, as an artist, the bad times are equally as important as the good times…There’s a balance that exists somewhere between the ‘tortured artist’ and the ‘healthy human being’ and thought I’m not sure it truly exists, I’d like to think that I try my best to achieve it.

1 year ago  /  0 notes

Always and forever…this will be my favorite band. 

From The New Urban Decay’s ‘Domino’ EP. This was easily, one of the most fun songs I have ever played live. Also one of the first songs we ever wrote. Lyrically, this one has a LOT of foreshadowing. I was in a really, really bad relationship, but hadn’t figured it out yet. Later, after we broke up, I would read the lyrics and realize they weren’t quite as ‘fictional’ as I had previously thought. It’s funny how much of your subconscious can make its way into the songs you write..

“You keep on shinning and we’ll keep on shinning..”

XO

1 year ago  /  1 note

As I sit here, we are on Day #2 of the “When The Lights Go Out” video shoot. I thought that this may be a good time to share an alternate version of this song with everyone. We recorded this for The Gravity’s first record way back when it was a solo project. This is Jason, Gabe and I at Adeline during one of the worst snow storms Portland had seen in at least a decade. We drank a couple beers, put our warm clothes on and hit record. This song came out of it, warts and all. This would have made the album, had we not gotten together three months later to pretty it up a bit…

XO

1 year ago  /  0 notes

Going way back for today’s post from the ‘Archives’.

This is a song from the turn of the century (1999). I was 18, I still had hair and I still LOVED Matchbox 20 (well, I guess I still kinda do, don’t judge me!)…

I had completely forgotten about this song, ‘Counting Fast Cars’, from my very first band’s very first record. Looking back, not my best work. But, I’m certainly thankful that everyone involved gave me the chance to grow as a song writer and supported my crazy ideas and ego. Recorded at Sound Sketch Studios by ‘Rocker’ Jon Varnell and featuring the great Nick Curteman on drums and Joel Scott on bass. And, of course, Bobby Heinson doing his very best Rob Thomas impression.

XO

1 year ago  /  0 notes

Juggernaut -

I wrote this song somewhere around ‘03 as sort of a genre experiment. One of my first attempts to write a ‘pop’ song with a less ‘doom and gloom’ message. I had written the first draft of this for someone else who was looking for songs to sing, it got rejected…eventually I would reject it too. I still think it’s a decent song, albeit a little on the pretentious side..

The principle tracks for this were recorded at Revolver Studios for the ‘Reagan Baby Blues’ project (see also Magic, Black). The weird effects in the back of the song were probably done at home during one of my many attempts to replicate the pure magic of Wilco’s ‘Yankee Hotel Foxtrot’.

At any rate, here for your consumption, is ‘Juggernaut’, fresh from my archives. A solid recording of a song that could have used a little more direction.

1 year ago  /  0 notes