Here is another live recording from my band, The Chase. Those were good times. This is a cover tune from The Beatles – “She’s So Heavy”. I remember when I first heard this song on the radio. It absolutely blew me away. What fun to play this one out live.
Those that have visited my site from the beginning to those that have read my posts and comments over the years will know that I started a musical path early-on in my childhood. From my parents selecting musical instruments for Christmas and my birthdays to my older brother David writing poetry that I would turn into beat and melody (using whatever toys I had available at the time!).
As my interest in poetry grew I tried to soak up what he already knew. Younger, I did not have training, but I had a natural feel for timing/rhythm and melodies. I picked up theory, arrangement, recording techniques and a million other things from people way smarter than me in later years, but early it was just experimentation and the fun in creating.
We shared a lot, critiqued a lot, and bounced around things as they got better and better. Writing lyrics is funny. We use them to tell a story or create a mood. Vocals can put us in a trance or allow us to laugh ourselves silly. Lyrics by themselves they are often trite or ‘nothing, really’. But put them in front of the right music and performance and they can become life altering.
Over the years there were countless songs we co-authored in one way or the other. I often leaned on my strong points in the beginning and created the chord progression and melody, but David learned to play the guitar and we later played piano/keyboards. It is difficult if not Impossible to know what parts originated where. I stopped trying decades ago!
I have posted songs that we are particularly proud to have been even a small part in writing. (I think there might be one or two more I have not posted yet, I will have to check LOL). In the following weeks I would also like to post a number of songs my brother wrote and recorded years ago. He and a few friends went into a recording studio and laid down his new songs even as some were being finalized. As I did not record or perform in his “David K and Studio Way” session, it was great to hear this completed project for the first time.
Here are a few of the favorite songs I posted on this blog.
https://wordpress.com/post/midimike.com/205
https://wordpress.com/post/midimike.com/173
https://wordpress.com/post/midimike.com/116
https://wordpress.com/post/midimike.com/50
I will do a little research and post a few tunes from “David K and Studio Way”.
When I wrote the lyrics to This Moment, I had been thinking about my younger brother. He died from throat cancer a while back. He was the funniest and kindest person I have ever known. Even in the last few weeks of his battle you would never know he was losing. I spoke with his doctor and stated my brother was exhausted; no money or resources, no physical or emotional strength reserves, no medical options left. I was told others that were in a better state might be able to hold out longer. Soon my wife and I got a call and rushed to the hospital as we had a number of times before. He was in ICU this time and there was nothing to be done. The next expectation was the cancer would eat through the main artery in his neck. I will spare you the rest.
As he woke up and looked around, he was puzzled and almost excited at the same time. He could not talk, so he wrote something on a piece of paper and handed it to me. “Is this real?” was written at the top of the page. Between the medications and his state of mind, he was not sure if he was dreaming or not. He had been in hospital rooms many times, but he knew this was different. I told him that we are in the hospital. I confirmed he was dying and there was little time left. His artery would rupture soon. A moment difficult to prepare for.
The lyrics worked their way from my thoughts to the paper as I recalled that time in the hospital. How I felt: how he must have felt. My thoughts wandered to the many times I have talked and laughed with him over the years.
Your thoughts and comments were truly appreciated. I put the lyrics to music recently. This is not a perfect recording. This is as far as it goes for me. Please accept it as it is. For all of us that have lost loved ones and friends, sometimes we just need to share the loss. Maybe it makes it easier to turn the pain into great memories.
That took courage.
Fortunately, when I have too many things on my plate and never seem to get to putting some of my best lyrics to music, I have many talented friends that bail me out. Often I write poems – but almost as often I begin writing lyrics intending to put music to them at some point. Today I will share the lyrics and the original live recording to one of my favorites.
I found myself thinking of musical relationships and what, to some, becomes a long path that never gets close to ‘stardom’, whatever that is. The late-night conversations with many friends – musicians reflecting on the efforts and rewards involved in the lifestyle we have chosen – became metaphors in these lyrics.
The title “Stainless Steel” refers to one type of guitar strings. I also use silk and stainless steel strings on my Ovation 12 string guitar, but Stainless Steel captured the feeling I was surrounded by when writing the lyrics. There is a certain pride creative people get when sacrificing for their art. So many things are put on the back-burner or postponed indefinitely to accomplish turning a dream or idea into a treasure; even if it is only for a select few to enjoy. No one else may ever know what gems were created, and it appears to many that you have nothing to show for your time and talent. Only a few will understand the trade-offs you have made; those sitting around with you late at night, year after year.
In this recording my good friend, the late Mark Kelsey, plays guitar and sings. He is accompanied by Ann Ellis from my band “The Personal Touch”. Mark has worked through the arrangement a few times and I believe this is the first time Ann had heard the song. He quickly recorded for me to listen to and was later to record a final version in a professional studio where he lived. This is my favorite recording and I will always think fondly of him when I hear this recording. While the living room quality is easy to hear, the mood and inspiration comes through clearly.
In our busy lives, it is all too easy for us to overlook the efforts our friends and loved ones make for us. Sometimes it takes far too long for us to fully appreciate those acts of love. I have let many go unrecognized – unappreciated – unacknowledged until it was too late. Looking back I find myself humbled to realize how much my life would have been uplifted and how many friends deserved my – – – I do not know the correct words, but ‘praise’ seems as close as any I can think of. It may also have uplifted their lives in a time when they needed it most. It can be sad and joyous when time finally reveals the reflections of our lives.
“Stainless Steel” Lyrics by MSK, Music by Mark D Kelsey © 1984
Stainless Steel Shining Bright
Broken Glass Shattered nights
When we talk, What we feel
Lights the fire Turns the Wheel
Turns the wheel
Stainless Steel Sharp and cold
Day by day Bought and sold
Take my hand Close your eyes
Say a prayer Throw the dice
Throw the dice
Waiting for a Miracle is like waiting forever
When there’s nothing else to do
I hope that someone’s out there waiting for me baby,
The way that I ‘m waiting for you
Oh Stainless Steel
Stainless Steel Deep within
Who we are What we’ve been
Reaching out Find ourselves
Kiss goodbye, What the hell
What the hell
Stainless Steel Never bends
No one blames Or defends
Smiles will fade Tears will fall
Memories of Nothing at all
Nothing at all
Waiting for a Miracle’s like waiting forever
When there’s nothing else to do
I hope that someone’s out there waiting for me baby,
The way that I ‘m waiting for you
Oh Stainless Steel
I enjoyed the response from my poem “Eight Letters”. Thank you all so much. (https://midimike.com/2017/07/25/eight-letters/)
The poem kept rattling in my head all day long and I found them fitting a rhythmic pattern. Then a melody jumped in and I headed up to my studio to get it all down.
There was a mood inspired by the groove and I layed down the guitar tracks to a metronome.
The drums came easily as I followed the rhythms in my head. As I mentioned earlier, this is fun and simple for me. The chorus just jumped out, and I like the changes coming back into the verse. The 6 string acoustic guitar sounded great to me and fit the song perfectly.
From there it was add the bass sound on my MIDI keyboard and it was ready for the Lead and harmony vocals.
It took me a while to sing this one to match the mood and I am glad you didn’t have to listen to me learn the melody and fit it to the music, but I think it came out as intended; short and sweet.
Here is the song mixed down. The whole process took me about a week, but this was before I started working over 50 hours a week!
Fact or Perception
As an update and a gentle lead-in to the title of this post, I recently put in a job application at the Sam Ash Music Store in Cincinnati. I worked for years at a local instrument music chain a while ago (not records or CD type of music store…) and I also worked at an electronics music store called ICB Audio. I thought that and my decades of management, sales and customer service experience would make me a good candidate. I started working at Sam Ash about two weeks ago. For me, it is like being a kid in a toy store……. because I AM!
So, do I feel like the employment situation is getting better because I now have a job? In reality, unemployment rate is very low, and has been for a while now. There are people still looking for work, but there are also companies that are looking but cannot find qualified workers in their field and/or location.
Do we feel that food insecurity is a myth because we do not see it in our neighborhood or town?
Everyone we know is well fed and has no difficulty getting their next meal.
Do we refuse to believe specific facts or national statistics because they do not apply to us?
I am glad to be working again doing something I love. I will probably spend more money than I make as I have done in music stores in the past, but I will hopefully meet a lot of new talented people driven by their passion to make music for all to enjoy.
It is tough when you are unemployed. For those of you still looking I wish you well in 2017!
Here is the thing; IT happens. LIFE happens. Doors open. Doors lock. Time is too short. Reinforcements too late. People are nice. People are mean. Nature Is beautiful. Nature is deadly. You can look at this post as poetry or preaching. A waste of time or a gold mine. These events WILL happen. They will happen to you. They will happen to someone you know. Each will occur during good times and terrible ones. The optimist and the others have their answers and their advice. Here is mine; These events will happen – prepare for them. That means back up plans for the back up plans in some situations but also taking advantage of the opportunity. I am an opportunist.
To follow our past conversation, we all want those that have succeeded to reach out and help struggling artists. I am suggesting here that we are helped all the time, but too often we are not prepared to actually hear or understand the message. We need to be prepared and look for the opening door, because it will happen. It happens all the time. As I read great articles and poems, learn of projects and accomplishments and all the comments from this blogging community I KNOW people are encouraging others all the time. We share struggles and that helps others prepare, because it will happen. I just wanted to give you some idea of how impressed I am with so many intelligent and caring people I hear from every day in comments and your posts. I count my blessings. Cheers!
Thank you, thank you, thank you! For the next few days I’ll be offering all of my blog friends a free download of my song “Miracles In Your Hand“ off of my upcoming EP, “Before The Chase.” I have been struggling to find a proper way to thank you all for your support and encouragement over the past year. I was very close to throwing in the towel, but I started this blog and thanks to all of you and your kind words, I’ve been motivated to keep pushing forward. As I watch this year’s calendar fill with major events and milestones, there are usually small celebrations here and there. At each one I am not only surprised at the positive response and friendships created, but also by the amazing amount of talent and creativity this community produces. Please stop by and add this original song (Click here – Miracles in Your Hand) to your personal libraries as part of my continued appreciation for all you have done to support and spread my works.
After a break-up some of these lyrics just poured out. Seeing the same thing and coming to opposite conclusions. Having an early exposure to poetry first, I try to keep those ideas reflected in many of the songs I write. The chorus was an idea I had been playing with lyrically for a while and it seemed to immediately fit with the loss described in the verses. What would you do if you held a miracle in YOUR hand? What if that couldn’t save you?
“Miracles In Your Hand” (c) MSK
A reason is such a small thing,
Can’t you give me one?
Seems to me you were holding out,
Were you really just holding on?
The things we did won’t mean a thing,
The memories drift away.
The things you said hang in the air,
Like a light that will not fade.
CH: You’re alive one day with miracles in your hand,
Then you’re heading for a wall, drivin’ fast as you can.
I settled down uneasy, I’m just waiting for tomorrow to come.
When the answers seem so distant,
Questions lose their fun.
You thought that I was shutting up,
I was really just shutting down.
It’s time we found the meaning,
In the games we have made.
And a reason makes the difference,
When the last trick must be played.
CH: You’re alive one day with miracles in your hand,
Then you’re heading for a wall, drivin’ fast as you can.
I settled down uneasy, I’m just waiting for tomorrow to come.
With your help and a lot of other social groups and individuals, we have helped raise money to help my friend John try to recover from the house fire that happened while he was away. He still has not been able to get home to see the damage and to make plans for the immediate future. I really want to thank all of you for great comments, spreading the word and financial support. My guess is a number of people that do not know him offered support in a number of different ways. I am frankly proud and grateful of the way this blog community responded. Thank you again!
As many of you know I have been a musician for many years and met John when he was hired to work at the same music store I worked in. It is kind of funny as you get older you can talk of personal experiences in terms of DECADES!! Just saying.
Back on track, I wanted to give you an idea of the damage from the fire and the amazing group of local friends that organized without instruction and worked extremely hard to recover as many personal belongings as we could – and the restoration work that continues; and frankly, is really just at the beginning of that phase. I wanted to give you a picture. But we all know that is impossible. You cannot describe the lobbies in Las Vegas hotels or what it feels like in the middle of the ocean to someone that has never been there. We try. We get close. They get the idea, but until you have similar experiences it can be hard to know what those and many other things in life are truly like.
I have been to his house but I still do not have the big picture. The closest I can get is reliving the feeling I had when I came home from one of those rescue missions….. I walked up to my front door and as I started to put the key in the lock I thought; what if all of this is gone? In the difference of a day……. Memories gone. Pictures gone. Music gone. Furniture gone. Everything. Gone.
With those thoughts in mind and my keys in my hand, I wrote this song. I thank all of you for sharing, in so many ways. And while I am at it, thank you for allowing us to share with you.
http://www.gofundme.com/johnvaneaton
https://midimike.com/2015/07/11/please-help-spread-the-word/
MidiMike 