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If one says to these people that their judgement is not their own, that it has been suggested to them, they will be offended. It is like this in most cases, for most people. Almost all of them receive their ideas ready made, and follow popular opinion all their lives. They speak in the style of their times and dress according to fashion, not from any principle, but in order to act like others. Servile imitators who say yes or no according to suggestion. They believe themselves to be self-determining. Is this not folly? An incurable folly, for men are sure that they are not caught up in the mania for imitation. It is a general folly, for the whole empire is caught up in this madness. It would therefore be in vain to try to put men back on the way to spontaneous personal action, emanating from the self, from their own instinct. Alas! Noble music leaves villagers indifferent, whereas trivial song easily makes them swoon. Likewise, elevated thoughts do not enter minds stuffed with common ideas. The noise of earthenware drums drowns out the sound of a bronze bell.
- Chuang Tzu. 4th century BC
You can view videos of more songs in the column to your left.
CDs AvailableI now have 3 CDs of my home demos available free of charge to any of my myspace friends. Just send me a message, with your address, saying what you want and I'll post your request out to you. Or just ask me to bring a CD along to a gig. 1. 'Ask The Summer ep' has 'Follow Your Heart' 'Light Pollution' and 'Solicit Summer' all recorded at home in 2005 and produced by Thewildheartedoutsider.2. 'Brittle Pop ep' is an 8-track ep of lo-fi rough demos including 'Fragile' 'I Want Your Sweet Mouth' and 'Voices' all of which have appeared on my myspace player at one time or other. The 'f' word appears once or twice in this collection and at least one of the songs closely resembles the punk rock genre so you have been warned.3. 'Alles Klar' I've made this one available again due to the popular demand of 2 of my mates. This was previously available as a cassette single in the early 90s but this is its first CD release. It includes 'Alles Klar' 'Love And Learn' 'Mystery Girl' and a live rehearsal version of 'Alles Klar'. The single was recorded under the band name Bronze Bell with my friend, Simon Pratt who is photographed in one of the photo albums. Again, it's all pretty lo-fi and the live version of 'Alles Klar' is a definite rough gem. Well, when I say 'gem' it's more of a rock really. Of course, one man's rock is the next man's smooth, flat stone for skimming across a lake. 'Love And Learn' and 'Mystery Girl' have both appeared previously on the myspace player.
Song notes
Alles Klar (Video)I recorded this song in 1990 as a birthday present for my cousin Georg who was visiting England at the time. In November I was in Germany with my brother Steve and we learnt that Georg had died during the summer. During the 1980s I went to Germany on a regular basis and had many drinking sessions with Georg, his brother Andreas and their friend Daniel Cholewa, usually while being introduced to the latest German band. Anyone who has a copy of 'Alles Klar' will know there are photos from one of our drinking sessions on the sleeve. I'm the only one left from those times. All my old drinking buddies are dead now and a chapter of my life is over. We won't be getting pissed and talking about what life is all about anymore. I hope you all rest in peace, my friends.
Berlin There are full notes and lyrics to this song on my blogs pages. The recording was made on a digital camera so is a pretty lo-fi noise but it is also recorded just after I wrote the song so captures something that is generally lost in further performances. I guess if I never get a band together this is how this will always sound.
Follow Your HeartA friend of mine was contemplating having an affair and one night down the pub he asked me my opinion. As is generally the case in these situations (I've seen lots of them on telly), I didn't really know what to say. Eventually I said, 'You've got to follow your heart or your head will regret it,' and thought it was a good line for a song. In true songwriter down the pub style I wrote a few ideas on a beermat. The next day I found the beermat in my pocket and the song poured out of me. I love the muse. This recording was produced by Thewildheartedoutsider in 2005. He recorded and played all the instruments over my acoustic guitar strum demo in a flat in Watford.
Light Pollution
When I was young I used to lie on the grass and look at the stars. It was a form of escape. Escape from domestic violence, from adolescent worry. I could get lost in the stars. So much space, so much emptiness. Last year I was trying to think things through. It was a nice early summer and I remembered my childhood habit. OK, I admit it. I'd been to the pub and had a few beers but sometimes that lift that alcohol gives helps you to do silly things maybe you should do more often. As I turned and walked into our drive my senses were filled with the scent of night scented stock, my second favourite flower after the poppy. In an instant my heart was lifted and I decided to engage in a little heavenly contemplation. When I lay down on the grass I couldn't see the sky as clearly as I remembered it. The stars seemed dimmer than those of my youth. Then I realised that light from street lamps and the local town spoilt the view. This became a metaphor for the way I was feeling. The next day, as the evening sun lingered and with my daughter Holly and her friend playing in the garden, I wrote the song. I love to write outside. There's an energy given by the thought that somebody may be listening. This recording was produced by thewildheartedoutsider with my interference at my house in 2005.
I Want Your Sweet MouthA simple love song written for my wife Chris with no hidden meanings or anything to explain. Written during a simpler time. A happy time with lots of love around. We had moved out of Liverpool and planned our first child. The song was written and recorded with Paul Mahabir in 1992 for our never to be born band, Brittle. We recorded around 40 demos over an 18 month period most of which are too poor to let out to play. We recorded them on very cheap equipment and toy mics and most of the vocals are awful. The plan was to recruit a band and work on the songs in a live setting so there was never an agenda of having to make the demos sound good. We wrote some great songs during that time but most will remain forever hidden.
Fragile
Chris got pregnant straight away and we were very excited. We told our friends and family and chose the name Celia for a baby girl. We couldn't agree on a boy's name. Then the worst happened and Chris miscarried. The worst night of my life was the one when I thought my wife was dying. Our GP, Dr Ray came out at 3am and Chris was rushed to hospital. The next day the baby was gone. After Chris came home we needed to be alone and come to terms with what had happened. Then the phone calls started, some from people we barely knew asking about what had happened. Some people turned up at our door and we hid. This demo is unfinished. We had plans to add keys and Paul was going to work out a more arranged solo but the band split before that could be done. I like this demo, though. I can hear my emotions in my singing. I'm really glad the demo is a decent quality one and I can play it to people. I love this song.
My Way Of Thinking (Car Park Song)This track was recorded sometime in the early 80s live in our kitchen in Chatsworth Avenue, Liverpool immediately after writing it. The song was recorded using an old cassette recorder so don't expect anything hi-fi. It was written with Steve Moore who also plays the lead acoustic and came along with the first two lines of the song to which I put the vocal melody and simple chord sequence. We then finished the lyric by writing a line or two each in turn, me playing John Lennon to Steve's Paul McCartney. The lyric means nothing to me but I think it did to Steve (the part of the title in brackets was his) and my bittersweet lines were partly motivated by attempting to do the opposite of what I thought Steve wanted. A song from a simpler time and place. I love it. Words and music by Eddie Cooney and Steve Moore.
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