Posts Tagged ‘Michael S Kennedy’

“Not Now”

Posted: June 1, 2020 in My Tunes, Poetry, projects
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I have been working with a few friends to set up on-line jamming from separate locations. I will go into this a bit later for anyone interested. I did spend some time on-line with a program for live sessions. During my testing I had a bit of a wait time so I noodled around on my guitar. While waiting I used a record feature in the program and captured a few segments of my noodling that I liked. It required a name in order to save and in the mood I was in I called it Not Now.

As you know I am not good with names – of any kind – and my song titles usually show that weakness. So now that I had a name for the music pieces, I had to write lyrics sooner or later and was stuck with Not Now as the title!

I finished the basic music tracks in a couple days. Listening to the arrangement I got out my writing tools and came up with the following lyrics. I will smooth out the music and post sooner or later. Here is “Not Now”:

I really can’t wait
For you and this weekend.
Seems like forever
Since we had a minute alone.
No more than a boy
Paralyzed in an ice cream store.
Or that time I cried…..
Until we had to leave the zoo.

Not Now.
I’ve heard it all my life.
Not Now.
Don’t want to hear it again.
Not Now.
It can’t be now, it won’t be then
Not Now.

So many situations
I can’t come close to understand.
More and more people
Have nothing else to say to me.

Not Now.
I’ve heard it all my life.
Not Now.
Don’t want to hear it again.
Not Now.
It can’t be now, it won’t be then
Not Now.

Still
I don’t complain.
Everything I have
I can give away.
Hello
Tell me your name.
You make me smile
Hope I can do the same.
Ask
I do it all day.
It really doesn’t matter
Or what time of day. Still
I don’t complain.
Everything I have
I can give away.

Cincinnati Microwave Inc.

Posted: May 25, 2020 in projects, Video
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This is a dated video I did while I was working at Cincinnati Microwave Inc. My boss knew I was involved with audio and video so they asked me to coordinate the video company they had hired for the project. So instead of my normal job there, I attended meetings to get and idea what management/sales wanted from this project. Then to all the departments to find out what they do and what looks really cool.

Soon I was given a hand full of details, stats and messaging material and the target length. After all the ingredients were there, we had the video company come in for the raw shots. I orchestrated each shot and got our footage while the plant was in production. The Surface Mount Technology (SMT) lines were pretty amazing.

My next step was to write the script gained from the meetings. I selected one of my instrumental original songs for the soundtrack. I showed up to the editing sweet and had each shot planned out and sequenced. They pretty much watched as I lined up the scenes, audio and soundtrack. After video and soundtrack were correct length and finalized, they recorded my voice for the narration track.

There were no cameras allowed inside CMI, so I do not have any pictures through all the years I worked there. Again, the video is dated and the soundtrack warbles enough to give away it’s age, but I still get a kick from seeing old friends, and remembering those days. It was a great place to work and I am still friends with many a former employee.

What You Want

Posted: April 28, 2020 in Poetry
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It grinds in your teeth when you walk
Then fades away so slowly it pulls you in
Lost in thoughts spiraling away at blinding speeds
You sit there with no plan, holding back a scream.

Don’t you just hate it?
When you get what you ask for?
Don’t you just hate it?
When you finally get what you want?

You keep asking for what you really want
If you really want what you keep asking for
Everyone knows, everyone but you
You never ponder how though obviously confused.

All that planning and slimy effort wasted
Did you think the end justified things from the start?
I’m not sure where this is going and I don’t want to know.
If this is what you planned, was it all for show?

Don’t you just hate it?
When you get what you ask for?
Don’t you just hate it?
When you finally get what you want?

Sometimes when a dream comes true
It turns out to be worse than a nightmare.
If it looks too good to be true;
For god’s sake take another look.

Don’t you just hate it?
When you finally get what you want?
Don’t you just hate it?
When you finally get what you want?

The Chase Live 2

Posted: April 14, 2020 in Cover Tune Tuesdays, Live Sound Reinforcement Series, MUSIC, Photography, Video
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I posted songs from the first half of our live set when I was playing with The Chase earlier. Today I would like to share with you select songs from the second half of our set. The recording is decent – though this is ancient as it was recorded on a cassette tape!!!

Anyway, people all over the world are having tough times. Stuck indoors is the least of our concerns. Sit back, stay at home and listen to a live band performing classic rock songs from Jethro Tull to Santana and Creed.

As a note of mild interest; I have no pictures of the vocalist in this particular recording. I have video, but compared to the hi-res available today, the videos just don’t look very good. Sean (Shoeless Shawn) Bandy is the lead vocalist this evening.

Have a drink and a great evening in and stay safe!

My former band, The Chase performing live

Thanks for the visit!

Trinkets

Posted: January 7, 2020 in Poetry
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He said you were mean,

And not very friendly.

Filled with confidence

And an extra side of envy.

You don’t want to be cruel

But nothing else gets through.

If I had to deal with this crap

I would be just like you.

It wasn’t funny.

More than a bit perverse.

You should’ve just stopped

But you slammed it in reverse.

Complaints you didn’t listen

More about attitude.

She appreciates the help

But did you have to be so rude?

            Time is reminding us of the trinkets we have earned.

            Too often we avoid them in fear of getting burned.

            You won’t take their advice and I rarely listen to mine,

            But when you finally hear the truth it travels up your spine!

Too bad great things you did

Most gets yet will never know.

You’d give the shirt off your back.

But would never let it show.

            Time is reminding us of the trinkets we have earned.

            Too often we avoid them in fear of getting burned.

            You won’t take their advice and I rarely listen to mine,

            But when you finally hear the truth it travels up your spine!

It travels up your spine.

It travels up your spine.

Happy Friday!

Posted: September 13, 2019 in Opinions and Observations, Uncategorized
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Yes, I know it is Friday the 13th! And with it a full moon not to be seen on Friday the 13th for another 30 years. Not until August 2049! It is also a Harvest Moon for all you visitors from another planet. It will be late tonight but I am sure it will be worth it.

I think it is time for a campfire in my yard and maybe howl at the moon for a while!

Fireworks 2019

Posted: September 6, 2019 in Photography
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I started my new job and experiencing a bit of a time crunch, but I wanted to post some pictures and a short video I took of this year’s WEBN holiday weekend fireworks. It is an annual thing that invites the city come out and play.

‘Teaser’ early shots
Sunset overlooking Covington, KY
Another galaxy just overhead
One of my old time favorite displays.
They launch from barges on the river and from bridges!
From inside a building in Kentucky

This is a very cool event. The video and photos were taken inside a building, so you could not hear the booooom very well. I set it to an original instrumental of mine from decades ago called “Moog Swing”.

If you have not been there or seen them, they set up 2 or three river barges loaded with fireworks and park them in the heart of Covington, Kentucky and Cincinnati, Ohio. They use the bridges for a number of great effects including fireworks that look like silver rain all across the bridges falling down to the river. I hope you enjoy this little taste of my home town.

Still To Be Found; From The Other Half

Posted: August 17, 2019 in Photography
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More pictures from my recent adventure to a local city park.

Ault Park Cincinnati, Ohio MSK – 201
Ault Park Cincinnati, Ohio MSK – 202
Ault Park Cincinnati, Ohio MSK – 203
Ault Park Cincinnati, Ohio MSK – 205
Ault Park Cincinnati, Ohio MSK – 208
Ault Park Cincinnati, Ohio MSK – 215
Ault Park Cincinnati, Ohio MSK – 223

Enjoying a little more late summer before it is gone!

jjaR Project Two

Posted: August 13, 2019 in projects
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I think we started recording Project Two in May of 1996. Project One was mixed by the end of March so we had a good feeling for the next project. I will eventually dig up archives for details as I am now relying on brief notes and scribbles of information. I do not have lyric sheets for these songs but I know most of the lyrics by heart.

As you know I am really bad with names. I know Annette Rogers was the lead vocalist and I believe she wrote most of the lyrics. My notes also mention Robert Downing with the band.

This was a band I wished I had kept in touch with. At the time in my life there were so many projects and I had my own music and bands I was involved with. All this and I worked a regular full-time job!

I have a brief video of the band setting up – somewhere. Who knows, maybe I will dig it up along with my track sheets and band info.

By the middle of September we had all the recording done and mixed Project Two. We did ten songs in all and I will share a few more with you today.

jjaR at MSK Studio – Butterside Down
jjaR at MSK Studio – Paralized
jjaR at MSK Studio – My Heart Tricks My Head
jjaR at MSK Studio – Overboard

jjaR

Posted: August 6, 2019 in projects
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Annette Rogers from jjaR at MSK Studios

Early in 1996 I was introduced to a Cincinnati band called “jjaR”. I met them while they were playing at a popular club called Top Cats. I was really impressed with the band and their original songs. Annette Rogers was the lead vocalist and she commanded the room with her emotional portrayal of each song. The band was intense and dynamic.

March 13th, 1996 we started recording in my home studio. They were troopers. I have a small space for recording with no isolation rooms for drums, vocals, etc. The band wanted a clean demo. They did not want a lot of processing and effects in the mix. A band after my own heart!

jjaR at MSK Studio in 1996

We did two separate sessions. The first session was mixed on March 26th, 1996. I was recording on the Alesis ADAT (Alesis Digital Audio Tape) machine for the first project. We only had 8 tracks to work with back then and no computer editing or effects. They were pros. They set up, got settled in and played their songs with obvious passion.

One of their tracks appeared in a collection of bands our local radio station WEBN (102.7FM) published on CD. They were featured on the second annual CD release. Deary Me Presents – Cincinnati Scene II included “Food Chain Of Love” on the 3rd track of the compilation CD. You can still find a copy or two on on-line.

Here are a few tunes from Project 1 for your enjoyment.

jjaR at MSK Studio – Food Chain Of Love
jjaR at MSK Studio – Super Size
jjaR at MSK Studio – Aliens
jjaR at MSK Studio – Misunderstood

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