Category: my music & performances

my songs and shows

FOK DUB

FOK DUB: Folk songs with pinch of soul and a hint of dub. Reggae grooves written relaxing by the water on on a sunny day.

This project got Kickstarted 10.14.10, and the record will be released the week of Thanksgiving, 11.27.11. Special thanks to all those who have supported me through Kickstarter.

Thomas recorded Gray and Lindsay, drums and bass, at Tonehaus, Austin, TX, Sept. 5 2011, my 38th birthday. A month later Oliver and I returned and they recorded the horns. I tracked and produced the rest at Sunset Ln with the fantastic players listed below. Check out their stuff!  Big thanks to Dr. Ivan Mordo, who mixed and mastered the tracks from Florida.

The band: Gray Parsons – Drums, Lindsay Greene – Bass, Chris Vestre – Guitar, Derek Morris – Keys, Thomas van der Brook – Sax, Oliver Steck – Trumpet, Timmy Campbell – Percussion, Karla Manzur van der Brook – Vocals, Sara Hickman – Vocals, Maile Broccoli-Hickey – Vocals

Sixty Never Looked So Good

My former professor and songwriting buddy, Randolph Bias, sent me these lyrics to put to music for his wife Cheryl’s 60th bday party, which was tonight. I was a great party and the song put it over the top. Here’s the song and the slideshow he put together to go along with the it.

Sixty Never Looked So Good.mp3

Imagine the joy of young Dot and of Earl
When they first brought home their cherubic girl.
Imagine this day? I don’t think they could.
Sixty never looked so good.

She grew and she swam and they moved to Jax.
The schoolgirl Cheryl lived life to the max.
This girlscout prepared and did all that she should.
and now sixty never looked so good.

An odd thing happened when she was twenty,
To this young beauty with beaus aplenty.
I asked her to marry and she said she would.
Sixty never looked so good.

When she was thirty we headed up north
Two beautiful boys her body brought forth
A foursome was awesome from what once was two.
Hey, I remember, thirty looked good too.

Baseball and tennis kept us four sporty.
The girl of my dreams, still hot at forty.
How’s she keep running? I peek ‘neath the hood.
Sixty never looked so good.

And so my baboo turned the big five-oh.
Our sons were all grown, and further to go
We’d travel and play as much as we could.
Sixty never looked so good.

And so now that she’s reached such a full of three score.
and we crane aching necks to see what’s in store.
This above all things is well understood:
Sixty never looked so good.
I said sixty never looked so good.
Randolph loves you, Cheryl.
Sixty never looked so good.

60 never looked so good slideshow with music

View more presentations from rbias

Air Traffic Control

Air_Traffic_Control.mp3
German Dance mix
Ambient mix

I stopped in the joint
I ordered a pint
I stood on the stairs
Afraid of affairs

I drank as she danced
I looked for my chance
She’s in exctacy
But she won’t look at me

Da da da…

Threw a match to the floor
Burns a moment no more
Like the match in my head
When we’re burning in bed

Da da da…

I’m reaching for rope
That’s made out of smoke
All the times I’ve looked at her
Problem is I’m never sure
Problem is I never know
Just get on my feet and go

Da da da…

Air traffic control

Story: Derek Morris and I wrote and recorded this one together at The Still with T-bone.

500 Miles Ahead, 1000 Miles Behind

500 Miles Ahead, 1000 Miles Behind.mp3

well, we just crossed the mississippi, she had overflowed her banks
took ourselves a rest stop, filled up the gastanks
pullin out of memphis past elvis’s sacred shrine
500 miles ahead, 1000 miles behind

now al’s been doing the drivin, but the sun’s making his eyes burn
he says he needs some ice and for me to take my turn
clock says seven eastern, but now we’re in central time
500 miles ahead, 1000 miles behind

we’re drivin down to texas to right outside san antone
trying to make a wedding by saturday morn
started out in d.c., spent the night in north caroline
500 miles ahead, 1000 miles behind

now we’re stoppin at the best western, to washup and to eat
when you’ve been sittin all day there’s nothing as nice as just to stand upon your feet
there are many types of weariness, highway has it’s own kind
500 miles ahead, 1000 miles behind

i saw twenty tractor trailers huddled under the bright black sky
i met this man who got his goat to kiss him as he swelled up with pride
there’s no way to imagine what each traveler will find
500 miles ahead, 1000 miles behind

we measure out our progress, by the big cityies on the map
keep our speed pretty high and watchout for speedtraps
we’re on an unnamed stretch of road, waiting for a sign
500 miles ahead, 1000 miles behind

now i think we’re being followed through these endless fields
i’ve seen a redwinged blackbird at the top of the windshield
with a bit of grace above you you make pretty good time
500 miles ahead, 1000 miles behind

Toast

to Jono for his wedding day

I woke up and I laughed
At the image of you and Ashley mopeding past
Your mother saying “Oh my, Jono, you’re going too fast”
As you gave it the gas
I’m thinkin’ “At last”

You know I gotta sing
About the beauty of the two of you in nothing but your wedding ring
The new beginning of your everlasting fling
In your godly bling
Doing your thing

I spoke up in the church
It didn’t hurt that I had the very best verse
I remembered to take my time with every word
Truth be terse
Love don’t hurt

Let this one be my toast
After already turning in my best man’s roast
Chris’s friars were a heavenly host
Cs’ those you love the most
Can tell you with a joke

Inside it’s so warm
You can feel the violence in the air but you know no harm
Cause you’re swept up day by day in your lover’s charms
Set the alarm
Stay unarmed

I hope you’re sleepin’ like a rock
I’m grinding away like an angry paralyzed clock
Talking away my day without waking up
Till she shakes me up
Out of my spacewalk

When I look up at the sky
And I can’t see a big beloved brotherly guy
With an animal pride I see a hurricane’s eye
Love and I
Relaxing seaside