Manic Beatnik Riffing

criteria anyone?

Midst of Confusion (circa 1999)

Looking at the negative. All so dark. Draining. Powerless Death. When you think that your best friends are your worst enemies, All that you are, is hated and attacked. There is no safety. No protection. And you may be dying. What does that mean? What does it matter if no one hears your song and no one cares? Words spat into a pit. How do I focus? I am choosing this? What does it matter if I gave up marriage or old []

20 Word Story

The Action seemed Sinister: Recording the Essence of all Human Consciousness into the Computers that were Destined to Assassinate Humanity.

Criminal (cover)

Criminal. So William Burroughs, the beat poet, was getting heavily intoxicated with his girlfriend. She blurted, “Hey! If you such a damn good shot. Take your pistol and blow this apple of my head!” He missed. So in response, I did a cover version of Fiona Apple’s hit song from the 1990’s in a true garage rock fashion.

an Idea and a Song

Oh Sweet Nuthin’ (velvet underground cover) Who is laughing at who? Who is pitying who? Cars driving past Hoover-Ville Park. The vagabonds, at least, know their friends are comrades. War Buddies, perhaps. When one has NUTHIN’, One has NUTHIN’ to LOSE! Unlike the perpetual headache of mortgage payments, car insurance, life insurance, ad infinitum. More money, more problems. More cash, more leeches to scrape off your wallet. Poverty can be a blessing. Dwell upon the idea, next time, in rush hour traffic, []

Let’s Dance! (cover)

Let’s Dance! Bizarr-o Ted was doing Algebra for a psychiatrist who was rambling on about delusions of grandeur. Ted turned to David Bowie and asked, “so..what do YOU think?” The Thin White Duke replied, “THAT’S NO WAY to TREAT A LADY!!”

a Song and Rhetorical Questions

You’ve Got Her in Your Pocket (white stripes cover). To Ask: Where does the Music want to go? How should I direct the Music of humanity? What is it that humans use Music for? Pleasure? Why? Over the centuries, epochs.. did humans derive pleasure from sound? When did it start? Yeah sure, our ancestors did cave paintings at Lascaux of killing animals, hunting, gathering, images of sex and death, 8,000 years ago. But Music? When? Now it is a commodity. People love []

Society (cover)

Society. I changed a few of the lines in the song to personalize it to my experience. Insanity is a sane reaction to a crazy world. I urge all people to not stigmatize a brain illness. Just because mental illnesses are not visible to the naked eye does not mean that it is non-existent. I guess to contrast my point, are people with diabetes marginalized because of weak moral fiber and will-power? I think the original intent of the tune was to []

Catch Fire

Catch Fire (instrumental) The Ancient forest reached her limit. Desirous of arson, Flames as high as a kaleidoscope colored tsunami. Hearing An ember symphony of twigs Popping and crackling As She is consumed And Comes to an end.

a Kettle

A kettle of boiling water, Howling, screeching. How does the liquid feel about evaporating In the Frigid, winter air? My candle melts, growing older, dimming. It is change. Moment to moment moving shadows of steam. I smile. A last note humming and gurgling, “silly man.”