I don’t write much about our political situation at the moment because it is so woeful and I am sick of all the poor, disabled and old Conservative voters whinging about how “they never expected that nice Mr Cameron to stop my benefits”. It’s like the oppressive reign of Thatcher never happened. The cretins.
Anyhoo, there’s a new voice who has come forward to basically express my thoughts on the current cuts and the same old Tory ethos steering our political system. (And let’s not forget those morally bankrupt Yellow Tories sitting next to them in the House of Commons). Surprisingly it is Paul O’Grady and he did it on his TV show last Friday. Go get them, Paul!
Category: Diary
The death of Simon MacCorkindale was announced today which is a great shame. I have fond memories of “Manimal” and he was co-producer of Anthony Phillips’ “Tarka” album from the 1988. Here’s the opening from “Manimal” as a tribute.
So I am working on this collection of singy-songs, you see. The idea is that it will be entitled “The Luckiest Man in the World” and I am working hard to capture my essence in song form. Again, the idea is that when I am dead and gone, The MIssus can hand the songs on and say: “This is what he was really like”…or something.
This song is one for the kids. This is me being daddy. This is for all the dads, because we all want to be the big alpha dog and take care. We have this story that we tell, about Verity and Herbie walking through the deep dark woods looking at the animals and the fish in the lake and the birds in the trees and getting lost – and this lyric is an extension of that. The idea is that we shouldn’t be afraid of the deep dark woods because we can all lead each other out and if we distract ourselves with jokes and talking and playing, the darkness and the fear soon disappears.
In Starry Trees
We walk quickly
Hold my hand
Tightly as the moon
Waxes in the nightly
Sky high above us
Shining brightly
Hold on
Walking
Breathing
Talking
Wishing
Playing
Laughing
Praying
For this night
Will never end
Through the deep
Dark forest friends
Down to the river
Bank were walking
The river flows
As we’re still talking
In Starry Trees
We are walking
Hold my hand
And keep on talking
Cold night air
Upon our faces
Heading through
Unfamiliar places
Hold on
Walking
Breathing
Talking
Wishing
Playing
Laughing
Praying
Keep you both
So close to me
I’ll always be
Your daddy
To lead you through
The dark forest deep
Home to safety
To dream to sleep
Safely
To mum
And home
In Starry Trees
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And so the song “Stinkhorn” (working title) blossomed into this song.
It took me a little bit of time to work out a lyric and vocal approach but I got there in the spare half-hour I got to record this afternoon. Yes, the vocals are shit, but what can you do about it? If you listen hard, you might just hear a lorry thundering past StudioLock.
Back to the Start
Direct download: CLICK HERE
So after my previous post, I put another 30 minutes to an hour’s work into it, adding some bass and a chorus and come up with the following. Not sure if it finished – toying with the idea of adding a lyric if I can write one to fit – though I kind of like it how it is.
Don’t worry, it’s not the title of a song by the band Tool. This is a picture of a stinkhorn fungi (phallus impudicus – good name for a rock band, that) I captured growing in our garden.
The reason it is named so is because it puts out such a pungent odour to attact flies. The smell was so strong that it took several cups of tea to wash the taste from my mouth as I got a little too close when taking these pictures. Unfortunately, the heavy rain caused it to topple over – otherwise my phallus impudicus would have been standing strong and proud.
Tonight, I returned to trying to be creative and recorded a very short riff to work on. It’s amazing what you can do with a guitar, a drum machine and loads and loads of effects pedals! (Well it always amazes me).
Stinkhorn Fragment
Direct download: CLICK HERE